i am bowing out of this one with a few last words... 1 - i won't really make an impact with my voice here. there are too many detractors who are looking to hang on every word and twist it into my being a narrow minded person. which is fine. "winning" the debate is not always the point of these discussions anyways. but i believe homosexuality is a choice. 2 - my right to voting is my own. i am not a bigot for not voting the way you do. you should applaud people for voicing their opinions through voting. 3 - living in a world where being homosexual is "ok" does affect society (locally, nationally, worldwide), and it can especially affect young people. as you were...
You're a bigot for supporting discriminatory laws and policies, just as the people who supported discriminatory laws in the past were bigots. As does living in a word where being homosexual is not "ok". And it also affects young people in particular. Gay teenagers are more isolated and vulnerable than gay adults. They suffer particularly virulent harrassment and have few options to avoid it because they can't simply move to find a sympathetic community, as an adult would. Not surprisingly, there is an appallingly high suicide rate among gay teens.
I don't think anyone here is denying you your rights. Heck even if you thought Asians where immoral and should be sent to concentrations camps I wouldn't deny you the right to speak or vote. I don't agree with your views but its better for society that you get to voice them. Its better for soceity you get to vote on them too. What bothers me though is your attitude where you feel you are being persecuted for your beliefs and we should be nicer to you. Well free speech goes both ways. Everyone else as much a right to challenge you on your views and if you feel you are being persecuted well maybe you should be willing to stand up for your views.
and so what if it is, who are you to legislate how consenting adults choose to live? it is none of your business.
1. You are free to believe that. But you aren't or shouldn't be free to force other people to believe that when there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. 2. Voting your way does make you bigotted on the issue. Just as votes to keep segregation made those people bigotted. Yes you do have the right to vote however you feel. But those votes do carry meaning and messages. Living in a world where homosexuality is ok may make some people uncomfortable, but as society becomes accostomed to it, the discomfort will lessen. History has shown us that with interracial marriages and desegregation.
There is sort of a mob mentality that permeates the D&D when unpopular opinions on this board are expressed. Not that it shouldn't be expected if one takes the time and sees how the majority of posters react to sensitive issues. Of course, it doesn't help that the majority of the people with the stomach to go all the way on these arguments tend to come from one side of the spectrum. =P
Excuse me, but all I simply did was make a point on Sishir's post about people having a right to challenge other peoples views. The numerous posts that followed TXpratt's post challenging him just proved the point. There's nothing in my post that deserves this kind of reaction. Please don't roll your eyes at me simply because I make an observation about the interactions that go on in D&D between posters.
It was an observation about how people react to other people's views on the board especially if they're unpopular or not in tune with the majority of D&D posters. and rhad, I'm not interested in getting into another back and forth. I know I blew up at you a while back. That was my fault for overreacting, and you have my apologies. I like your mindset on a lot of issues, even though I may disagree with your stance. I'd like for us to be able to be in the same thread without getting caught up in a personal back and forth.
No issues here. Apology accepted. But I'll call you out every time I see more of your "woe-is-me, i'm so persecuted" hooey.
heh, works for me. I'll look forward to it (ok not really, but it's better than pouting and walking away in a huff).
The only reason this is a "sensitive issue" hotballa, is because some people are still bigotted and refuse to admit it. When they get called out on it, they react as if the accusation is wholly unjustified. Denial or stupidity, it's bloody irritating regardless.
I know the feeling, I was pissed off to no end at the guy who kept insisting he wasn't anti-Semitic while talking about a grand Jewish conspiracy FWIW, I think the problem that often comes into play on this topic and other topics of contention is the fact we're doing it over the Internet via message boards. We all know everyone has varying degrees on how they feel towards something, but when you type it to someone else instead of saying it, you leave it up to the other person to decide just how strong your actual feelings are. So if you're someone who feels strongly about an issue, you will probably automatically project the other person to feel as strongly as you do on their position. I think we've all taken a stronger position on something than we really wanted during our time in D&D. I think I even caught myself defending Bush once, and I absolutely cannot stand the guy but yet I spent a few posts on it where you might have thought I voted for him in '04.
Yes that happens here. It happens in the GARM too or any other discussion forum where contentious topics are debated. Not to sound hard @ss about this but there you do have develop a thick skin at times. I'm not saying I'm immune to it, I got really annoyed at another poster recently and just realized it wasn't worth getting heated about. There is a reason why unpopular views are unpopular. That doesn't mean views like that though shouldn't be voiced and I would encourage Txpratt to continue voicing his views. What I don't agree with is the attitude that we should be nicer to him since he's voicing a counter viewpoint. Especially on a topic like this where not that long ago people would could get beaten for expressing sympathy or acceptance of homosexuality. If you know that you are expressing a view that you feel is right but is unpopular you should be willing to stand behind those views even in the face of harsh counter rhetoric. Rather than complain about how no one is being nice and accepting your views. Its harsh but that is often the fate of those who express an unpopular view.
