The turn around in opinion on this is a testament to how powerful free discourse is.
I cannot emphasize enough how important and unbelievable it is that a majority of Republicans under age 50 now have a negative opinion of Israel. This would have been completely unthinkable just a few short years ago.
It's happened because of free discourse. All the while all their media was telling them the opposite. Almost all of their leaders.
The Dave Smith/Douglas Murray "debate" on JRE was a great example of this process, and this divide on the right. Murray was humiliated publicly, he humiliated himself. Tens of millions saw this.
This process will continue, and it is absolutely the death knell of Zionism.
It is of the utmost importance that we uphold free speech. Free speech is all the people have that don't own the media, that don't have a voice any other way. To uphold free speech that means that we must not engage in blocking, banning or censoring others because that shows consent to censorship. If we do it to each other, it will be done on the world stage. As below, so above. That is the way it actually goes.
Unfortunately it's one of those things which can be hard to stay consistent on when the shoe is on the other foot, much like freedom of assembly/protest rights, I've noticed.
When someone you oppose is saying something you really oppose, it can be hard to stay calm and principled. This seems to be a problem for a lot of people.
You can be angry, but you shouldn't let your anger control you. You should control it.
I am always extremely suspicious when I get that feeling of insecure anger while... talking to people about politics. Usually it's a sign of cognitive dissonance; your subconscious knows you believe contradictory things. It's a sign you might need to examine some of your beliefs.
Good news is it's a good sign post. It means you can figure some things out if you so choose. For this reason I try to welcome it.
This process will continue, at least for anyone who doesn't just slavishly worship the legacy media. Anyone with even a little bit of exposure to the sunlight of free discourse will come around. The truth has a habit of doing that when it's not suppressed.
One thing I would strongly encourage is cross-politics solidarity. The elites try to divide and conquer to pit us against each other. Not so much solidarity, but just the basics: talking to each other, not always assuming the worst, etc.
I think it's ok to use the word solidarity in the context you imply -- in resisting fragmentation by elites who have no one's interest in mind but their own.
The turn around in opinion on this is a testament to how powerful free discourse is.
I cannot emphasize enough how important and unbelievable it is that a majority of Republicans under age 50 now have a negative opinion of Israel. This would have been completely unthinkable just a few short years ago.
It's happened because of free discourse. All the while all their media was telling them the opposite. Almost all of their leaders.
The Dave Smith/Douglas Murray "debate" on JRE was a great example of this process, and this divide on the right. Murray was humiliated publicly, he humiliated himself. Tens of millions saw this.
This process will continue, and it is absolutely the death knell of Zionism.
It is of the utmost importance that we uphold free speech. Free speech is all the people have that don't own the media, that don't have a voice any other way. To uphold free speech that means that we must not engage in blocking, banning or censoring others because that shows consent to censorship. If we do it to each other, it will be done on the world stage. As below, so above. That is the way it actually goes.
Unfortunately it's one of those things which can be hard to stay consistent on when the shoe is on the other foot, much like freedom of assembly/protest rights, I've noticed.
I don't understand why it's hard to stay consistent on upholding free speech. Could you elaborate?
When someone you oppose is saying something you really oppose, it can be hard to stay calm and principled. This seems to be a problem for a lot of people.
JC:
He who is not angry when there is just cause for anger is IMMORAL.
Why?
Because anger looks to the good of justice.
And if you can live amid injustice without anger, you are IMMORAL as well as UNJUST.
Thomas Aquinas
You can be angry, but you shouldn't let your anger control you. You should control it.
I am always extremely suspicious when I get that feeling of insecure anger while... talking to people about politics. Usually it's a sign of cognitive dissonance; your subconscious knows you believe contradictory things. It's a sign you might need to examine some of your beliefs.
Good news is it's a good sign post. It means you can figure some things out if you so choose. For this reason I try to welcome it.
I sincerely hope you are prophetic
No need for prophesies, just extrapolation:
https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/04/SR_25.04.08_us-views-of-israel_4.png?resize=420,316
This process will continue, at least for anyone who doesn't just slavishly worship the legacy media. Anyone with even a little bit of exposure to the sunlight of free discourse will come around. The truth has a habit of doing that when it's not suppressed.
One thing I would strongly encourage is cross-politics solidarity. The elites try to divide and conquer to pit us against each other. Not so much solidarity, but just the basics: talking to each other, not always assuming the worst, etc.
I think it's ok to use the word solidarity in the context you imply -- in resisting fragmentation by elites who have no one's interest in mind but their own.