And America Continues to Show it's True Colors. . .

[fuzzygobo]

That "politically correct" garbage was, and still is, a shill used by dirty politicians to excuse blatant racism, sexism and homophobia.

How it works is this: Every single person on this earth has been accused of doing or saying something inappropriate. Sometimes these things are true. Sometimes they're not. And sometimes there's a gray line. Regardless, any person with empathy simply wouldn't say something with prejudice or insensitivity that would make someone else feel bad. When mistakes are made, a few overzealous social justice warriors will shame that person into silence instead of allowing them grace and a polite apology. They must be destroyed! That's actually a very rare sentiment, but we've all experienced it at one time or another. That, however, is used as a placeholder and excuse for people like Donald Trump to say the most horrible things about women and minorities. it's a GET OUT OF BEING SEEN AS A BIGOT FREE card for when someone intentionally says something horrible. We've seen what's happened to our culture because of that. There's this unapologetic rudeness that's not okay.

I know it's unpopular to say this and spawned a lot of angry arguments, but I told the conservative Christians in my life who were too close to see clearly in 2016:

Your moral choice this election year isn't between Trump and Hillary. It's between Trump and Jesus. You can vote for countless candidates, but if you trust in God, you cannot vote for this horrible man who's entire life has been in opposition for nearly everything Jesus taught.

I know that's harsh and I'm an agnostic, so I'm not beholden to the same standard. However, I still employ the same sort of integrity in how I live, the people I support and how I vote. It seems like a high standard. It is. And I fail a lot too. But I don't fail by going into anything with excuses. That's the difference right there.

I don't get why people would fluctuate between Bernie and Trump. That's just about the cult of personality and not of policy or integrity. I get why people didn't vote for Hillary. A lot of that is due to the 30 year campaign against her. Ultimately, she did not make a compelling enough case to win the Electoral College vote. It never should have been this close. Russian involvement, obvious collusion and other dirty deeds aside, her loss is completely on her.

That said, I don't care if a person is gay or straight, Christian or atheist, Republican or Democrat. We all make mistakes and every single moment is an opportunity for us to recognize that mistake, learn from it and make things better from that point on. That's a daily thing I try to do. It just seems that so many people are now holding onto their mistakes for fear of being "destroyed" by someone else for making them. We need to lend more grace and forgiveness to others. All of us.

A true sign of being a Christian is being humble enough to admit mistakes. When Trump got elected and professed he was a Christian, I was thinking/hoping, "Good. He has his priorities straight. Now we can go to work."
Not too long after, his armor started showing a few chinks. Then the chinks became gaping holes.
Morally, the man has dug quite a hole for himself. God's grace can restore him. But it takes some humility on Trump's part before God can do His work.

Back in my younger days, there were a few things I said that, now, I'm not exactly proud of. Not my finest moments. But God's grace helped me move past that, and changing my attitude so I won't say those things again.

God's grace is awesome. None of us deserve it, but he gives it all the same.

 

[fuzzygobo]

That I can definitely agree on. Like I always say, let people live the life they want to live. Never felt happier not caring about what people do with their lives.

Also, regarding not voting at all, I get that from alot of people and if people feel that way, that's fine. They can think what they want. But this is also coming from someone who just isn't into talking about politics that much.

Literally, just thinking of what 2020 is going to be like makes me want to light a bowl.

Light the bowl and pass to your left. 8)
Munchies smiles all around.

 

[Old Thunder]

So anyways, 1000 Eyes just woke up and read through several pages and would now like to say a few things.

1) I've said it before and I'll say it again, the fact that it was Hillary and Trump remaining in that election proves how far down this country's slipped.

2) Another thing I said before is how I'm not against swearing and in fact (as you've probably seen) do a good chunk of it myself. That said, what surprised me was how the user involved in the name calling had no argument left and resorted instantly to that instead of trying to actually discuss the differences of opinion.

3) Can anyone find a good link regarding the Trump sex stuff? I've been trying to find some I could use in future political discussions but have not yet found one that others would call "fake news".

4) I once said that Robert E. Lee is a deserved hero for him standing with his state, and Censored immediately asked if this makes the Nazi soldiers fighting in the war heroes as well. I have thought a great deal about this, and I think I have an answer. It's kind of convoluted so bear with me. Yes, some of them I'm sure knew about what they were doing and decided to go through with it anyway, but there were also a bunch of people who were deluded into thinking that they were on the right side and thus didn't realize what they were actually doing. There were also a bunch of people who were merely executing orders. Were they heroes or not? It's hard to say, but certainly I hold some level of respect to anyone who is willing to die for a cause. I don't respect people like Hitler and his gang, who were doing the wrong thing intentionally, but I do respect, to an extent, those people like you or me who would probably do the same thing under the circumstances.

I think this song's lyrics sum it up fairly well:

Writing this post actually took over an hour because I was doing other stuff as well so I didn't just wake up anymore.

 

[Censored]

No one fighting for oppression can be called a hero. They can possibly be called stupid if they think they're doing the right thing, but never heroic.

 

[Old Thunder]

No one fighting for oppression can be called a hero. They can possibly be called stupid if they think they're doing the right thing, but never heroic.

Just remember this next time you get drafted to fight a war started by a dictator.

 

[Old Thunder]

Furthermore: if you were in the same situation as them, would you have done what they did? I.E., followed orders and whatnot?

Your instinct is to say, "Of course I wouldn't! I would be sensible!"

Would you though? You might believe everything you hear, not realizing the brutality taking place that you are helping to flame. You might never figure out what you're actually doing until the truth is revealed or you find yourself in the next world.

Remember: the Nazis had some great orators and excellent wording. It was easy for the country to get caught up with what Hitler told them. Of course, nowadays everyone realizes just how bad it was, but that's the thing - hindsight's always 20/20.

It's easy to say you'd do one thing when the truth is that no one knows how they'd react in a certain situation.

I ask again: would you have been any different?

Don't answer. You don't know.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Honestly my 2016 self would have been sooooo salty looking at this.

Now? I find it hilarious because it's true.

 

[LittleJerry92]

This also gave me a good laugh.

 

[LittleJerry92]

For the record by the way, I am aware no thanks to those ignorant cops (*cough* NY, Baltimore, the ones in the South, *cough*) and the annoying white supremacists that unfortunately "white skin privilege" exists. That does NOT mean I enjoy it nor do I want it associated with myself as an individual.

 

[Censored]

Just remember this next time you get drafted to fight a war started by a dictator.

I wouldn't be a hero.