> We're being honest about how we feel.

I don't think you are telling me how you feel so much as you are focused on describing MY behaviours. For example:

> The manner in which you speak is hypocritical and condescending.

> You may not mean to be condescending, but you are. Some of us aren't willing to keep quiet about it.

Do you mean... You feel devalued and unappreciated and disrespected?

I don't intend for you to feel that way. If I didn't value what people had to say then I wouldn't bother taking the time to respond to what people have to say. This thread got me thinking a lot about evidence and stuff.

I do feel hurt when you said that I'm condescending, though. It hurt me.

>> You're putting us down as not having ideals and wanting good things. Just because we see things differently and see certain things as ideal that you do not, does not mean you're better or smarter than us.

I don't think that I'm better or smarter than people here. I'm sorry if you feel dumb or morally uneasy in conversing with me. I really don't mean for people to feel bad having conversations with me just as I really don't want for me to feel bad having conversations with other people.

Interpersonal communication isn't a strength of mine. Had trouble with that all my life. Sorry if I hurt or upset you.

I didn't mean to say or imply that I was idealistic in a morally praiseworthy sense. I actually meant... That maybe I was idealistic in a not very realist or not very feasible sense. The studies are starting to disturb me... The fact that it IS controversial whether gun ownership is reducing crime, the fact that it IS controversial whether pornography is reducing sexual assault. The fact that there is evidence to suggest that these things are helping is something that I find disturbing. So maybe my notion that we could have a society without those things and without gun crime and without sexual abuse is idealistic in a naieve (derogatory) sense. That was what I meant...

I appreciate what you have said about your views. Your ideals (in a non-derogatory sense) if you like. I respect it too. I think there is more agreement than disagreement really. We both agree that people are responsible for their actions and that crime is unacceptable etc. I think we have the same goals (to reduce the harms). More agreement than disagreement really.

I'm sorry if I hurt you.