A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

[Cavernio]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

Religion isn't what separates the stupid from the smart out where I live, but there's plenty of other stereotyping and misinformation to take its place.

[00Razor00]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

I can relate. All I can say is that you should stick to your guns and get yourself into a school that is sufficiently far away so you don't have to be surrounded by that crap. It's the primary reason I fled to the NE, back in the day. I've spent too much time around too many anti-intellectual, bigoted retards in both Oregon and Texas alike.

Boyyy, you fixin' ta' get in a hot mess right quick talkin' all that smack.

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

I don't have a problem with people having a religion. I do have a problem when they try to push their religious beliefs onto other people, and especially when they try to integrate church and state. Religion should not be in politics and laws should not be biased towards or against any particular religion -- hence separation of church and state. Certainly people's religious beliefs should be considered when drafting new laws, but such beliefs should not themselves be codified into law nor should special preference be given.

I also have no problem with someone voting Republican or whatever else though I would prefer they put some thought into it. What I do have a problem with is blind parroting of very one-sided political dogma, ignorance, prejudice, intolerance, and furthering of misinformation, falsehoods, and lies.

Racism, intolerance, and religion-biased government should have no place in the USA.

[Reincarnate]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

I also have no problem with someone voting Republican or whatever else

What I do have a problem with is blind parroting of very one-sided political dogma, ignorance, prejudice, intolerance, and furthering of misinformation, falsehoods, and lies.

Racism, intolerance, and religion-biased government should have no place in the USA.

paradox ahoy

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

paradox ahoy

It is an American right to be able to vote however you want. I support that right. I would prefer that people put some thought into it though.

It is also entirely possible to vote for a candidate whose views or position you don't fully support if, everything considered, he/she seems to you better than the other options. You could always choose to vote for the "least bad" candidate or you could choose to do a write-in vote or you could choose not to vote.

Just because the majority of Republican voters may be doing so for religious or dogmatic reasons does not mean they all are.

If you want to vote Communist or anything else I fully support your right to vote that way as well, whether or not it's a good idea, simply because it is your right as an American citizen. I would prefer that you put some thought into it is all.

[qqwref]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

I dunno, man... I'd say that anyone who votes Republican at this point is at best deluded/misinformed. I support their right to make that vote but I think it's wrong that anyone would *want* to.

[Charlo]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

My experience with people is that they are intolerant of other viewpoints. I am no exception, sadly. I don't get why people have to trumpet their opinions so loudly.

[25thhour]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

I can relate. All I can say is that you should stick to your guns and get yourself into a school that is sufficiently far away so you don't have to be surrounded by that crap. It's the primary reason I fled to the NE, back in the day. I've spent too much time around too many anti-intellectual, bigoted retards in both Oregon and Texas alike.

I totally agree with this... I live in a retarded ass hick town where everyone is oblivious to the outside world and only care about themselves, they hate any sort of change and if someone is different. It`s like a mini Texas. I may be moving to Calgary (which is like another Texas) but, I am moving for school and to better my life.

Some places just aren`t fit to be your home.

[dore]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

people are dumb. sadly in a lot of places, that's the cool thing to do

[Reincarnate]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

...whether or not it's a good idea, simply because it is your right as an American citizen ...

Honestly, though, this is part of the problem. Saying it's OK for people to make bad choices because "it's their right to" is incredibly counterproductive. Personally, I hold people to a higher standard than that.

For instance, you have people trying to shoehorn Creationist garbage into the science classroom because "hey it's my right and I am entitled to my opinion," or "Hey let's shift the tax burden away from our 'job creators' so they can invest more -- trickle-down economics will save us." It's all based in fallacy, and wrapped up in rhetoric to make people vote against their own interests.

You've got guys on the Republican ticket like Paul Ryan who think rape is a method of conception. This is like saying genocide is a form of population control.

I just feel like... you know, at some point, you're not entitled to your opinion. You've got a right to free speech, certainly, but when you wield power and try to push for changes that are based on factually inaccurate and ideologically batshit foundations, you are hurting the country.

"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'" - Isaac Asimov

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

You do have a point, but I don't know what can be done. We could try improving the educational system, but ultimately you can't force people to learn things or to think if they don't want to or don't see the need. People are blissfully unaware in their simplicity.

Also, love the Isaac Asimov quote.

[Syhto]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

haha texas, what you know about that. take a trip across the US youll see there are plenty of hicktown usa places in every state, its the american way

i just went through the south again with fresh eyes and you know, at least most of the people are friendly, if not really odd. i mean, you can't really blame them for being backwards. they feel like they're doing their part by being hicks lol, just gotta smile at them : )D anyways the revolution starts with you, thats all i can see. Because how can anyone tackle a machine like society without total rehaul? and when would we ever be able to come to a consensus, unless our eyes were open and we were all open to change. you have to analyze your part in ~tha world~ and set an example, its really all you can do. you can't fight bigotry with bigotry, its a vicious cycle if you fail to understand where they are coming from.

people have their reasons and really we're all struggling with our own probs. try to be compassionate, don't worry about the state of the world so much, i rly think that's what the world needs

[Reincarnate]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

you can't fight bigotry with bigotry, its a vicious cycle if you fail to understand where they are coming from.

Who's fighting bigotry with bigotry? I don't think it's a problem of "failing to understand where they are coming from."

[Syhto]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

It may not necessarily be "bigotry" but there is usually a sense of 'im better than these people and they're retarded', when that is the kind of thinking that makes bigots hate intellectual types in the first place.

[Reincarnate]

Re: A brief glimpse into the insanity in my area

It's not arrogant to point out someone's ignorance/hypocrisy when they try to push power over people based on ill-founded emotional appeals and demonstrably false gibberish.