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Do you argue with your friends and family like this?
You mean, do I remind them that we live in a shared reality? Yes.
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I tried to end this debate in the nicest way I could, and you started back immediately with this little snarky comment and another thousand words.
I was clarifying my position. You claimed:
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I actually think we mostly see eye to eye.
and I wanted to make sure that you understood where our positions differ. After all, throughout this thread you seemed to have trouble grasping concepts like the first amendment, and equal protection under the law so I did feel like a clarification was necessary.
I stand by my previous statement. you said:
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For me, this is what I want to hear from everyone who thinks this Spencer guy getting punched is the greatest thing since VE Day.
I just pointed out the simple fact that you did not ask the question. There's no snark there, once again just pointing out that we do live in the same reality.
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you went through my comment history and cherry picked a discussion to turn that into an argument too?
There's no argument, once again just pointing out where and how our positions differ. Just reminding you we live in the same reality.
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Does this seem normal for what should be a short, casual debate with a stranger on the internet?
As I stated, I was not sure if you were taking a hyperbolic stance in our discussion to prove a point, or if that was your true belief. It turns out that safety over freedom is your overarching ideology.
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I can't tell you how ignorant you sound to me trying to paint me as an anti-gun, safe space SJW.
I just quoted what you said. You can interpret your words any way you want. If you don't like the way that makes you out to be... That sounds like a problem you have in your own head. In our shared reality, those were your positions.
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You don't know me.
This is true, the only thing I do know is what you have said. I'm sorry your words upset you, but please understand that
they are your words.
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You equate this powerless Spencer jackass to the British occupation.
I'm sorry to point this out, but you're the only one who has mentioned the British in this thread. Once again, shared reality.
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So that you can justify assaulting people who don't think like you do.
Once again, as I said before, and you quoted because you seemed to agree with it at the time.
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I never took the position that assailant should not be held responsible, and if an honest attempt by the police is not made to find and charge this individual, that is a violation of equal protection under the law. That would be a very troubling, as well as an illegal thing to do.
I think really, the crux of your argument falls into what you see as:
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your perverse understanding of liberty.
I think this is the only point of disagreement that we have. The things I have advocated for in this conversation are:
The government should not restrict free speech (also known as the first amendment to the US constitution)
The government should not disarm the population (also known as the second amendment to the constitution)
Individuals in a free society can make their own decisions, but should be held accountable for those decisions.
There is risk inherent in a free society. (The debate of freedom vs. safety in society has been going on formally since Hobbes in the 17th century, most people land somewhere in the middle, you seem to land fairly on the side of authoritarian government securing safety for all).
If you want further clarification on those points, that might be good conversation, I would like to understand how any of those are antithetical to a free society. This conversation was never a debate, it started out with me correcting your mistaken opinion on the rights put forth in the first amendment of the constitution, it then continued with me correcting your opinion on what equal protection under the law meant, and me reminding you of the differences of a free vs. a safe civil society.
I'm glad that you feel like you've gained enough from it to be finished. If you want any further clarifications, you know where to find me!