- Joined
- Nov 25, 2007
- Messages
- 9,295
My 2nd son is in AROTC and is at one of the most liberal campuses in the US (one of those that burned their own ROTC building down in protest years ago). He has had professors openly disparage the military while my son sat in class in his uniform. However, distasteful, this is a small percentage of the narrative in the US and even stronger overseas. Our young officers-in-training need to learn to deal with this along with all of the other skills they need to learn.
I actually enjoy it. Nothing like sitting somewhere, having something you know or like attacked, and just "take it." I like to think I'm relatively open minded. I have a certain way of looking at things, I think I'm usually right and if someone disagrees with me, he/she is likely wrong, BUT I know I'm wrong sometimes too... so I allow for that, and take a little more time when I consider issues. That doesn't mean I'm a free agent in thought, but I'm willing to discuss things. My classmates in graduate school said "You know, because you're a Democrat." I said "Oh you think so, eh?" It SHOCKED them that not only wasn't I a Democrat, not liberal, but I was actually VERY conservative.
In the middle of the Michael Brown madness, I had a old high school friend message me on Facebook.
"you know, you and I disagree on pretty much everything,but you are someone who's opinion I respect because you are on of the few people on either side who really considers every aspect and makes their own conclusion."
True, my conclusion is usually conservative, but I don't make decisions in a vacuum.
During my time at CGA I had a few fairly liberal professors (not many) and one of them we swore was a "pinko commie"..... eventually looking back, we decided she may have taken certain stances to generate discussions, but it was good, even nice, to hear from "the other side." It was good to hear the misguided (HAHA, i know....) opinions of others. Even if in your bones you know they're wrong.... even if they hate you for just the fact that you are....
And eventually you'll realize you won't convinse Fleming he's wrong, and you won't turn someone pro-choice or pro-life.... once you've realized that... and you're comfortable and confident in your position and understand (that doesn't mean agree with) another's position.... well then you've made it. But you don't get there without hearing the good, the bad and the ugly.