More people need to realize that difference. Not allowing schools to conduct formal prayers according to some administrator's choice of which prayer is said (which is the thing that's illegal) is not the same as a kid bowing his head to say grace to himself before he eats lunch in the cafeteria. There is nothing to stop that child from doing that and if anybody did stop them from doing that, the ACLU would probably be all over that too. I pray all over the place. Nobody can legislate my thoughts and I can converse with God any time I please.

Keeping abortion legal doens't mean forcing anybody to have one. Those who don't agree simply don't get them, don't date people who want them to get one (or who would get one), don't donate money to agencies that support it, etc. It simply allows other people the option of free will. It also doesn't mandate doctors to perform them. Only those who choose to perform them do so. Same with the staff in the clinics.

Allowing gay marriages doesn't affect anybody else in any way, shape or form. Nobody is going to force anybody else to marry someone of their own sex. People will choose to do this on their own. Nobody can force a church to perform the marriage. Churches can refuse to marry anybody they don't want to marry.

Drinking is legal for me, but I choose not to do it these days (because it makes me sick). That doesn't mean I believe in Prohibition.

I consider myself liberal simply because I think people should be able to choose whether or not to do all the above things, whether I personally believe or would choose to do them myself.

Dee

Hey MTSUGRL,
I'm gonna have to say tolerance. I may not agree with a lot of viewpoints out there in the world, but I respect the fact that people may believe certain viewpoints. However, I think my original post was just a reaction to certain people's intolerance of viewpoints and putting down those with such viewpoints, instead of merely disagreeing with them.

And yet again, I agree with everything that this very smart lady has to say.

Here here.

Now this makes more sense than your original post. You had it worded in a way that made a blanket statement about conservatives. Unfortunately, that's something that happens a lot on this site on both sides (conservatives stereotyping liberals, liberals stereotyping conservatives).

The point that people miss, as AGDee so eloquently put, is that there are shades of thought. I'm conservative on a number of issues; however, I'm pro-choice and against any ammendments banning gay marriage.

The point people have to remember is that there's stereotyping on BOTH sides, including on this site. Both Republicans and Democrats can be (and have been) nasty to each other.

I am a Conservative and I am also very nice.

Ask anyone who matters; they'll tell ya :)

I think an important concept to remember is that tolerance of others' ideas and viewpoints is extremely difficult - it requires a level of perspective most people simply aren't willing to achieve. For that reason, many won't be tolerant of others . . . which is intellectually lazy at best.

Personally, I can identify with your feelings in a way - I don't associate well with either party, in one sense or another. I am extremely liberal with regard to social issues, fairly Libertarian in my views on government interaction with the daily lives of the people, and conservative in terms of fiscal matters and the size of the government. I'm pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-secular government, and registered as a Republican.

One thing that's important to remember is to not ignore an idea or concept just because the people promoting it are jackasses - then, you're just as bad as the intolerant people you're railing against. Instead, utilize every outlet you can find to learn the most about a particular issue or idea, relate it to your personal feelings and beliefs, and decide for yourself - put yourself on a higher level from those who clown based on political affiliation. At that point, you can truly speak with perspective, which no one can fault you for in the least.

You know what would be nice? a thread listing sock puppets. I get confused sometimes.

Very well said.

Do we have enough room for that??:p

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Re: any "nice" conservatives out there?
 

So you're a liberal and you think your school's conservative minority is unreceptive to your liberal majority?

So, I guess, since I am A Conservative Liberal or is it a Liberal Conservative or how ever You or anyone else want to Pengiun whole me, I am supposed to conform to a defenition that is proposed by someone?

By Some One, I assume that You know that I am talking about Some Academian?:rolleyes:

When I vote some damn Patry Lines because someone says I have to, I change like I did Years ago. I can do it again on what Party I am registered to. That sucks by the way.

I and many Voters do have a Mind about how they want to vote for the People who project the best Approach and Plan.:)

Amazing how many recalls are becoming a Major thing from the Old Line Blood Sucking Political who have been around for every!

Oh, Does Tom Delay ring a bell?:eek:

What a Friggen Scuz Ball. Good Old Boy Polotics Keep the Crap in Office.:mad:

Now why can't I think of something this intelligent to say when asked by my fellow parishioners about my "disagreeable" beliefs?

It's not copyrighted. Feel free to use it. :D

Thank you for your kind words to those who made positive comments. I led a very sheltered life in a very sheltered community when I was growing up. Then I worked in mental health for 13 years and saw so many horrible things that other people go through. Having seen so many different individuals' circumstances, it just widened my perspective a lot.