Have INGO discussions shaped your principles?

[Que]

INGO has taught me how to eat the meat and spit out the bones. I have learned something from the active members, but I can't say that I accept and put to practice everything they believe. So, yes, in a small way, INGO has helped to shape/enhance my political beliefs.

 

[ATF Consumer]

I was a conservative or at least thought I was, but from reading some threads on here and mostly from sites like lewrockwell.com, readings from people like John Stossel and Andrew Napolitano, I have seen the flaws with being conservative and now feel much better about myself for what I now believe.

 

[Garb]

I was definitely very far right, and probably could have been classified as a Neo-conservative. A combination of this forum, Glenn Beck, and Ron Paul turned me into a libertarian who leans in the conservative direction on a few issues.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Have always been conservtive with libertrian tendencies. I've learned there are people further to the right than me, whch I wasn't sure was possible.

 

[gage]

My political beliefs haven't been changed but
I've learned a lot.

 

[dross]

Have always been conservtive with libertrian tendencies. ...

Don't leave out contrarian.

 

[Hotdoger]

I have been a social and economic conservative since my youth. Nothing posted on INGO has made me think about altering those views or how I live.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

Some of the discussions have caused me to think hard about how to articulate my beliefs, and I've had to confront some hypocrisy in my thinking.

 

[beararms1776]

Just curious. Have our discussions changed the way you think about politics and shaped your political outlook?

No. Can't say it has.

 

[MilitaryArms]

No. The vast majority of conversations here are idiots arguing with other idiots who believe anything they read on the internet.

That's an idiotic thing to say.

 

[88GT]

No. The vast majority of conversations here are idiots arguing with other idiots who believe anything they read on the internet.

Repped.

Shaped your priciples? Really? If you didn't have any when you got here, i'm not sure you're going to leave with any.

I could believe that.

Rep'ed.

So what does that make the individual who knowingly hangs out with idiots?

But to answer the question: I voted "other." It hasn't changed them, but it has helped me focus them. What was once a generalized outlook has evolved into a refined and specific world view (I hate using that phrase).

On a side note: I'm having a hard time understanding the antipathy towards conservatism. More specifically, the "we're not one of those" way the libertarians constantly vilify them and turn up their noses at them. The differences are far fewer than the similarities, but to hear them speak, conservatives are a far greater enemy than the socialists/communists/marxists/the devil himself. No need for the opposition to devise a plan to divide, we've done it for them. Yay-****ing-rah.

 

[eldirector]

Principles? No
Politics? No
Outlook? Maybe

As others have mentioned, INGO has let me practice forming arguments, and separating the wheat from the chaff. There is some good information on here. Along with some, let's say, not so good. Always some interesting perspectives, though. One of the few boards that allows some fairly open dialog (minus a few topics).

On the main board topics (firearms and self protection), I'd be hard pressed to find a better forum. Has it "changed" me? Well, I am much better informed than a year ago!

 

[shibumiseeker]

On a side note: I'm having a hard time understanding the antipathy towards conservatism. More specifically, the "we're not one of those" way the libertarians constantly vilify them and turn up their noses at them. The differences are far fewer than the similarities, but to hear them speak, conservatives are a far greater enemy than the socialists/communists/marxists/the devil himself. No need for the opposition to devise a plan to divide, we've done it for them. Yay-****ing-rah.

Maybe it's because not all gun owners are conservatives? I know it's hard to believe by a lot of folk here but the actual gun ownership gap between liberals and conservatives is not that high and the differences in their their stance on gun issues isn't that high. Since this is a "gun" group, and not a "conservatives" group, you're going to find a little more of that antipathy here than you might elsewhere where people are more purely conservative.

 

[smitty12b]

So what does that make the individual who knowingly hangs out with idiots?

President

 

[Jack Ryan]

No change. Always American.

Not in to those other phony lables that mean nothing.

 

[Jack Ryan]

So what does that make the individual who knowingly hangs out with idiots?

Dur Furher? President? Political party leader? A footbal coach? Mayor of Indianapolis?

 

[printcraft]

So what does that make the individual who knowingly hangs out with idiots?
...............

O_o

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Don't leave out contrarian.

Yeah, but that started when I learned the word no.

 

[IndySSD]

I said other. I don't think that for the most part my views have changed so much as they have been shaped. There are so many intelligent people on here that have spent so much time exploring and shaping their views that when I read posts I sometimes think "that's how I feel but I never put it into those words". If anything INGO has done a lot to help me express to others how I feel.

Well said... You've been taking notes from Bill of Rights hehe.