People seem scared of what the other side has to say. But as Reagan said so many years ago, freedom and democracy will defend itself very well and when given the chance will always prevail. The argument for freedom will always win the debate in the forum of ideas. FR should be a forum, I think, and should be a stage to demonstrate how the power of freedom and fee ideas prevails over that of tyranny. I don't think we advance the cause of freedom when we lock the other side out of the discussion. Only when we're tested with opposing ideas can we see the mettle and moral strength and value of freedom and a free society.
Thank you, exactly my point — and said much better than I did.
I agree with you in principle that the ideas of freedom and other elements of core conservatism are strong enough to endure the most withering scrutiny.
However, in any such communication, the audience must be considered. Jesus said that we should not cast our pearls before, um, creatures who were incapable of appreciating said pearls, and who just as likely would turn them against us at every opportunity.
Furthermore, he told the disciples to shake the dust off their feet and leave the conversation in a given place when it became evident it was not being well-received.
This is just pragmatic for people with limited time to a task. I sold Bible encyclopedias door to door decades ago in the deep south. It was just a summer job, but the professionals running the operation were adamant we not waste our precious time banging on doors that wouldn’t open and struggling with prospects who were obviously not that interested.
We have a great message, one that stands the test of rational thought and addresses the realities of human life better than any alternative system of thought. But if we cannot engage a prospect at that level of real, thoughtful conversation, then we need to move on.
Now you may say the OP may have been open to such a conversation. As a statistical matter, I’m not inclined to believe it. Most folks who openly and consciously identify with leftist principles have, at least in my experience, a serious problem rising above the emotive programming that drives their worldview. I believe there is real brainwashing involved, so many institutions conveying the same false message so pervasively for so long it has become to them an unshakable reality. This cannot be overcome with pure reason. At least not in the majority of cases.
So the solution would be to find those who signal genuine openness. The “programming” hasn’t taken hold in them. There is still a chance they may come around if exposed to a sound argument. That’s where we should spend our time. Not playing foil to trolls.