Dude, I think you're a decent person, I really do. My only issue with your posting is you come across like you're the smartest one that is in the room.
You do bring up some good points, I just wish you wouldn't constantly remind us that you are as educated as you are.
I think your heart is in the right place though.
Mac, I appreciate it. Honestly, being a good person means a LOT to me. I sort of hate conflict and the like, even though I get pulled into these things a lot... but usually it is because I am SURE we can come to some common understandings. I know you've read some of this on the national forum... so you've probably seen how many times I've said things like "I think we all agree on more than we know" and stuff like that. I mean, that's why I was "sticking up" for Pisgah in this thread just now. I genuinely want us to find common ground, because I DO think that almost everyone here is a decent person, and if we were sitting face to face sharing a drink we'd likely all get along and find a LOT of common ground... a job that leaves us beat at the end of the day, a wife we love but who tells us what to do, a mother in law who tires us out, a Duke coach that we wish would develop the bench more
But the thing is... as a person who inherently loves discussion and the like, it is really, really, really hard to read things that I know are basically factually untrue, and equally hard to read things that really show that someone doesn't understand something, and just take it. It is honestly hard.
Imagine if there was a poster who was... I don't know, a member of the military. Said person explained, in a post, how to properly clear a room. How to slice the pie, how to call out... all of that stuff.
Then someone with no military experience beyond what the average person knows from their experiences came in and corrected them, and told them that they were wrong, and all of that.
Would that be acceptable? Would we be okay with this second person's take, and give their take the same weight?
No. I don't think we would.
Well, when it comes to discussions of race and American history, that's how it feels to me.
I am NOT saying this to be offensive. I am not saying I am inherently better than anyone. I just know a lot about this stuff. I know about the stats, I know about the history... I know a lot about it.
And I have a very hard time
Does this make sense? Honestly, not trying to take shots, not trying to be jerkish... I am not rolling my eyes when I type this, and I am not being sarcastic or anything, which is hard to tell on the internet... (even THAT sounds sarcastic, but it isn't meant to be!
)
If we talk tax reform, I'll gladly shut up and listen once the conversation gets beyond the basics. If we talk stock market reform, I'll gladly shut up and listen once the conversation gets beyond the basics. About any number of topics, I'll gladly shut up and listen once we get past the basics.
Over the last year or so, politics and race has been a big topic. It's one I know a lot about, and I have a hard time not challenging someone when I think they are wrong. I'm sorry if it comes off nastily at times (and at times it IS... there is a lot of nasty stuff thrown around on the internet, and sometimes I give in and respond in kind... although often I'll go back and edit to get rid of it, or even apologize and try to mend bridges later... I tried that several times with SoCal...) but it really isn't meant to be.
(That was a lot of typing.)
