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You can both be right, if we take the parent comment to mean “often” when they say always. A lot of political discussions I see are quick to point the finger at

You can both be right, if we take the parent comment to mean “often” when they say always. A lot of political discussions I see are quick to point the finger at the other side without realizing the non-partisan nature of the problem.

davidw 7y ago
Sure, there are absolutely people who treat, say, political parties like sports teams. But there are a lot of sincere people trying to right wrongs or improve our world out there too. And there are genuinely evil people who seek only to further their own self interest, or power, or both.
- bluGill 7y ago
  Most people think they are sincere while promoting their own side good other side evil. All (not both!) sides do good and bad things both sides have evil people. However most people will overlook the bad someone on their side does because it is "a small thing", while jumping on the accusation bad thing someone on the other side does (often without any evidence, or minimal evidence that is played up).
  - davidw 7y ago
    At different points in history, different sides have been fairly objectively 'good' or 'bad' on various issues. Slavery was bad. Nixon was a crook. Of course people are complicated and you have to look at the entirety of things, which makes it complicated, but still, I don't buy the "both sides" stuff either.
    - someguydave 7y ago
      Have you ever read a serious defense of slavery or of Nixon? If not, perhaps that's a good place to start trying to humanize the other side?
      - bobthepanda 7y ago
        You don't even necessarily have to do this. Polemics against homosexuality and trans issues are still an extremely potent political issue today. You can still get fired from your job or kicked out of housing in many states for merely being openly gay. As a gay man it would be completely unconsciable to support Republicanism as it exists today, because the overwhelming majority of people in the party are somewhere between apathetic and enthusiastic about denying my rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
        officeplant 7y ago
        And yet living in the south (US) in my LGBT circles I've run into some fairly right wing gay men.
        bobthepanda 7y ago
        You can be right wing, or conservative, while still not supporting the current Republican party. And if you look hard enough you might find any permutation of beliefs and support for various things in one person. A fairly prominent LGBT person, Latrice Royale, at one point did not support gay marriage. That doesn't mean that I agree with that position, nor does that mean the majority of gay people do or should.
        someguydave 7y ago
        If you were an employer, would you fire an employee who was against gay marriage? Should the state protect the continued employment of such an employee?
        bobthepanda 7y ago
        That depends on how they express it. In general, having opinions and keeping them to yourself is fine. Being shitty to your colleagues because of it is generally not. And publicly threatening or attacking others is not. It's not about your beliefs, but what you do with them.
        7y ago

davidw 7y ago

Sure, there are absolutely people who treat, say, political parties like sports teams. But there are a lot of sincere people trying to right wrongs or improve our world out there too. And there are genuinely evil people who seek only to further their own self interest, or power, or both.

bluGill 7y ago
Most people think they are sincere while promoting their own side good other side evil. All (not both!) sides do good and bad things both sides have evil people. However most people will overlook the bad someone on their side does because it is "a small thing", while jumping on the accusation bad thing someone on the other side does (often without any evidence, or minimal evidence that is played up).
- davidw 7y ago
  At different points in history, different sides have been fairly objectively 'good' or 'bad' on various issues. Slavery was bad. Nixon was a crook. Of course people are complicated and you have to look at the entirety of things, which makes it complicated, but still, I don't buy the "both sides" stuff either.
  - someguydave 7y ago
    Have you ever read a serious defense of slavery or of Nixon? If not, perhaps that's a good place to start trying to humanize the other side?
    - bobthepanda 7y ago
      You don't even necessarily have to do this. Polemics against homosexuality and trans issues are still an extremely potent political issue today. You can still get fired from your job or kicked out of housing in many states for merely being openly gay. As a gay man it would be completely unconsciable to support Republicanism as it exists today, because the overwhelming majority of people in the party are somewhere between apathetic and enthusiastic about denying my rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
      - officeplant 7y ago
        And yet living in the south (US) in my LGBT circles I've run into some fairly right wing gay men.
        bobthepanda 7y ago
        You can be right wing, or conservative, while still not supporting the current Republican party. And if you look hard enough you might find any permutation of beliefs and support for various things in one person. A fairly prominent LGBT person, Latrice Royale, at one point did not support gay marriage. That doesn't mean that I agree with that position, nor does that mean the majority of gay people do or should.
      - someguydave 7y ago
        If you were an employer, would you fire an employee who was against gay marriage? Should the state protect the continued employment of such an employee?
        bobthepanda 7y ago
        That depends on how they express it. In general, having opinions and keeping them to yourself is fine. Being shitty to your colleagues because of it is generally not. And publicly threatening or attacking others is not. It's not about your beliefs, but what you do with them.
      - 7y ago