SSM Plebiscite

[mateinone]

Kruddler
I think in circles of friends and acquaintances most people are being respectful.
But you only need to look at what is happening when people voice an opinion in the negative online to see how vocal the crowd is and it is a feeling that is reverberating throughout a lot of people watching from the sidelines.

Yet I bet within the confines of the people they are talking with in a friendly manner the discussion in cordial.

What I am addressing is the public campaigning and I gave you just 2 examples, but it isn't hard to find many others through such places as public Facebook posts to see the reactions.

I haven't considered this forum as not being cordial, but there is not anyone actively against, despite the fact I am 100% certain there are those who will vote against. The same goes with your group of friends and family. Part of that is that it is easier to go along with what others say, but then not actually address the reasons that will hold a person back from voting yes.

The number one reason I believe people will vote NO, will be simply their belief (whether religious or what they consider to be right) that marriage is a union between man and woman. Now to my knowledge people are allowed to feel like that and historical context suggests that this has been the case thought basically every society since the dawn of time.

Now a sensible way to discuss that might be to discuss that whilst biologically humans are made in the form that male mates with female, we have a greater sense of understanding/decision making than other species and with that we have the ability to realise that not everything that doesn't conform to the standard is a threat. That preventing SSM isn't going to change a reality that people will love who they choose.

That is just an example, but that discussion is being held. A person is instantly targeted as a bigot, that they are attempting to deny people's human right and they don't even want to engage in the discussion.

I didn't ask my son to elaborate (and would not have posted his response if he did), simply because I didn't want him to feel judged by me (and I wouldn't have allowed the judgement here). The truth is that a lot of teenage kids (and boys in particular) I think are a bit insensitive (around their friends) and it is a fact their judgment isn't fully developed until their early 20s. So unless I thought his reasons were borne through hatred, I didn't see a need to press him

Not everyone is able to stand up for their opinion in the fact of others shouting them down and so many are saying little and will just vote when the time comes.

Btw out of my friends, I don't think I have heard anyone state they are voting no either (though I am sure some will).
In fact I am one of the view who are openly stating that I am not voting
But your personal experience isn't what I am getting at with the respectfulness of this campaign. You aren't voting no and by your admission you don't believe anyone you know is... So I don't see how personal experience is reflective of what is happening when people are voicing intent to vote NO to the SSM question.

Which means you could only be relying on reading / watching as I am.
If you haven't noticed the different intents/tones of the debates... then perhaps yes we are watching this debate very differently.
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