| Thank you all so much! I'm really happy I decided to post here. It's heartening to hear that others have had similar experiences to mine and have learned to cope with it. I have a feeling that opening up my views would really restore my sense of self-respect, and it is encouraging me to research and really think about why I think what I do, which is important.
I think that what is key to debate is to make sure that everyone feels respected and knows that others are really listening to what they have to say. Since I would like to be treated this way, I need to listen carefully to other perspectives and not automatically rule them out because they are new to me. Maybe if I am carefull to do this, others will do the same.
There is definitely a silver lining to this whole experience. There are lots of Democrats and others with more liberal views, and now is as good a time as any to learn to live with them. And articulating what I think is a valuable skill to have. |