Quote Originally Posted by berudd View Post
No, I never said you were. And I agree with your perspective and I'd do the same. I guess to be more direct, people are bullying others into this sort of thing. Its not just the simple "go along with the crowd" thing. It's people feeling as if there are real repercussions if they don't support this type of idea. For example, I know a really bright kid. Also a big kid that has been playing showcase hockey for years. He's what you'd term a big strapping boy. Not a wimp or fearful at all. He did early college in high school to get a head start on that path. But since he has conservative views, he was singled out by other students and called a white supremacist. As a result, it totally turned him off the idea of going to college and pursue some of his dreams. That sort of verbal attack has become an acceptable practice if you don't support the current cause de jour. And making it even easier for them to do this, is that an effective argument no longer requires fact or logic. Feels and opinion are all that is needed.

I agree with you completely that people should stand by their convictions but that really is easier said than done. Even more so for younger people who have not yet lived enough life to build the experience necessary to spot all the BS. When a large body of their peers are telling them they are a racist if the don't agree with them its difficult to stand against it and some begin to doubt themselves and start to believe that maybe the accusers are right.
We'll just have to agree to disagree. It may not be a popular or politically correct for me to say this, but if the kid let others derail his hopes and dreams, then that's on him. And if you don't have the guts to stand by your convictions then you're not really married to your convictions. No one ever said it was easy walking the road less traveled.