Tolerance works both ways

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I would like to take this opportunity to ask my fellow Bettermost residents to consider something.

I consider myself a liberal. I am a card carrying member of the ACLU, I am disenchanted with politics and have some deffinate ideas on national policy. One of those ideas is that it is the responsibility of the majority to look after the interests of the minority.

We here on this forum are in the awkward and somewhat liberating position of being in the majority for once. There are no haters, no trolls, no one calling us fags or chastising straight people for associating with us and that is a good thing. We are a largely liberal bunch, with a healthy mix of all political stripes. However, I think this largely liberal bunch needs to be more accepting of our conservative members. Their struggle is every bit as real as ours, their viewpoints just as valid. We are lucky that we live in countries where we are free to speak our minds without fear of retribution. It should be the same here, and we just might learn something from them.

In a nutshell I ask you, please listen to what a person has to say, and try to understand why they feel that way.

[Lynne]

This is a very valid point, Truman.  And I think you've hit the nail on the head in a sense with this statement:

We here on this forum are in the awkward and somewhat liberating position of being in the majority for once.

That feeling of liberation, even ecstasy, when you feel you've gone so long without anybody understanding you, can be heady.

One of the things I like and respect about BetterMost members, by-and-large, is that we're a well-read, intelligent crowd who are 'real thinkers'.  If one of us feels strongly about something, you can count on it being for a good reason, not just because somebody else said it or we heard a sound byte that was appealing.

I would hate to think that anyone would feel alienated from this diverse community because of differences of opinion about the details.  This community bridges so many barriers - ethnicity, nationality, religion, economy, philosophy, education, age, and obviously gender and sexual orientation.

Reasonable people can disagree.  I cannot stress that enough.  We have a lot of fun here, but we also debate some pretty serious issues that do not have easy answers.  If the answers were easy, there wouldn't be much to talk about.

I love the respectful discussions we have when we strive to understand why someone feels strongly one way or another.  I'm usually the optimist, but I doubt we're going to definitively solve any of the world's problems here and now.  So what matters most to me is understanding what's in each of our hearts.  Let's take this phenomenal opportunity we've been handed (pretty much on a silver platter!) and learn from one another.

Someone, (Phillip, I think? or maybe Aussie Chris?) posted this before in the very earliest days, but one of the purposes of an online community is to be a place where you can be Heard.  Let's strive to keep BetterMost friendly and nonjudgmental where we DO Hear each other and Love each other.  And where we're never hesitant to express what's in our hearts, even (especially?) if we know it's not going to be popular.  A big part of loving is loving without conditions.

[Shasta542]

I like the way ya'll think. 

[Shasta542]

 

[ifyoucantfixit]

         One of them what? Jess,,,,

[Shakesthecoffecan]

EWWWW!!

It is one of THEM!!


 

*Jess RUNS like the wind for the protection of the Store!!!*

 

I acknowledge the emoticons, and thank you Jess for the example, yes, "one of them".  Its the same thing I have heard said about me because of what I am. Here I think we should set aside those differences, We have enough enemies in the world as it is. We don't need to be ganging up on one another.

[Kelda]

Here we don't go that far.

Roland's theory is that we have all learned to be friends first...so when we see our friends getting upset we take a step back.

*insert nodding head icon here* totally Jess and Roland, totally.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I agree with the head nodding 

I think I have had to get my head around the fact that there are gay people who are conservative in their political outlook, and align themselves on many issues with larger groups that I feel practice intolerance against gay people. So I try to keep my eyes open in the grey areas, I find I agree with them on some things too.

In my own country we are so polarized and there is so much animosity betwixt the polls, progress suffers.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I agree. I was discussing this with Roland the other night (Or morning) in the Grill. I have been on forums where the conversations we have been getting into (death penalty/abortion/health care/mayo vs Miracle Whip) would result in broken friendships and people deleting their accounts in outrage.

And I'll bet the mayo-vs.-Miracle Whip was the most divisive of all.   

Love y'all!     

[Scott6373]

Hellmans