I find myself thinking of the words of Cardinal Richelieu, "If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him."
I was a member of one group, from which I now seem to have been ejected, because something I wrote a year and a half ago was not wholly in sympathy with the feelings of some group members. That's not the first time that has happened.
I question things, and will explore ideas that may not always be welcomed by some folks. The idea of civil disagreement seems to have disappeared. I was not being rude, nor was I adamant in my views, but asked if anyone had peer evaluated studies which contradicted what I questioned.
I do not cleave to anyone's orthodoxy - not even necessarily my own. I am not the font of all knowledge or wisdom, and understand that there will be conflicts even between different groups of oppressed people. I will hear things out and explore ideas, in a civil manner.
I'm not interested in name-calling or personal accusations, nor am I interested in excoriating someone for their views. I will try as best I can to educate those whose views I believe are based on misinformation or ignorance or bias. In so far as possible, I try to eliminate misinformation and bias from the process by which I form opinions - again understanding that I do not and cannot have full and complete information.
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