Adidas to Release Gay Pride Shoes June 29th. Serious Question:

theJeff wrote:

Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

The only point I would take issue with is the idea that the LBGTQ community is not just a sexual preference, but a culture. I am not disagreeing with you; maybe I have trivialized it. I only bring this up because that sounds a lot like the claim that (insert religion) isn't just a religion, which is a position that is often mocked on these boards. It feels like a double standard. (I will also point out your bias in how you phrased the gun/immigration issues... again, I am not meaning to disagree with you by typing this; I am just pointing out that we are all shaped largely by our worldviews.

It is nice to be disagreed with without being attacked personally. Gives me a little hope for these boards... but only a little ;-)

Obviously, my argument was not fully developed. I understand that issues such as immigration, police behavior, and gun rights have various facets and both sides of the power struggle experience threats. I think what is lost in modern discussions is that issues don't have to be either/or, us vs. them situations, yet we are herded into those viewpoints. For example, it is possible to acknowledge police brutality and abuses of police power and also acknowledge threats to police officers and the difficulties of the job and work towards action that improves policing and reduces threats to both the general public and the police. But often is too nuanced to get anywhere.

And I definitely think you are trivializing this particular issue by simply referring to it as a sexual preference without credence towards the history behind the issue.