The reason most of us participate in these forums is to expand our understanding of our world. By expressing our different opinions we influence each other and in turn are influenced by what we take in from each other. I know that I have been influenced by the opinions expressed by everyone here, including those with whom I may disagree.
I don’t see anything wrong with raising a question or issue as long as we’re willing to discuss it in civil terms. It’s when we push the boundaries of civil behavior that the conversations veer off into unreasonable tangents. I think if we applied the “shopping cart” rule to our comments we’d never have some of the emotional dustups that seem to crop up here.
I highly doubt that PS saw her line of reasoning in the light that I cast it in my comments. For all I know she still may not see it that way. That’s okay because this here’s America. What I do know is that my opinion on the subject has been influenced by our discussion just as I hope has happened for others. To that extent I’m glad she brought the subject up. I’d even say that if it wasn’t her, it would have eventually been someone else.
