It's refreshing to see that civil discourse is not dead online

[Feoh]

Hello all!

This most recent election cycle has really challenged some of my long standing beliefs around politics. Unlike other elections of the recent past, there was no candidate that really drew me in and left me feeling excited to lend my support.

I am socially liberal and always will be, but as I learn more about the way the world and government works I have come around to the idea that at the very least fiscal conservatism has some really compelling arguments behind it that are worthy of careful consideration by any citizen who is committed to keeping our nation great.

I started numerous conversations on Facebook, and they all devolved into ultra-polarized, super heated conversations that more resembled two troops of primates fighting over a preferred fruit tree than the carefully considered discussion of invested citizens setting out to continue to form a more perfect union.

So, thank you to Mr. Hash for creating this forum, and thank you to all of you who have contributed to it. This place gives me hope that the internet could be a tool for bettering our society after all rather than tearing it apart.

[Speaker to Animals]

Everything humans do can be described as two groups of primates fighting over their favorite fruit tree. You can't escape it. Learn to love it.

[TheReal_ND]

Masonic shills out

[de officiis]

Welcome aboard, looking forward to your posts.

[Kazmyr]

No one rolls out the welcome mat like nuke.

Welcome.

[Feoh]

@TheReal_ND- First off, I like the etymology! I'd always understood it to mean "oxen" in old Norse, but it's great to see all the potential variants. Which dictionary are you drawing from if you don't mind me asking? Been looking for a really good online Etymology resource for years.

I chose this nick back in the early 90s when I was not in a good place financially, and some of the sources I was reading at the time claimed that this rune's metaphorical representation was "material wealth" so I went with it.

As to my being a "Masonic Shill" - I don't shill for anyone BUT I have full faith in the idea that you'll be sure to dissuade me from my errant ways should that turn out to be the case

[Speaker to Animals]

Have you gotten to the part where they try to convince you that Lucifer is God?

[Okeefenokee]

taking bets on how long this lasts.

I give it a week.

[Speaker to Animals]

You have to be pretty thick-skinned to be a freemason these days.

Hopefully Monty will start screaming Masonphobe! at us.

[Okeefenokee]

You have to be pretty thick-skinned to be a freemason these days.

oh, then I might be wrong.