The American conservative support base

[Aeolus]

So, given that such environments are conducive to conservative thinking, and that such environments are abundantly prolific in America (hello vast tracts of rural land), how should this problem be addressed?

Sorry a problem society should address...that's soooooo much better

[SirNitram]

So, given that such environments are conducive to conservative thinking, and that such environments are abundantly prolific in America (hello vast tracts of rural land), how should this problem be addressed?

Sorry a problem society should address...that's soooooo much better

I believe those who hold back medical advances that could save millions of lives should be shot in the head. Their quick, painless deaths will easily be outweighed by the prolonged suffering their irrational beliefs are causing by holding back research.

Now, is this a belief that should be allowed to flourish? Of course not. Because something is a 'belief' does not make it inviolate.

[Darth Wong]

Remember: if it's an opinion, an idea, an argument, a theory, or an essay, it's fair game. But if you call it a "belief", it's untouchable.

[Aeolus]

So, given that such environments are conducive to conservative thinking, and that such environments are abundantly prolific in America (hello vast tracts of rural land), how should this problem be addressed?

Sorry a problem society should address...that's soooooo much better

I believe those who hold back medical advances that could save millions of lives should be shot in the head. Their quick, painless deaths will easily be outweighed by the prolonged suffering their irrational beliefs are causing by holding back research.

Now, is this a belief that should be allowed to flourish? Of course not. Because something is a 'belief' does not make it inviolate.

They would claim your the one who's immoral that does not make them right or you right

[SirNitram]

Sorry a problem society should address...that's soooooo much better

I believe those who hold back medical advances that could save millions of lives should be shot in the head. Their quick, painless deaths will easily be outweighed by the prolonged suffering their irrational beliefs are causing by holding back research.

Now, is this a belief that should be allowed to flourish? Of course not. Because something is a 'belief' does not make it inviolate.

They would claim your the one who's immoral that does not make them right or you right

Oh, how cute, a sophist. Didn't your kind get laughed out of Eygpt over ten thousand years ago for the 'nobody's right' bullshit?

A 'belief' is just an idea no one wants to let go of. Guess what? Unless you are willing to be proven wrong, society becomes stasis and humanity dies the next time a big rock comes or the climate changes too violently. If genetic engineering, atomic power, or any of the other 'godless' advances are the ticket to extending humanity, I think it's a pretty big crime to stop the advancement.

[Aeolus]

Remember: if it's an opinion, an idea, an argument, a theory, or an essay, it's fair game. But if you call it a "belief", it's untouchable.

I am not arguing for their beliefs,opinions,ideas or theorys. I am arguing for thier right to hold them. If you (not personally) dismiss out of hand everything they belive, have idea's about as a problem to be solved, meaningful debate become impossible.

[Aeolus]

I believe those who hold back medical advances that could save millions of lives should be shot in the head. Their quick, painless deaths will easily be outweighed by the prolonged suffering their irrational beliefs are causing by holding back research.

Now, is this a belief that should be allowed to flourish? Of course not. Because something is a 'belief' does not make it inviolate.

They would claim your the one who's immoral that does not make them right or you right

Oh, how cute, a sophist. Didn't your kind get laughed out of Eygpt over ten thousand years ago for the 'nobody's right' bullshit?

A 'belief' is just an idea no one wants to let go of. Guess what? Unless you are willing to be proven wrong, society becomes stasis and humanity dies the next time a big rock comes or the climate changes too violently. If genetic engineering, atomic power, or any of the other 'godless' advances are the ticket to extending humanity, I think it's a pretty big crime to stop the advancement.

Hey pissant I believe we should increase stem cell research, I approve of genetic engineering and I think we should get a breeding population off this planet. You need to convince the rest of the population. I also BELIEVE in the freedom of speech and religion. Your the one throwing around morality not me

[Darth Wong]

Remember: if it's an opinion, an idea, an argument, a theory, or an essay, it's fair game. But if you call it a "belief", it's untouchable.

I am not arguing for their beliefs,opinions,ideas or theorys. I am arguing for thier right to hold them. If you (not personally) dismiss out of hand everything they belive, have idea's about as a problem to be solved, meaningful debate become impossible.

Let me explain something to you: there's a difference between the right to believe something and the right to teach it in school. If I firmly believe that the Earth sits on the back of a giant turtle, that doesn't mean I have the right to teach kids that in geology class, and if I can get a bunch of dumb-asses in my local community to agree with me, I can't invoke "local rights" to protect my behaviour either.

[SirNitram]

Hey pissant I believe we should increase stem cell research, I approve of genetic engineering and I think we should get a breeding population off this planet. You need to convince the rest of the population. I also BELIEVE in the freedom of speech and religion. Your the one throwing around morality not me

The freedom of speech and religion is just that. The freedom to believe what you want or say what you want.

You know what it also has? The ability for me to say you're a fucking retard for what you believe in, or for me to say something must be changed. Cause it's what? Speech. Or a belief.

Once you un-ass your head you'll realize that hiding behind 'It's a belief!' is moral cowardice in the face of very real problems which have a very real chance of worsening if this bullshit new Dark Age crap continues.

[His Divine Shadow]

I'm from a very very rural place, more rural and sparsely populated than anything mentioned here and I am willing to bet we're more liberal than even larger US cities.

[Uraniun235]

Sorry a problem society should address...that's soooooo much better

Gee, I'm sorry that you don't see rampant intolerance, wilful ignorance, and overall obstruction of progress as problems that need to be addressed.

I am not arguing for their beliefs,opinions,ideas or theorys. I am arguing for thier right to hold them.

You don't get it, do you? Nobody here is advocating we take that right away. What I advocate is taking away the atmosphere and environment that fosters such thinking.

Is it such a horrible crime that most if not all American public schools have policies against students abusing other students based on their race, creed, color, etc.? Is it such a horrible crime that employers are legally barred from open discrimination against minorities?

These laws were passed in an effort to take away an environment conducive to racism. People can be as racist as they want; but we do not encourage their thinking, nor do we permit their beliefs and thoughts to harm others.

Blocking stem cell research, open and sometimes bloody hatred against homosexuals... these are problems which are hurting the United States of America and the citizens thereof. How can we continue to tolerate it? More to the point, how can we continue to tolerate conditions which foster such thinking?

Hell, the rural areas might not be entirely to blame, but I daresay it is a major distinguishing factor from other Western nations, and that's what I generally consider to potentially be one of the major causes of the large disparity between the political spectra of the US and most of her allies.

In the end, the important thing is finding the causes to these problems and finding ways to deal with those causes. I could be wrong about the importance of population density, but there's still a problem that still needs to be looked at and hasn't been yet, which is ultimately what this thread is about.

[Darth Wong]

I'm from a very very rural place, more rural and sparsely populated than anything mentioned here and I am willing to bet we're more liberal than even larger US cities.

The whole continent of Europe is more liberal than many large US cities