13527986:integralmgmt said:
That's awesome for Gus, definitely a pioneer on and off the hill. I'm always so impressed by the insane level of precision he's able to display on anything from rails to jumps and the superpipe.
Despite almost all of us on NS supporting Gus, I think it's really important that we protect the opinions of both sides. I know where I stand and where I expect my friends to stand, but that doesn't mean my opinion is the only valid one. I often worry that we (most noticeable liberals) are really quick to shoot down other's views as unacceptable, when that's not true. Everyone is honestly entitled to believe whatever they want; I don't get to restrict that right, but I am responsible for forming my own views and holding myself accountable to them.
For real though, congrats Gus. So happy for you. Keep killing it!
I hear what you're saying but I feel the need to reply.
If somebodies opinion was that white people are superior, would you say "I don't believe that, but I respect your opinion".
The problem with this issue is that it's looked at as an opinion. I personally don't like turkey, but I respect peoples love for it, and their right to eat it. If you asked me what I think of turkey, I'd tell you I think their ugly birds that jump out in the road, and taste like shit.
That's an opinion, and unamerican or not, seems perfectly legit.
To me, saying "Well I don't believe in that"(not going to dive into the things I see regularly) regarding gay people is a different thing. You can believe they're wrong, inferior, going to hell, or whatever else you want to believe, but that doesn't mean that you're right.
The religious aspect is what makes this the most challenging in my opinion. At the same time, those of you following that trail to your conclusions about gay people...
There are a ton of religious gay people out there. For many of the, it's a massive hurdle.
I prayed for several years, read the bible, did anything I could just begging to be straight. I didn't want money, presents for christmas, I didn't want anything, that was my wish. If I could have one thing, that's what I would have gone with.
So somebody telling me that they don't believe what I'm doing is right, or that they don't agree with my "choice" is kind of viewed by me as a huge fuck you.
Do I understand it? Of course, I grew up religious, I didn't move away from it until my late teens. I just hate the idea that we should accept both sides of this issue as legitimate. We wouldn't go down that route with racism, so why here?
Also, I'm pretty chill on the issue, I have religious friend against gay people, we're still friends, it's whatever. I'm not the person that brings up being gay everywhere to start a fight. At the same time I just felt the need to give my $.02.
You can believe whatever you want, gay people are going to hell, we're lady gaga's bastard children, or anything else, but that doesn't necessarily make your views legitimate outside of your head.
Other there a lot of people that support that belief? Yes, but from somebody who spent years trying to pray to your god, to change, and seeing 0 results, I find most arguments against it pretty easy to sweep off as a "I was taught this at one point and my mind is closed to new information"