Hi,

I am currently in a debate with a conservative, orthodox, Christian friend
about
gay rights and gay marriage (don't laugh - it keeps me from getting senile).
I am
trying to make the point that in all of history there are, perhaps, no cases
of a
group in the majority or in power that embraced the differences of a group
that was
in the minority or that lacked power.  I've given examples of Christians,
Protestants,
Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Women, Blacks, Mexicans, Environmentalists,
Mentally
Ill, AIDS Patients, Senior Citizens, Irish Immigrants, Okies, Ugly People,
Fat People,
Native Americans, and more.  I claim that Homosexuals are just another group
in
a long, long, long line of people who want their "God" given rights, dignity
and humanity.

Anyway here's my question - I remember a quote from somewhere (maybe Twain)
that
said, "anytime a village on one side of a river looks across and sees
another village on the
other side of the river the first village immediately assumes that the
second village is the
enemy."

Does that ring a bell for anybody out there?  I'd love to find the original
because I'm
sure that the author said it much better than I have.

Best Regards,

Alan Rosenthal