X-Message-Number: 29113 Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 11:04:36 -0500 (EST) From: Charles Platt <> Subject: honorable causes References: <> So let's suppose I object to the freeway that has been built near my house. I walk out with my protest sign and stand in the fast lane. A truck knocks me flat and puts me in a hospital with 20 broken bones. Is this still a noble sacrifice which earns me donations and sympathy? I mean, how self-destructive do you have to be, to reach a point where it's just your own silly fault? Pick battles you can win, line up support beforehand (instead of running for help later), work out a strategy, proceed incrementally--this all seems a bit obvious, doesn't it? I once put up $10,000 bail for someone I hardly knew because I felt a lot of sympathy for his situation. To me, tilting at windmills is not in that category. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=29113