Can the Adults Please Smoke? Part 24, Drunk on Guinness — Page 8

You bring up an excellent point, DG. In Palm Springs, where people are pretty "tolerant," I just felt so comfortable, like "everyone is welcomed here!" That's the ideal for me. I guess that's why I like NYC and the area where I live. It's sad though that the term "liberal" is now synonymous with "tolerant."

---

Obviously not all the time, Addy. I have great tolerance for anyone's ability to create their own existence as they see fit. I can also have great difficulty maintaining that level of tolerance when an attempt is made to determine MY course of existence.

Miss P makes an interesting comment about Palm Springs, since on Tuesday we had dinner with one of my HS friends who now lives there. And his perspective on Palm Springs was the exact opposite - he complained bitterly of the conservative, stuck in the mud attitudes there.

Then again, he complained bitterly about everything, including his mother (who has been dead for 22 years.)

---

It's an interesting issue...

To be TRULY tolerant, we have to embrace that which we would want to reject. Absolutely easier to talk the talk...

---

And I was just stopping by to say hi.

And, totally understand what you meant with your statement, Miss P!

---

D2 - it sounds like that was one looonnnnggg dinner Tuesday night.

I hope you are enjoying your last few days in LA.

And DG - I have many conservative friends - they abhor what has happened to the Republican party, and would be considered "Goldwater Republicans" - they nod in agreement when I say that the current Republican party has done more to undermine true conservative ideals than any democrat could.

So long as each party recognizes the right of the other to disagree, then I am fine. I still think, with open minds, that there is a solution to every problem. People have to be willing to work and compromise, and sometimes, that is the problem.

Updated On: 7/12/08 at 06:48 PM

I need to get back out to SoCal...

---

Yes, you do!

---

I'm not talking about political views. I'm talking about the "live and let live" attitude that seems to be more "alive" in some places than others. After spending a lot of time in the South this past Spring, I have come to appreciate communities where there is more freedom to be who you are without worrying how others will perceive or treat you. (I understand the political implications inherent in this conversation, but I'm just not focusing on that right nowt.)

As I said before, I try to understand that there are many people whose reality and exposure to the world differs drastically from mine, and I try not to judge them...in fact, I do my best to help them to become more accepting of others, but there's only so much I can do. I always feel that it is better to set a positive example. However, when I have to decide how to spend my precious personal time and who I want my children to be around, I am less likely to gravitate toward people who are vocal about their dislike of "Blacks," "Gays," "Jews" and so forth.

I don't know how articulate I'm being here. Sorry!

---

Look how difficult it is to TALK about it...even in a group of like-minded friends. You know it's even MORE difficult to DO!!!

As I said before, true and complete tolerance is my "ideal." It's not "reality"; it's my dream. But it's a good one to have.

---

LS just asked me to play Barbies with him. He set up all this Barbie furniture and put new clothes on all the Barbie dolls. He then handed me what looks like a "pole" that came off of his Barbie castle or something and said, "Here. You be the talking stick."

Should I be offended? I don't even get to be a molded plastic "human"????

---

Aw, Addy. Happy Birthday to K! Wishing him the best!

---