monkey in the middle with politics

[orion]

I consider myself politically moderate. Some confusion has arisen for me recently about some "racist" viewpoints discussed on a Barack Obama message board.

 

This discussion was brought up by someone who thinks that Obama would get assassinated if elected president, solely because of his race. These folks went on and on arguing about how american society has not progressed, yet the "liberals" who hate our "racist society" -- and as mentioned by one poster "sick of seeing old white men as president" -- seem to miss the fact that a lot of white men have tons of tolerance. (That comment was racist in of itself wasn't it?). I am white male, Jewish by religion, have a culturally diverse set of friends from all kinds of backgrounds and sexual orientation, yet I have trouble with "liberals" who generalize about the "destruction of white men" -- and seem to hate america -- who claim to have lots of tolerance, and some of my conservative friends who are closed minded and are incredibly intolerant!

 

It sickens me on both ends and I feel like I want to do something about it but I can't because they seem to be so closed minded. To be honest, I do not have enough confidence in my "discussion" skills and "debate" skills. And I feel if I keep my mouth shut, then all that there will be left are people with extremes from both ends! My emotions seem to sway back and forth and I end up feeling lost.

 

I want to show my friends that I have set view points, but I feel like I can't if they are so one sided.

[rocio]

Have you considered joining a debate club? If you're in university, you could check out MUN (Model United Nations).

 

It also helps to have knowledge of the topics being discussed. Reading can help with that.

[easyguy]

Politics is always changing. 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 100 years ago -- all different. What a "democrat" is defined as now was not the same as what a democratic was during the WWII era. It has always been unpredictable who is going to become what.

 

If you consider the possibility of debating or even discussing anything in relevence to modern society, it is important to first be aware of the history of your subject. That way, you are not just offering your opinion, but you are also speaking with merit and understanding about what your subject really means in the context of everything up to this point.

 

And while Barack Obama is dark skinned, he is multi-ethnic... which is partly why so many people think he would make an ideal President for a country that is a melting pot of different ethnicities. Talk about a charismatic, articulate individual.

 

There is always going to be those people on extreme ends. Racism still exists and may not go away for a long time. It just goes to show that the ripple effects of the Civil War back in the 1860s have not gone away yet.

[talo]

To be honest, I do not have enough confidence in my "discussion" skills and "debate" skills. And I feel if I keep my mouth shut, then all that there will be left are people with extremes from both ends! My emotions seem to sway back and forth and I end up feeling lost.

 

You end up feeling lost because you lose your heart, your feeling. The heart needs to express itself as feeling.

 

Feelings are for expression (not bottling up). When something unfeeling - or unaware - is said, it is a natural response to 'correct' or 'neutralise' or 'put straight' this with an honest expression of our own feeling. And so on it goes.

 

Feelings cannot really be debated nor discussed, they are merely expressed.

 

Lack of confidence is suppression of feeling. There being no real lack of feeling.

 

I am expressing my own feeling here, as we all are on these message boards (and elsewhere).

[quietgrl]

First go Barack go!!! and It would be nice to have the first african american president or vice president in a still racist society.

My only advice about discussing Politics is expresss yourself don't repress yourself.