[twinklesweep]

Emphasizing speaking only for myself:

Private requires no great explanation. What I discuss in, say, the privacy of my home with individuals I choose to discuss views requires no explanation.

I am a private person, and I would no more consider showing my views on any subject, whether political, religious, or my passion for bird watching or anything else on signage, bumper stickers, and more on my car, golf cart, or even, where allowed, on the public side of my home than I would publicly display my credit card or bank account numbers. For me to do so would mean to me—and again I am speaking only for myself—how insecure I must be to have to proclaim my private views publicly.to strangers. But this is me.

However, I would defend the constitutional right of anyone who does wish to share private views publicly. Those who do, however, need to be aware of potential risks to doing so, whether social alienation as described on another thread thinking they had friends in their neighborhood, only to find out how conditional those so-called “friends” were. Those were not friends but rather persons in their neighborhood who may or may not have been rude (or worse) in their social rejection. Or it could lead to overt violence as happened to friends the back of whose home faces Odell Circle where they put a sign stating their candidate of choice in the upcoming election—and getting a rock through their window!

And this is Florida’s Friendliest Home Town. I’m not sure to end this sentence with a question mark or an exclamation point. Maybe both?

[Stu from NYC]

Enjoy your privacy.

Scary when people would commit violence due to your choice of candidate.

[davem4616]

I too avoid displaying my beliefs publicly...there are some self-righteous zealots out there that may not be faithfully taking all their meds

[billethkid]

Fear is not the natural state of civilized people. (Aung San Suu Kyi)

[Two Bills]

If you can't have a good disagreement with friends, they are not!

[Chitown]

And this is Florida’s Friendliest Home Town. I’m not sure to end this sentence with a question mark or an exclamation point. Maybe both? I am beginning to wonder weather the statement “America’s Friendliest Town” applies any more? I just moved here and have seen the best and worst in people. I go out of my way to wave and say hi to people many respond and many give me the cold shoulder. As for expressing yourself weather verbally or with a banner or sign I agree that I will defend a person’s right to do so. Would I do it, probably not. But I feel that as passionate as I may be about a topic I do not look at the person who reflects their opinion with the opposite view as the enemy. We are not 20 years old here. We have gone through life and should respect one another.

[twinklesweep]

Originally Posted by billethkid

Fear is not the natural state of civilized people. (Aung San Suu Kyi)

I agree but fail to see the connection between fear and being a private person—unless this is just a random quote.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

It’s very simple , don’t put signs out . They don’t change a thing, unfair yes but it’s the way things are now

[Taltarzac725]

I have been in the Villages since June of 2005 and much has changed in that period. Some of the neighbors we had then are still around and maybe a third have moved away for various reasons like one couple had their grand daughter murdered at the Valentine's Day shooting at Parkland HS. They moved to be closer to some of their family. Not the ones in the Miami area.

Still a touchy subject with the neighbors.

Some subjects I just avoid as much as possible. Some things though are hard to talk about without getting emotions up. Like the Parkland shootings and some of these tragedies before and after that. And what might be done to prevent these from continuing to happen.

Originally Posted by Chitown

And this is Florida’s Friendliest Home Town. I’m not sure to end this sentence with a question mark or an exclamation point. Maybe both? I am beginning to wonder weather the statement “America’s Friendliest Town” applies any more? I just moved here and have seen the best and worst in people. I go out of my way to wave and say hi to people many respond and many give me the cold shoulder. As for expressing yourself weather verbally or with a banner or sign I agree that I will defend a person’s right to do so. Would I do it, probably not. But I feel that as passionate as I may be about a topic I do not look at the person who reflects their opinion with the opposite view as the enemy. We are not 20 years old here. We have gone through life and should respect one another.

[Art cov]

It seems some people are looking for a reason to be offended. It’s a shame as we all can learn, for no one has all the answers. When We hear a view that we don’t necessarily agree with we can often times learn something. I personally enjoy a different position and through the years have changed my view or at least been strengthened in points that I believed. Simply eat the fruit and spit out the seeds! Why would people agree in 99 points but ruin a friendship over 1 disagreement? Usually it’s over some nothing burger. A friend will always allow another to have a different view. Be friendly and you will have friends!

Even displaying an American flag can be dangerous. The Villages is a friendly place not necessarily the most.
The trend toward polarization instead of compromise has accelerated and that is not good for the country.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Art cov

It seems some people are looking for a reason to be offended. It’s a shame as we all can learn, for no one has all the answers. When We hear a view that we don’t necessarily agree with we can often times learn something. I personally enjoy a different position and through the years have changed my view or at least been strengthened in points that I believed. Simply eat the fruit and spit out the seeds! Why would people agree in 99 points but ruin a friendship over 1 disagreement? Usually it’s over some nothing burger. A friend will always allow another to have a different view. Be friendly and you will have friends!

And some people are looking for a reason to give offense. It goes both ways. When people make a BIG display of their views, they're basically inviting viewers to have an opinion on the display - and the views being displayed.

Just like civilians walking en masse into a town hall with AR-15s, wearing camouflaged bullet-proof vests, and other arms and armor - they're not actually carrying it to defend themselves from a potential threat at the town hall. They are making a statement. They are making it, because they WANT people to respond, and possibly react. They're basically saying "I DARE you to disagree with me about this topic of interest."

Because - if you're preaching to the choir, you don't need to be hauling all your equipment with you. They already know what you have and what you can do with it. Making a display of it in a town hall is challenging people to disagree, or to try and do something about it.

So of course there will be some people who are offended. That's the point of the display - to offend someone.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by twinklesweep

I agree but fail to see the connection between fear and being a private person—unless this is just a random quote.

Aimed at the fear of putting signs out.

[Stu from NYC]

Sad that I cannot have a civil conversation with most of my family regarding politics. As a result I avoid getting lured into one. Sad so sad.

[Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by twinklesweep

Emphasizing speaking only for myself:

Private requires no great explanation. What I discuss in, say, the privacy of my home with individuals I choose to discuss views requires no explanation.

I am a private person, and I would no more consider showing my views on any subject, whether political, religious, or my passion for bird watching or anything else on signage, bumper stickers, and more on my car, golf cart, or even, where allowed, on the public side of my home than I would publicly display my credit card or bank account numbers. For me to do so would mean to me—and again I am speaking only for myself—how insecure I must be to have to proclaim my private views publicly.to strangers. But this is me.

However, I would defend the constitutional right of anyone who does wish to share private views publicly. Those who do, however, need to be aware of potential risks to doing so, whether social alienation as described on another thread thinking they had friends in their neighborhood, only to find out how conditional those so-called “friends” were. Those were not friends but rather persons in their neighborhood who may or may not have been rude (or worse) in their social rejection. Or it could lead to overt violence as happened to friends the back of whose home faces Odell Circle where they put a sign stating their candidate of choice in the upcoming election—and getting a rock through their window!

And this is Florida’s Friendliest Home Town. I’m not sure to end this sentence with a question mark or an exclamation point. Maybe both?

Not sure I get this post. You have over 350 posts and more than half of the few I read are your views of a variety of subjects, a few even bordering on political. Sure, some are questions (rhetorical or otherwise) but much is opinion.

What am I missing?