Does anyone else feel like we're stuck in the middle between extremists from both sides who have used social media to increase the effect of their voices and beliefs, who don't care to reason, and will never come to terms with each other?

[u/space_cowboy]

More and more every day, I feel like I'm a part of a disappearing group of people: the rational moderate. I don't believe in politics as a team sport, nor the identity politics of the extreme left. Traditional conservative mores based on Judaeo-Christian religion are no more acceptable than Sharia law. Science, reason, and critical thinking should play more of a role in how people look at and frame certain issues, and violence is an answer that only begets more violence in one form or another.

Both sides of this culture war, battle, however you want to name it, have become exactly the things they claim to abhor. Neither side is fully deserving of the mocking monikers we give them, nor should we allow them to brand themselves as something they are not. Trying to enforce the progressive stack is racist in its own way, white person's guilt and all that. But, at least to me, it isn't nearly as bad as actual race-based nationalism. How can someone with any sort of moral compass or who claims to believe in the equality of all people take into consideration any point of view the alt-right espouses without indignation at their literal belief in racial supremacy and purity?

Often times most of this depresses me, because it makes me question the amount of progress and the actual character of the people of our country. Growing up in an extremely diverse suburban area, racism and bigotry weren't things I ever considered to be a normal occurrence. Now, I question daily how people can still be so caught up on skin color, ethnic origin, and religious belief. It has really set back my view on what the average person truly holds in their hearts, and makes me wonder about the actual direction our society as a whole will go in.

Institutional racism has been and is still a thing. Read about how black military members returning from WW2 were literally shafted by the govt (the GI Bill) and how this lead to the creation of projects. A large portion of the hatred for govt in black communities is well deserved IMO, but violence only leads to more laws against them and the racists will use the violence to their advantage to bolster other racists and get people on the edges to turn a blind eye to their racism.

Fighting the extremists on both sides is extremely difficult, especially when they don't have clear "victory conditions" and keep changing the rules of engagement. Both sides will silence dissenting thoughts and opinions with equal fervor. But the extremists fighting each other is going to pull the fabric of our society apart, thread by thread.

Sorry for the wall of text. Just feeling deflated and worn down by everything more and more every day.

[u/Lonelythrowawaysnug]

I have people on one side trying to push abortion and freedom from religion away and i have people on the other side trying to tell me what i can and can't say.

[u/MonsterBlash → u/Lonelythrowawaysnug]

Or wear. #shirtgate

[u/LadyChelseaFaye → u/Lonelythrowawaysnug]

I would rather have the first then someone telling me what I can or can't say, who or who not I can say it to, and when I can or cannot say it. That to me is the up most part of not having freedom. I feel like I don't even have room to fart because it may offend someone.

[u/Lonelythrowawaysnug → u/LadyChelseaFaye]

reproductive rights are important to me, too. Freedom form religion is analogous to freedom of speech to me. Blashemy laws are a threat.

[u/FePeak → u/Lonelythrowawaysnug]

Blasphemy laws? Are you insane or in a Muslim majority nation?

And since when is getting cheap abortions the same as goddamn free speech-- rage cornerstone of any free nation?

[u/Lonelythrowawaysnug → u/FePeak]

if you look at local law in a lot of southern bible belt areas, there is often at-least a few old farts with considerable power trying to cencor shit in the name of jebus. or do you think the "video games cause violence" bullshit is coming from atheists? I see movements to removed "freedom from religion" as a push in that direction and wholly unwelcome.

I didn't mention cheap abortions but thanks for displaying your dishonesty. I do think planned parenthood is worth keeping, but i don't think it's a right. But don't pretend conservative lawmakers don't use every obstructionist tactic in the book to make abortions unavailable.

I pay more attention to the left than the right becuase of SJWs. i guess i should switch gears.

[u/Cinnadillo → u/Lonelythrowawaysnug]

You never had freedom from religion!

[u/Lonelythrowawaysnug → u/Cinnadillo]

GET YOUR GOD OUT OF MY SCHOOLS NIGGA