FORUM RULES
To make sure using this forum is a great experience for everyone, please follow these Key Tips and Rules We Live By
Key Tips
Be respectful
Everyone has a right to their ideas and opinions.
Stay on topic
Try to keep posts relevant to the theme of the forum.
Check for duplicate content
Someone might have already created a post similar to yours, or answered your question.
Rules We Live By
The goal here is to learn about the "other side," share your thoughts, perhaps find some common ground, and maybe come away with one or two things to think about from another perspective.
Yes this is an arena for debate too. Seeing both sides (or more) of an issue is healthy. Courteous debate is healthy. And it is good for not only the folks doing the debate, but helps observers make up their minds on issues as well. WAY better than watching some one-sided news outlet or talk show. We all learn more when we can see both sides at the same time, and then make up our own mind on an issue.
Treat everyone here with the utmost respect and courtesy. We are all here voluntarily to learn. Be professional.
Absolutely no personal attacks. This is just showing weakness for your position.
Generally any post is either a question to learn about the other side, or answers to questions from the other side, or suggestions of ideas or formulations that synthesize or reconcile the two sides.
No “gotcha” questions or questions with wording that is already damning of the other side. We are looking for sincere questions to learn something. Try to avoid phrases like "as everyone knows..." or believe everyone already agrees with some position of yours. There is zero chance everyone agrees on the same topic...which is the whole point of having a debate forum.
If you would like to offer something as a fact, please research it first and offer sources. Understand that there can be conflicting data and we need to carefully assess it all to try to find the truth – but that can be elusive sometimes. So there are information sources, but sometimes it is tough to go a step further and say something is a "fact." Easier to reference multiple sources and indicate that they support your position, for example.
Feelings count too! You are free to simply say how you feel. Those feelings were built somehow, and it still gives insight into what you believe – and therefore we all still learn. Even better is to say "I feel xyz, and it is because of a, b, and c." It will help people understand WHY you feel a certain way. And here is a hint: Odds are, you are wrong about SOMETHING, why not find out what that is and correct it?
Different people can interpret the same set of facts in different ways. Maybe start with “My interpretation is…” which shows that you understand that your view is just one interpretation of the situation. This shows that you are an intellectual that is more of an investigator than someone who thinks they already know everything. It is a great way to show you are very open to learning and growing in your own understanding of something.
One more thing to think about. If you are "red" or "blue," liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, this is also a chance to be a diplomat for your "side." Whether you realize it or not, you are a representative of that side when you take a position common with that side (or state you are on a certain side). Why not use this as a chance to show the high points of people from that group? Show your compassion, your intelligence, your ability to consider another point of view without feeling threatened or insecure.
Make your point without profanity and hatred
Give credit appropriately if the text, picture, audio, or video is not your own
Don't post irrelevant spam, especially advertising
Links to other sites are fine as long as they are relevant
Thanks for being a part of this community and sharing your voice!