I know I frustrate conservatives.

In the words of Penn Jillette, "…if you want to find utopia, take a sharp right on money and a sharp left on sex and it’s straight ahead."

I believe that economics and morality should be based in free choice. Some conservatives will denounce morality because it conflicts with their faith. They don’t like it when I tell them that’s not enough.

❝❝I'll tell you truth. For me, it's about choice. You may have a favorite toothpaste that you swear is the most amazing thing ever. That's fine, more power to you.

Until you insist that everyone must use that toothpaste without fail under penalty of law. Then we have a problem.

Same with faith and morality.

Right now there's a big push to move beyond acceptance of homosexuality to advocating homosexuality in public spaces under force of law.

That's wrong. Not because of homosexuality, but because it imposes a choice at the point of a gun.

At the same time, it's just as wrong to force "traditional" sexuality and morality for exactly the same reason.

Not because your god or your minister said it's wrong. That works for you and those who have chosen your faith. But it doesn't work for someone who hasn't chosen that.

You're free to convince them, but you can't force them just because you know what's best for them.

Making the choice for someone "for their own good" or for "the good of society" is the core of the progressive argument. You won't win if you rely on their tactics. There are too many ways to turn that back on you.

Free to choose. That's it. That's who I am. That is what I say.❞❞

There was a time in these online discussions that I would be slinging insults with the best of them, huddled over long screeds that no one else would care about, determined to tell TRUTH at any cost.

But I’ve learned it really is about choice. If I can’t convince someone without rudeness, without manipulation, without threatening force, then I did it wrong.