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AGG! My conservative Christian roommate is currently on the phone with her boyfriend, talking about the weekend she spent counter-protesting the March for Women's Choice in DC.

Really irritating me, especially when she talked about being interviewed. This is apparently what she said to some reporter: "We're protesting to raise awareness that abortion is not safe and not healthy for women."

Like it's going to be more safe and healthy when you outlaw it and women are forced to get back alley rusty coathanger abortions???? WTF? Say what you want about whether it's right or not, but making abortion illegal isn't going to solve anything!!!!!!

*deep breath* Sorry. Just need to vent.

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From:

merelyn.livejournal.com

Actually I think Petra had something similar in hers, but thank you. Yay for your liberal college. :) Wish mine was like that sometimes.

From:

schoolgirl2007.livejournal.com

I am personally pro-choice because God gave us free will and there does not seem to be a constitutional basis for an abortion ban, unless it is redefined as murder. I would never have an abortion, but that is my choice. I'm not sure if this makes me a liberal or a conservative. That said, I understand the desire some of you have expressed to be surrounded by others who share your views, but if we were all expected to feel the same way about everything, this would be Communist China, and nothing would ever change. You found my friend rude and condescending, but you are bordering on his mistakes.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding your meaning, and this is an overreaction prompted by the lack of respect some people have for others' ideals simply because they are different from their own. I think this is a problem in all societies. I do not mean to rant, and my friend should not have dismissed anyone's ideas as foolish, but was it necessary to call him an ass? I thought the internet was a place for people to meet without prejudice, because you can't pre-judge someone if you can't see them. Therefore, the internet should be the premier place to challenge ideas and raise debates. Maybe Mere's LJ is not the appropriate place for this discussion, but then, what is the appropriate place? We like to think that we are open-minded people out to get an education, but how much of an education is it if everyone around us believes the same thing and never raises questions?

From:

merelyn.livejournal.com

Here's what I meant by saying that I wished my college was more liberal: going from my group of friends in high school, who all basically shared my views, to college, where I have maybe one close friend who has similar religious/political beliefs, is still a shock that I'm trying to get over.

Overall I know it's been good for me. It's forced me to re-examine my beliefs in the way you only do when they are challenged by others. However, it does get a little tiresome being the only agnostic liberal in the group. It would be nice to be in the majority every once in a while. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, and I certainly didn't imply that I would prefer living in an ultra-liberal version of Communist China. (Though actually, that would be very interesting for like a day.)

My livejournal is mostly read only by my like-minded high school friends. I guess I'm used to have this journal as a place I can where I go where people agree with me. Which is nice. Bottom line: Mere doesn't really like ideological conflict in her lj. She gets enough of it in real life.

And as for your friend, well I was trying, at least, to be fair about it, and I certainly didn't intend for anyone to be insulted. And while I didn't personally insult your friend, my friends did. And I didn't say anything against that, which is, I guess, where I am at fault here. I admit it: it was hard to be unbiased about a person I completely disagreed with, especially when I was also aware of their view on homosexuality, another topic that's extremely personal for me.
All I can say is that I did try not to judge. (I'm gathering you don't think I succeeded.)

If there's one thing college has taught me, it's that it is very hard to have convictions and still keep an open mind. Because if you're sure you're right and you're willing to fight for it, some part of you can't help but think everyone who disagrees with you is wrong. I know I'm guilty of doing that. (Which, ironically, should actually make me have more sympathy for your friend.)