cathylynn wrote:
for the most part, i don't see anyone attacking anyone. disagreement is not an attack.
This.
Personally, I'm an ex-liberal female who considers herself to be nominally Pagan or possibly deist, but tends to have more in common with conservative Christians when it comes to an understanding of God's plans for the world and expectations of human behavior. I can't go to church because the Christians boot me out for being a Pagan. I can't join a coven, circle, grove, other Pagan organization, or for that matter Pagan forum because the Pagans boot me out for being a "dirty Christian shill."
*shrug*
We are, by and large, a very liberal bunch here. If you think about it, it makes sense.
The liberals WEAR THE APPEARANCE of standing up for social justice, something that is generally important to us thoroughly-kicked underdog types. I used to be a liberal for that very reason, until I got to know enough of them to realize that, for those who are actually powerful, commitment to social justice is a convenient image to project to get votes from useful idiots.
Unfortunately, being autisitcs, we're more likely to fall for the lip service. I did, for an embarrassingly long time.
They're also more likely to be generous with food, cash, and housing support; also with mandates for Medicaid or private insurance coverage of treatment and support services. However much I may disagree with the way welfare programs and medical treatment are administered, that is understandable a cause near and dear to the hearts of a demographic that is severalfold more likely to be unemployable, unemployed, or underemployed.
Your Average Joe Conservative is a lot more likely to look at one of us and tell us it's entirely our own fault, that we could "fix it" if we just "put in the effort." Without understanding that, while it is technically possible for the higher-functioning 3/4 of us to put in the effort to "pass," it's apt to be so much effort that it would preclude doing anything else, like the job we were actually hired for. I have no trouble seeing how that would be, um, alienating. To say the least.
As far as disagreement vs. attack goes...
We're an impassioned bunch of people. You feel very passionate about your views. Me, I've pretty much given up on changing anyone's mind about those things, and tend to stick to preaching to the choir. I doubt you are personally attacking those on the liberal side when you argue for your views; you simply feel threatened by their views, think said views are dangerously stupid, and ardently wish them to change. Same deal on the other side.
They probably wouldn't bother debating with you if they didn't enjoy doing so, ie basically like YOU despite passionately disagreeing with your opinion. Debate/argument is the essence and nature of all views being welcome. It's not apt to stay polite and civil in NT conversation, never mind in a group of people who are more likely to become impassioned and less likely to have the polished social skills to put ahead of The Truth As Perceived...
...but it is still the essence and nature of all views being welcome. I don't recall your age cohort-- are you old enough to remember Crossfire on CNN, back when it was still a news channel and not a celebrity tracking service?? Now THOSE were some impassioned, ad hominem debates.
I certainly like you and consider your views welcome. I hope that helps some, even if it is coming from a conservative sympathizer.
_________________
"Alas, our dried voices when we whisper together are quiet and meaningless, as wind in dry grass, or rats' feet over broken glass in our dry cellar." --TS Eliot, "The Hollow Men"
21 Jul 2015, 10:59 pm
