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Freedom and liberty are scary ****!
Especially, when you realize other people have it, too.
You know what infuriates me and makes me bitter? It's that I support EVERY SINGLE one of their rights but they don't support mine.
I support gay marriage, am pro-choice, don't care what bathrooms trans people use, legalization of most drugs, your right to own as many guns as you like, the freedom to manage your own property the way you like, unfettered free speech, your freedom to do whatever you like with however much money you make, respect for your religion of choice, freedom of movement, equality of opportunity for all.
... and yet they will cross out or caveat the hell out of about half of those things. How does that make us equal? How can you call yourself an American when you won't stand up for those personal freedoms for everybody?
You may not be "the liberal left" but you certainly seem to be a fine mouthpiece for them
Also good to remember when engaging in civil discourse: avoid labels and pigeonholes.
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Originally Posted by ATX Wahine
Why can’t Americans agree to once again use some discretion and tact when it comes to these ideals? We’re becoming a rather uncivilized narcissistic bunch who believe our opinions are important enough to be shared anywhere at any time with anybody. For eff’s sake, pay attention to social cues. When you find yourself doing all the talking, it’s time to hush up.
You said this more succinctly and directly than I did. Thanks.
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Originally Posted by kmom2
If I can't go to a town meeting and be on record as supporting the police without being intimidated and smeared for being a 'racist,' I don't have 'free speech' in principle. Yes, I'm aware that no one is stopping me from saying it. But the principle of free speech has been eroded when a person has to live with fear, and self-censorship.
If someone can't question their company's racially preferenced hiring practices without fear of losing their job, technically they have free speech, but that is not how free societies behave. Free societies have debates. You probably know that, but are playing semantics.
The privilege of stating an opinion publicly goes both ways. People are free to disagree with you as much as you are free to state your opinion. But staying silent just increases the intimidation.
Criticizing employers' policies are another matter. For better or worse, we've chosen at will employment as our standard, where someone can be fired for any reason not covered by law.
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Originally Posted by Wee-Bey
Conservatives don't believe in cancel culture.
Planned Parenthood and Colin Kapernick would like a word.
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Originally Posted by Rachel976
And your request for clarification was hardly that - it was a DEMAND that I complete the assignment you gave me. I didn’t feel like having to prove to you what anyone who knows what’s happening in this country already knows.
It's a generally accepted debate practice that the person who introduces a discussion point also has the burden of proof.
I have seen many posts on this forum calling liberals "evil, "idiots" and "America-haters". And have heard similar comments in person. This type of rhetoric is a staple on Fox News. So it's not only liberals who "vigorously, loudly and freely champion their views and condemn" others.
I have literally heard THREE local liberals in the past week say the following:
I hate the Ricketts...Liberal when a conversation about the Cubs came up. Rickets are HUGE conservatives.
I hated the band director (that had to quit because someone went after his personnel records. He was on probation and the local press went after him. Even school didn't intend to fire him.)
When telling a liberal person I work out with in a class that we are moving to Florida "I hate Ron Desantis'.
I don't ever say I hate Kim Foxx (the prosecutor who lets all the criminals out) or Lori LIghtfoot, the clueless mayor of Chicago. I don't use the words "I HATE so and so or Biden' but I regularly hear it from liberals.
If your company doesn't have conduct rules prohibiting questioning hiring practices, why would you fear losing your job?
If I say we should use human babies as a food crop, should I expect to not have to "fear" reactions to that public speech? What you're proposing is NOT "free speech" and it is NOT what America is "supposed to represent".
But saying using human babies as crop is reprehensible. You SHOULD get a hostile reaction. You’re coming across as holier-than-thou with the implication that conservative opinions are equally as reprehensible - and they’re not. They just don’t agree with the far-left nonsense.
Please don't compare your feelings of not being able to discuss politics openly with the feelings Germans may have had during Nazi era.
You live in a more liberal community and feel uncomfortable sharing your political views.
I live the southeast and I am careful about discussing politics because I know many -- if not most -- lean more conservative than liberal.
It is NOT comparable to what was going on in Germany during the Nazi era. It just isn't.
It is clear that many of us have the decency to not ramble on about our politics when we don't know our audience or even if we do.
Many of us know right and left leaning people that insist on sharing THEIR views.
We can agree they should keep it to themselves.
I'm sorry for you folks that have issues with your families over politics. I can't imagine.
My best friends are all conservatives & I respect them and their choice and we just don't talk politics.
Why not? Because YOU don't think so? I think it's a valid comparison.
Yup and a Texas teacher was fired for wearing Black Lives Matter stuff. Teachers should not engage in political dialogue -- they just shouldn't.
That might be because political garb was against the dress code. In the example I cited, the teacher (actually, a dean) merely wrote in an email that blacks lives matter (so she agreed) but that all lives matter as well. Apparently, saying that everyone’s life matters is so distasteful to liberals that she lost her job.
Don't take yourselves so seriously, conservatives. It's not just you and it's not a new thing. We all run into places where we have to self censor. That's what makes this place so interesting - we get the chance to say what's on our minds without destroying relationships.
Remember the old saying about how people should avoid discussing religion and politics? This has always been a thing.
But previously, were people afraid of being doxed or losing their jobs? I don't think so.
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