Hello, I'm back, and I'm eager to resume our discussion/debate. However, I have a few concerns:
1. I don't want to upset the moderators or anyone else here. Obviously, based on our previous discussions, I have a different viewpoint than most of you here. While I believe that I can express myself with the utmost respect and without personal attacks, there is no doubt that I'm going to anger some of you. These are touchy times and I get that people on all sides of the gun issue have strong feelings. What I don't want is for those feelings to overwhelm our conversation.
2. I am not a troll. My purpose is to discuss, debate, and to learn. The two previous threads I was involved in became somewhat bogged down with people arguing about my motives. I just stated what my motives are. If you don't believe me, or if you're not interesting in engaging in debate with someone you refer to as an "anti" (this forum is the first time I've ever heard that word used in this context) then please for both of our sakes stay out of the thread, so the moderators won't feel compelled to close it or punish anyone.
3. Regarding the moderators- you guys consistently closed my previous threads. Obviously that's your choice, but if there is something that I'm doing wrong that is causing this, I would appreciate you letting me know beforehand. I will limit my posts to this thread and this thread only, if that is what you want, but I would like the thread to stay open even when I am not around, so I don't have to petition you guys to open it up again. And I'd also like to avoid having you close the thread and asking me to stay away for a few days as you did last weekend. Again, please provide me with specific rules and I will follow them.
I think conversations/debates like these are very important, especially now. The issue of guns is front and center in American politics for the first time in many years. It's absolutely worth discussing and even arguing about, if for nothing else to clarify our positions. However, I want to make sure that I am welcome here. If a majority of you believe that it would serve no purpose for you to discuss these issues further with an "anti", then let me know and I will depart from this forum forever with no ill will.
I await your response.
1. I don't want to upset the moderators or anyone else here. Obviously, based on our previous discussions, I have a different viewpoint than most of you here. While I believe that I can express myself with the utmost respect and without personal attacks, there is no doubt that I'm going to anger some of you. These are touchy times and I get that people on all sides of the gun issue have strong feelings. What I don't want is for those feelings to overwhelm our conversation.
2. I am not a troll. My purpose is to discuss, debate, and to learn. The two previous threads I was involved in became somewhat bogged down with people arguing about my motives. I just stated what my motives are. If you don't believe me, or if you're not interesting in engaging in debate with someone you refer to as an "anti" (this forum is the first time I've ever heard that word used in this context) then please for both of our sakes stay out of the thread, so the moderators won't feel compelled to close it or punish anyone.
3. Regarding the moderators- you guys consistently closed my previous threads. Obviously that's your choice, but if there is something that I'm doing wrong that is causing this, I would appreciate you letting me know beforehand. I will limit my posts to this thread and this thread only, if that is what you want, but I would like the thread to stay open even when I am not around, so I don't have to petition you guys to open it up again. And I'd also like to avoid having you close the thread and asking me to stay away for a few days as you did last weekend. Again, please provide me with specific rules and I will follow them.
I think conversations/debates like these are very important, especially now. The issue of guns is front and center in American politics for the first time in many years. It's absolutely worth discussing and even arguing about, if for nothing else to clarify our positions. However, I want to make sure that I am welcome here. If a majority of you believe that it would serve no purpose for you to discuss these issues further with an "anti", then let me know and I will depart from this forum forever with no ill will.
I await your response.