Full circle? Humility?

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   So this reelection of a controversial president has me thinking about the first political debates I participated in here. It was 2004, OS and "The Smittys" were the politically enlightened. Keep in mind that the major issues were national security, the validity of the war in Iraq, immigration, and campaign finance reform. Totally different landscape. Having turned 18 just weeks before the election and convinced I had it figured out, I made some extremely dumb statements based on no real life experience, and later had my face soundly rubbed in it when I failed to live up to my own ideals. I think I took it with a degree of humility, smitty had a point and an earned entitlement to his opinion (not that you can verify what people say they are on the internet) but I think I took my lumps, kept an open mind, and sought more solid ways of justifying my beliefs at the time, and also amended them. I think I have a better idea of what make up my ideological underpinnings, and what I think is required for citizens to act freely in pursuit of their natural liberties, which I still believe in BTW. I don't know what's changed more, my beliefs or public discourse, but I'm seeing myself playing the part of my former opponents on this forum and elsewhere, and somewhat unnerved by *gasp* relative consensus with my my viewpoints. 
So thanks forum, for challenging me. Please continue to do so. But to my current opposition, please step up your game a  bit. I've changed my stances before, and if I have any firmly-set beliefs, will do so again if presented relevant, compelling, and convincing evidence. Hell, OS has changed quite a bit since then politically, and he was in his cranky-old-man prime and on his own court in public discourse then. We don't have Rambino around much, Enos is quiet, who knows where the smittys went. Off the forum, the greatest generation is largely gone, and I don't think public discourse, even in our own little corner of the digital world, has filled the void yet. Do better. We all benefit from thoughtful debate, even if just to know our own biased stances better. 