Since I was the one who made the comment, I want to apologize because it was inappropriate and apparently based on an incorrect assumption. I also consider myself to be informed and try to base my opinions on logic and science when possible. Like everyone I guess, I have some beliefs that are based on faith or best guess or wishful thinking or whatever, but have always said “In God I trust, everyone else bring facts and data”. As the cliche goes, we’re each entitled to our own opinions but not our own facts.
The point of my comment was divisiveness, and calling out individuals on FR who hold different opinions. I understand the emotion behind that but I also can’t see how it helps to create factions when we all agree on far more than we disagree about. With all that’s going on, we all need clarity in separating what we “think” from what we “know”.
Sir (or ma’am) I have no problem being challenged and hardly a day goes by where I am not burned in effigy by the Fearpers. My goal is always to engage in reasoned debate and if I can’t convince someone I am right I either need to rethink my stance or do a better job debating.
I have generally a thick skin and have dealt with the full range of people. When some of our brethren go off and make ad hominem attacks I will respond sternly and call our their behavior. I imagine Trump has become a bit of a role model to me where of you are going to take a swing at me I will swing back. I have learned that the bullies out there and the narcissists pray on those who are kind and choose not to fight in the name of civility. That is a line so very much so once breached in my life I will not let it be transgressed again.
But I will never take the first swing. You can see by those who are uncivil they don’t know what to do when they meet their own strategy. As I said to one of our petty tyrants on this board I didn’t like the bullies on the playground in grade school and choose not to tolerate them at the age of 47.
Be well my friend, no offense taken and I appreciate tour kindness