I am a former right leaning conservative political activist who now leans a bit more middle of the road. I agree with your critique of conservatives. I have been following you on Youtube for several years. Your Open Letter to Heron was so well written and reasonable, not even snarky! We need more open, informed convo like this. Recently subscribed to your substack. Thank you for all of your hard work!
As always the pronouns induce confusion. Your paragraph referring to Heron as "They" threw me for a minute ("They're deranged...etc.). I'm against new pronouns (sorry, but I am) but I'd compromise on anything that didn't use the plural pronoun "They" for a singular. Though, Heron appears to be a woman so if I were writing I'd just use "she". Sorry, I'm in my 60's and I after I'm dead people can screw up the language if they so desire.
I don't think your accusation that the Conservative Right is lazy for not cleaning up the alt-Right is just.
Umm, what do you recommend we do? Waste our time posting comments in their spaces? Charge into their homes and businesses guns a'blazing? I think denouncing or critiquing them when the topic comes up is sufficient, though if they are a genuine physical threat it's FBI time.'
You could not be more correct when you point out that extremism on the progressive side created extremism on the conservative side. The reverse being true as well. There is NOTHING more important in my opinion in this political hour than that people begin to moderate their views and accept the fact that some people across the aisle are as sincerely motivated as they are and their opposing viewpoints have some value even when you don't 100% agree.
This means that the moderate people on both sides (who maybe aren't even the majority) are going to need to create more noise or the extremists will dominate the news cycle AND provoke further extremism.
Being a moderate requires a fair amount of strength. When I spend time on Quora (mostly liberal at least in terms of what their algorithm feeds me) it can be hugely polarizing. Given that I am defending conservative and anti-woke viewpoints I am regularly told I am a bigot or an idiot or both, and furthermore challenged by a vast number of people who think they have facts because the liberal media supplied them. It is wearying and you must pick your fights and be willing to scroll past a bunch of posts featuring inaccurate information that are receiving large numbers of upvotes.
I do think (yes still harping on the topic of extremism) that given the extremism on each side, people of the opposite side begin to adopt extreme positions that they would not normally take and due to the emotions they don't even realize that they don't exactly believe those harder positions. If you could put them in a quieter and safe environment for a while and they realized they were respected and in the presence of someone who genuinely knew how easy it was to be suckered into taking an extreme view, that is, a person who had fallen to the same temptation, then they might calm down and confess their more moderate and balanced thoughts.
Anyway, I hope I haven't carried on too long about my take on what's wrong in today's world.
I subscribed and unsubscribed from your Substack in 24 hours. I was really put off by your characterization of Terfs. Although I am a libertarian I am also a Terf. In general I support people doing whatever they want with their bodies, as long as it doesn't hurt anybody else. But as a former athlete, and a 2nd wave feminist I am extremely concerned with what is happening with women's sports and women spaces, especially prisons. I am also the sister and the aunt of lesbians and I can tell you that they are harassed and demonized for not wanting to date Trans identified men. I have read Trans, by Helen Joyce, Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier, The Abolition of Sex by Kara Dansky, The End of Gender by Deborah Soh, and countless articles. It is more than just respecting people's identity. It is about protecting women and girls. If you would investigate who the trans identified men are who are invading women's sports and prisons you would find they aren't Trans but violent predators or autogynephiliacs who have a deep hatred of women.
Fantastic letter Karlyn! I hope Heron accepts your invitation; it would be one of your most watched podcasts!
I am a former right leaning conservative political activist who now leans a bit more middle of the road. I agree with your critique of conservatives. I have been following you on Youtube for several years. Your Open Letter to Heron was so well written and reasonable, not even snarky! We need more open, informed convo like this. Recently subscribed to your substack. Thank you for all of your hard work!
Persuasive! One would love to embrace the premise and believe it was their idea 🫡
Like your letter.
As always the pronouns induce confusion. Your paragraph referring to Heron as "They" threw me for a minute ("They're deranged...etc.). I'm against new pronouns (sorry, but I am) but I'd compromise on anything that didn't use the plural pronoun "They" for a singular. Though, Heron appears to be a woman so if I were writing I'd just use "she". Sorry, I'm in my 60's and I after I'm dead people can screw up the language if they so desire.
I don't think your accusation that the Conservative Right is lazy for not cleaning up the alt-Right is just.
Umm, what do you recommend we do? Waste our time posting comments in their spaces? Charge into their homes and businesses guns a'blazing? I think denouncing or critiquing them when the topic comes up is sufficient, though if they are a genuine physical threat it's FBI time.'
You could not be more correct when you point out that extremism on the progressive side created extremism on the conservative side. The reverse being true as well. There is NOTHING more important in my opinion in this political hour than that people begin to moderate their views and accept the fact that some people across the aisle are as sincerely motivated as they are and their opposing viewpoints have some value even when you don't 100% agree.
This means that the moderate people on both sides (who maybe aren't even the majority) are going to need to create more noise or the extremists will dominate the news cycle AND provoke further extremism.
Being a moderate requires a fair amount of strength. When I spend time on Quora (mostly liberal at least in terms of what their algorithm feeds me) it can be hugely polarizing. Given that I am defending conservative and anti-woke viewpoints I am regularly told I am a bigot or an idiot or both, and furthermore challenged by a vast number of people who think they have facts because the liberal media supplied them. It is wearying and you must pick your fights and be willing to scroll past a bunch of posts featuring inaccurate information that are receiving large numbers of upvotes.
I do think (yes still harping on the topic of extremism) that given the extremism on each side, people of the opposite side begin to adopt extreme positions that they would not normally take and due to the emotions they don't even realize that they don't exactly believe those harder positions. If you could put them in a quieter and safe environment for a while and they realized they were respected and in the presence of someone who genuinely knew how easy it was to be suckered into taking an extreme view, that is, a person who had fallen to the same temptation, then they might calm down and confess their more moderate and balanced thoughts.
Anyway, I hope I haven't carried on too long about my take on what's wrong in today's world.
Keep up the good work.
MA Isn’t exactly 2-party consent, more like 2-party knowledge. You have to tell them you are recording.
Looking forward to hearing about the crazy stuff they were saying.
Same difference.
Absolutely beautiful--your letter shines with sincerity and integrity. Only those who share those same qualities will respond in like.
I subscribed and unsubscribed from your Substack in 24 hours. I was really put off by your characterization of Terfs. Although I am a libertarian I am also a Terf. In general I support people doing whatever they want with their bodies, as long as it doesn't hurt anybody else. But as a former athlete, and a 2nd wave feminist I am extremely concerned with what is happening with women's sports and women spaces, especially prisons. I am also the sister and the aunt of lesbians and I can tell you that they are harassed and demonized for not wanting to date Trans identified men. I have read Trans, by Helen Joyce, Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier, The Abolition of Sex by Kara Dansky, The End of Gender by Deborah Soh, and countless articles. It is more than just respecting people's identity. It is about protecting women and girls. If you would investigate who the trans identified men are who are invading women's sports and prisons you would find they aren't Trans but violent predators or autogynephiliacs who have a deep hatred of women.
Thank you for reinforcing my perception that TERFs are insufferable. And I generally block people who announce their departure.