Quote Originally Posted by miles View Post
My final point is that I don't think I have controversial views. My views on subjects such as Israel are not controversial. Is it not a fact that Israel has built on 42%of the land illegally taken since 1967? My views on this are not controversial, Israel's actions are the controversy.
Most of your views, the ones you've expressed on here at least, don't strike me as all that radical (aside from the Yuri Foreman episode), but they way you present them at times has a tendency to rub some people the wrong way and that (IMO) tends to make them appear more extreme, or at least more rigid and thus pointless to debate (the English teacher in you must love the structure of that last sentence ).

I'm hardly a fan or a supporter of the Israeli state, and I'm a strong advocate of the needs for Palestinian rights and restitution. However, while I may disagree with the other side of the argument, I can appreciate the perspectives of those who hold contrary beliefs and I respect their reasons for doing so, even if I disagree with them.

That is something, in my experience with you at least, that you seem hesitant or unwilling to do in these types of discussions and I think that could be where the problem lies. It's not uncommon for people to act that way when they feel passionately about something, but in my experience it tends to stifle legitimate debate and leads to hostility and anger on all sides.

Plus, it is a bit exasperating to see the same topic drudged up over and over again. I think that plays a role in all this as well.

I hope that doesn't come across as harsh or anything, it's just my $0.02 on the whole situation.