I have yet to see anyone ask this on AD so here it goes.

Since coming here has your mind been changed on a stance you held before you came to America's Debate. Whether it be from information you had not known before or from reading a good debate between members of the forum.

Personally, because of AD I find myself much more open to gay and lesbian issues. After reading posts by Wertz and a few very informative posts by Abs, I feel overall that our society needs to be more understanding and more inclusive to gay/lesbian issues.

How have you changed?

I would say that my position Gay and Lesbian issues has softened from 'didn't like it, don't want to see it' to 'you should be able to love who you want to, without discrimination'. And that's been primarily from talking with and reading posts here at AD.
I'm still stubborn on national defense and political issues, but I like to think I can listen to everyone objectively, and in many cases, just agree to disagree.

with education comes change; be it to galvanize current positions, or understanding the arguments to the counter, with the potential of accepting. I would loathe to think that i would ever stop changing.

Most importantly, the critical thinking nazis here don't hesitate to kick down the doors of rhetorical flourish and arm waving. And that, dear friend, is a good thing.

I've come to AD basically late in the political forum day after having participating at many others. I will say it's probably the last one, not for reasons of any negativity as I do happen to think AD is by far the best where civility goes, as I have basically heard all the same political stances before.

Have my opinions on core beliefs changed? no, not really. what the forums HAVE done more than anything else is to open my eyes to just HOW divided and how DEEP these political divisions are in this country.

Heil Reason!

While I'm sure I still qualify as a liberal in the minds of many here at AD, I've found myself leaning more towards economic conservatism. Also since joining AD I've gone from not feeling inclined towards any political party to feeling very attuned to Libertarians. I doubt if I would be nearly as informed or politically involved today had I not stumbled across America's Debate.

And that's a good thing.

I find myself drifting farther left on issues and I would have thought that impossible before having engaged a couple of people AD. I find that I actually have more to learn from people I disagree with the most. I am certainly more liberal on the abortion issue, my views haven't really changed but my attitude has. Before AD I considered that issue too divisive to be debated intelligently, I see now that I was mistaken.

I definitely always listen to people's arguments that are different from mine. I'll argue my point to the fullest extent, but when someone points out a flaw, I think it just needs to be taken as such.

In my whole, entire month or so of being here, the thing that has probably changed the most is my view of Al Sharpton. I still stand to the point that he does have some good points that whoever is president next year should really listen ofr the sake of the country. However, I can definitely see where people get the race-baiting part from, and this is mostly from the postings people have put on AD.

I have always stressed equality, and I must say that race-baiting issues does not bring a country towards racial equality - race tolerance does.

I have changed my stance on some issues since joining AD. If I may say so, there are some excellent debaters here plus very stimulating topics.

There are individuals that are very loving and kind hearted. There are others that are very intellectual and educated. On the other side there are some that only want to start a commotion,just for the heck of it.

This is by far the best debating forum that I have seen. Everyone keep up the good work and never quit debating something you sincerely believe in.

I have seen the light on many things. One example:

I have learned more about how bad the steel tariffs are and that Bush's environmental policies are crazy.

Also, this place has helped me construct a more constructable debate and taught me some new debate tactics

I've changed my mind about certain educational reform measures...due in great part to Eeyore, GreySeal, and Quarkhead's fine posts.

I can't think of much else offhand. Oh, yes! I'm more open to a 'fat tax', and the idea of a proportional charge on some items which might incur cost to society in the longterm, mostly due to Platypus' posts. I'm not convinced, but more open to the idea. If I were certain that the money would actually go towards ameliorating those costs directly, I would be convinced.

Excellent Question!

I think it puts a positive light on debate (which is often looked down upon a negatively divisive and useless)

Let's see:
I learned that the Patriot Act was largely PR fluff. (Thought there was some sense to it before, ah well...)

I have had some of my view on abortion opened up. I'm still appalled at the level of ignorance and misinformation spread regarding abortion but I do see that there are some with a reasonable explanation for "pro-choice" policy. Perhaps one of our members should head NARAL (they'd make much more sense)

I too have a worse view of Al Sharpton, same reasons as UGA Boy

I might think of more...

I've moved further to the Right since I've been here and I'd like to personally thank Wertz (I hope this doesn't get you in trouble at the Left Wing Conspiracy meetings) for encouraging me not to back down from what I feel is right even when it conflicted with his beliefs.

Can't really say that I've changed my mind on anything significant as a result of discussions here, but I have gained a lot of new informatio and some new friends, which is all to the good.

I'm a bit of an old dog, so new tricks don't come easily. I have not changed any major positions on any specific issues, though I have modulated my tone on a few.

And, due to the postings by the better informed, I have a greater insight into a number of economic issues - the topic I've found most educational here, though again few overriding opinions have changed.

I have changed my opinion on a few partisan groupings, however, for want of a better term. I have a new respect for conservatism in general largely because several people here have been able to challenge a lot of my beliefs and have provided sound justifications for their own. I guess most of the conservatives I know "real time" are too easy, heh. I also have a much greater respect for and comprehension of libertarianism and, partially through their influence, am somewhat less "federalist" than I was a year ago.

I have even less respect for Democrats (they're almost as low as Republicans in my opinion now) and, due to relentless exposure to their critics perhaps, I'm even more mistrustful of the Bush administration and view Clinton in an even dimmer light.

In a recent debate, Al Sharpton said something like "We have to stop listening to the Christian right and start listening to the right Christians" - and America's Debate has also afforded me the opportunity to do just that: a refreshing reminder that "decent Christian" is not always an oxymoron.

The most positive change I've noted in myself, though, is that I now have an even greater respect for members of our armed forces and our veterans - probably because I have been in direct contact with more actual members of the military and their families here than at any time since my Vietnam Veterans Against the War days. I have always respected our men and women in uniform, but it is now deeper, more profound than in the past.

The actual opinion which has changed most has to do with the nature of the internet in general. I had felt for some time that, like television, the internet could contribute to a narrowing of experience, a depersonalizing of society. While I feel there is still a danger of it leading to an increased isolation, I have found - through this site - that real and meaningful relationships can arise from this medium. This has been underlined by my good fortune in having met a few participants here in person - and having spoken to a few by phone. That the transition from "virtual" debate to genuine, friendly connection in "real time" was so smooth encourages the notion that the internet does have the potential of bringing people together.

So, like Izdaari, I have made a number of friends here - across the political spectrum. And that is, indeed, all to the good. To communicate is the beginning of understanding - and understanding is the beginning of consensus.

On a personal note, I would like to thank the AD staff and a couple of PM-pals who have, during a couple of challenging times, given me great support - just by offering it. Thanks.

I would not say my opinion has changed on any topics. Bit of an ole dog myself. What has changed is a stronger interest in gay rights. I have always intellectually agreed with most gay rights issues but, having no current gay acquantances outside the internet, sometimes believed gays were often a bit too thin-skinned. Now I have more than just an intellectual belief that rights, such as marriage, should be extended to all, and that it is a bit of an outrage that it is even up for debate.

I would like to thank Jaime,Mike and all the moderators. They do a great job. Would not want the job myself. That is why I occassionally incur a strike or two.

To every action, I was taught in physics, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I've moved farther to the Left.

I considered myself middle of the road; because the feminists at church would sometimes argue with me for weeks trying to change my mind on a point, while my fellow employees shunned me for my entire career due to my stance on nuclear power. I was a Unitarian factory worker who routinely voted Democratic in a Republican County for decades. At the end of my career, a co-worker gave me his button which read:"Every time I defined misanthrope," he told me, "your name came up as an example, so that I would know they understood."

I always had some of my teachers who felt that I should be a writer. "Your history of multiplication taught me a lot." "Your thesis eliminating a couple of possible isotopes from your final exam, because we could never use the nuclear chemistry lab again was fascinating. It reached the wrong conclusions, but the AEC inspector agreed with you and sealed the lab." "I'll accept your excuse for your paper being turned in late, if I can have permission to try to publish it." Most of my English teachers on the other hand, would tell me to shred my papers so that no one else would ever be forced to read them. "I asked for a 5,000 word thesis, not a 5,000 word sentence." was one typical remark. (You may have noticed that I do have sentences that run a bit long, but that was the classic.)

I retired, and thought, I'll finally get around to writing that novel... short story... outline... idea... I found myself thinking I had nothing to say. I've been there before; a therapy session that ran to about 800 pages, because I was afraid to speak. (Even to the therapist!)

Sometimes, it's easy to speak out:
...PE will be reading something aloud, and I will jump in with both feet. Oops! Off topic again!
...Sometimes, I read something from one of our contributors that is so wrapped up in the flag that they appear to be a soldier coming home for burial; and I have to respond immediately with something that might seem to be an intelligent position on the topic.
...Gay marriage, is an idea whose time has come. I have known several couples who were unquestionably paired for life. Why should someone like that be denied the right to claim the body, make funeral arrangements, or take time off to attend the funeral.

Sometimes it's more difficult:
...Sports, I don't watch them.
...Bill O'Reilly, who is he, and why should I care?
...Remembering what I am posting to, and why.

Sometimes, it's just plain hard. PE wants me to contribute to a thread on prostitution. I'm certain that I have never had a normal relationship with one, so what would I have to say?
...We had one as a guest speaker at church one year, at a career day presentation. She made, she said, in excess of $100,000 a year, 80% of which went to her pimp for the drugs that let her do that for a living, and the clothes that made her look attractive enough to sell her body.
...There was the group that tried to rent an out of business gas station on a main road in Midland and open it up as a brothel. They were putting up temporary signs with lettering, when a policeman (in uniform) drove in and asked them what they were doing. It was covered in that afternoon's newspaper as a story that Midland had had a brothel for a short while, but not long enough to attract any customers.
...Which probably led to the next story. My first wife taught crochet in the Saginaw County Jail. (Knitting needles could be used as a weapon, but not crochet hooks according to state guidelines.) Most of her students were either prostitutes or professional shoplifters. One of them asked her where she was from, and she replied, "Midland." One of the prostitutes remarked, "Midland eh, I spent a night in jail there once. It seemed like a nice town."
...I was raised in a rough neighborhood, with no television, and the radio was only turned on for a couple of programs on Sunday evening. There was always newspaper clippings pinned to the wall, so I didn't know the newspaper was being censored until I met my future mother-in-law, a social worker. From her, I heard the stories of the downstairs occupants of the house across the street. For a month's rent and a month's security deposit, the landlord turned a blind eye. The police generally raided it on Wednesday, and it was available for rent again on Thursday. In one instance, a nine year old boy stopped his mother's John on the way out of the house and demanded payment. He was offered a knife in lieu of payment, and tried it out. He was tried as an adult. (Murder? Manslaughter? I don't recall. It's been close to 4 decades.) On another occasion, an excited young man had saved enough money from his first job, rented the apartment, and got a wedding license. After a short honeymoon, he brought his bride home on a Wednesday, and they got raided. He showed the police their marriage license, and got them out of the house. In the ensuing argument, he told his wife that if he could have had her for a few dollars, he wouldn't have bothered to marry her. She ended up dead, and he told his friends what had happened. His friends told her relatives, and he was dead by morning.
...From personal experience, all I can say is prostitution is not a victim-less crime; but my personal experience has to be so far outside the normal, that we sit and chat about it, and I tell her I really have nothing to say...

...and I realize that our conversation has gone beyond ge-bop, and chi-bug-bug-bug and evolved into actual words coming from my mouth.

And I have over 130 posts on my statistics.

I am occasionally sending out an e-mail.

I am talking about joining a political party. (NOT the BUSH-WASH party!)

I still tell my wife, "I'll pick up the pizza if you'll make the phone call." I remember the day that I got so frustrated trying to use a telephone that I tried to push it through a concrete block wall.

I have perhaps not changed my opinions so much, as I have learned that I have opinions, and that I have a right, and some ability, to express them. Thanks to all of you who work so hard to make that possible!

I've learned that a lot more people are anti-authoritarian than I thought. This is very good news.

I've learned that I will never have a decent understanding of economics and foreign policy.

I've learned that, of all the political parties I've seen discussed on this board, I am probably closest to the (British) Liberal Democrats.

I've learned that there are a lot of really smart people out there who can write really well.

I've learned that politics doesn't always have to be depressing.

I think I have moved further to the left. This site has some pretty big high-brows on it, and I learn alot. Still, some of the right wing statements-of-fact even here, where that kind of behavior is readily challenged without name calling, (such as the statement "Reagan helped end the cold war") makes me realize more and more the danger of the right wing. When I was growing up, the right wing was more of the opposition and made a lot of logical statements about foriegn policy and fiscal responsibility. The right has seemed to have lost this and it has been confirmed by the debate here for me!


I still remain pretty far right on crime and punishment issues (except for "sin/victimless crimes) and pretty libertarian on civil liberties issues, and have recieved alot of very useful information on the libertarian platform here.

Hi, folks!

I'm brand new to this forum, so I haven't had a chance for an exchange here to deeply affect me.
But I used to go to 2 other forums, one that was always Naziish, (LNF), and one that turned lame (Passingthought). At the latter, I had conversations with people about gun rights that illustrated to me how emotional and serious (in an appropriate way) people were about keeping their basic gun rights. It was emotion that also had articulateness, so it wasn't the cheap pissy emotion that would go with name calling and tactics like huge copy-and-paste.

I would say that the gun rights conversations probably influenced me and certainly informed me, not about the dry aspects of the issue, but about real people's participation in it.

America's Debate forum has helped shed a positive light in my direction on forums in general. I have learned much from many members debating various topics which has both mellowed my thinking in some ways and confirmed my beliefs in others.

Of course, all those "in charge" deserve a giant "thank you" and thumbs up for their commitment and dedication. America's Debate is a top drawer forum and one that we can all be proud of contributing our thoughts/words and support to.

I wouldn't say my stance on any issue has really changed, I am who I am and I sincerely doubt arguments from others will change my mind completely. That's not to say this isn't a very helpful forum for stimulating debate. I have been a member of several debate forums over the years and, although I've always maintained my very liberal attitude on politics, society and life in general, in my experience nothing beats a good debate with people from all backgrounds - especially you conservatives and righties out there, I love you all! Of all those forums, I have to say this is one of the best in terms of community spirit, mutual respect and variation in political beliefs. Although I am not an American and know very little about your domestic issues, it's great debating issues with people from across the pond. Not just that, but despite the name of this site, we do have quite a lot of international posters from all around the globe, which is magnificent if you want to broaden your horizons.

This site has changed my political position from Repub to Independent because it has shopwn me that there are good points from both sides of the aisle

Just signed up, see lots of stimulating talk! love the site and moderators who work hard regulating the b3

doubt I will get any 'lefter' reading, it's good to atleast see the educated left speak!

My husband and I have just registered with our state Democratic Party and we will be participating in the caucus.

AD has had a hand in helping us become more politically aware, more able to articulate longstanding opinions and goals. Also, it is good to read the thinking of those who present opposing opinions.

This is a place for civil discourse, and we appreciate it.

So far I have swung from being quite left wing to mildly right wing and have no ended up fairly central, after reading equally valid arguments from both sides of the debate.

I have also read extremely stupid & reactionary arguments from both the left & right, which I think tells me that however coherent and logical I think my position is, I should always be prepared to seriously consider other people's point of view & not be afraid to concede I am wrong.

AD just compounds an inherent weakness already present within me - borderline schizophrenia.
I am the living personification of my the first quote in my sig. My opinions tend to change with the wind, which has its plus points, since it is predominantly the result of a wide range of reading and the absorption of the ideas of others.

How have you changed?

Well, I can say that I've actually changed from a more liberal stance, or rather self labeling to a more moderate one. On foreign issues I don't differ with the current administration about going after Saddam, just that it wasn't a priority at the moment. We needed to concentrate on the target at hand, OBL and Al-Queda and securing our country. I think once we had accomplished that and shown to the world we could follow through with those objectives, they would have been more willing to go along with us to Iraq and take him out. I don't believe Saddam had WMD and that it was just an excuse.

BUT, how I have changed is that I have a better appreciation for the average Conservative\Republican\traditional person in America. Though I may disagree with their leadership on war policies, I agree on alot of domestic issues and sort of forgot about my own upbringing and what has always been dear to my heart. You know, some go through your twenties trying to be rebellious and the total opposites of their parents, but those values are ingrained and with maturity and experience, you realize that some of those standards stuck. So going against my peers and standing up for some more Conservative issues has been a real surprise for me. Being a Lesbian in a liberal town and living on the outskirts of traditional America, I find it ironic that there are many things I still relate to with them...

So it's not that I've changed since coming to AD, it's that I've rediscovered some of my past.

Since coming to AD, I've become more aware of the preliminary steps leading up to an election. Before, I wasn't really sure how the nominations for a party make it all the way to presidential candidacy - but after reading a few interesting threads in here, it prompted me to go out and figure out just what the caucus and primary thing is about.

I've also stopped letting my party decide the candidate for me, and this year will be my first vote in a primary (I'm voting Wesley Clark). I'm starting to realize which aspects of a candidate would make him attractive to the other half, and I'm starting to understand the moderation that is required to keep Republicans like Bush out of the White House.

Also, I've become a huge critic of websites since joining AD. Most of the statistics I look for, I've been disappointed with the google search results. I can't wait for the new search technology to come out.

I've learned how to pick through people's pettiness - the pettiness that they offer up as "a good point", and I hope I've learned to curb my own pettiness, which only serves to obstruct good points - not make them.

I've considered new facets to problems that I saw before as only 2-dimensional.

I've learned that even when I despair at the views of the majority of my fellow citizens, that my legal system is a lot stronger than I could have ever imagined. I've learned that having the masses of unmotivated people on one side, and a few highly motivated, highly intelligent people on the other - the few usually win out.

That's encouraging to me that democracy can't run rampant over the truth. It's made me a little bit more spiritual than I was.

I really have not changed my views much since joining AD.

AD has, however, focused my beliefs. After all, if you cannot clearly express your position to others, is that position really the best one to take?