feel comfortable discussing politics with those whose views they don't already know. Politics has become SO HATEFUL that it can be dangerous to speak your mind if you live where most disagree with you. People around you can harm you in real ways, both physical and socially. Relationships can be destroyed, jobs lost, families split into sides, and more.

Here, that is not the case. We have WORDS, not fists and NO power to harm anyone else aside of maybe hurting their feelings.

What each of us say is only as important as we and others think it is. No one here can make or change laws and no one can do anything to any of us.

So, why take it so seriously?

TW isn't SES or mongo. Nowhere close. He's not hateful and he doesn't target any of us for ridicule or nastiness.

He doesn't agree with some of our views of the world, but SO WHAT? Talking to him can help us all understand why others might think what he thinks if he's able to explain where he's coming from. Perhaps we can make him see things differently if we spell out our views and experiences. Perhaps he can do the same with us... on SOME things. Certainly not on all things.

He doesn't hate any of us, so why hate him? He's actually a really nice guy that you would probably have fun with if politics wasn't always so prickly.

TW and Merlin went back and forth with humorous jabs and respectful attitudes and got along wonderfully for years. I always did the same. Given the climate here, I don't think that he'd be likely to humorously joust with most here because he can certainly read the room and knows better.