The 'I Was Wrong' Amnesty thread.

[Pink Bat Maxine]

This is where you get to come clean to times you were on the wrong side of an argument, KNOW you were on the wrong side of an argument, but stuck to your guns anyway. This is where you can let it go, and come clean.

When I first started here I was involved in a discussion about eugenics. Quite con-actually, but I made a case about how it was founded on some solid scientific principles.

I can't remember who it was who pointed out all of the fallacies of that, but I remember arguing forever about it. I was accused of changing my goalposts, and I was. I was just letting pride make me hang on to something that had been pretty thoroughly discredited by someone who knew more on the subject than I did.

So: I WAS WRONG! Years later, I admit it. In fact, I'm rather pleased to have been wrong.

Okay, your turn. You KNOW there's a time you were wrong here and just COULDN'T let it go. Fess up, and be forgiven!

[TomStillwell]

I was wrong about Members Only jackets being ageless classics that would be popular for decades.

[Solaris]

Ages ago, I originally argued in favor of civil unions for gays, if they were absolutely equal in rights to hetero marriages---my idea was "the name doesn't matter, so long as the rights are equal." I didn't argue it forever (not that I can recall), and during the course of the thread, had several people point out to me that it *was* a case of "separate but equal," with a lot of good telling points to their side.

I took some time, thought about it, and realized that they were right and I was wrong. I hadn't thought it through, and though my heart was in the right place about the rights, my head hadn't quite wrapped around the idea that calling it a separate name was still discrimination, and also left the door very open to it being monkeyed with (rights being pared away, etc.). I realized that a lot of the reason I was, at that point, in favor of the separate "civil union" status was that I was trying to bring the two sides together in a compromise, but the issue wasn't, and shouldn't be *about* compromise.

I think, honestly, some of it was I had some vestiges of culturally-imposed ideas (translation: prejudices) I just wasn't aware of. I'm eternally grateful to the folks who argued in favor of "marriage" in that thread, because it helped me see those "ideas" for what they really were. At that point, I took 'em to the mat (my ideas, not the people) and threw them out---mental housecleaning.

Once I waded through the dross of arguments and got down to brass tacks, it was clear to me that it *was* a case of "separate but equal," and that just was not right. There was no earthly reason why a gay union should NOT be treated and seen and spoken of and legally-binding, etc., as a hetero union... other than a desire to keep gays separate and "out of it." And I've been campaigning for gay MARRIAGE (not "civil unions") ever since.

I've said, many times, that we all absorb these things, like it or not, from the culture around us, especially when we're young. No person grows up without prejudice. It's our duty, in trying to be the best human beings we can become, to find these insidious messages we've absorbed, see them for what they are, and root them out. And, do our best to ensure that they don't get passed on to the next generation, like they got passed on to us.

I grew up in a place where people expressed a lot of prejudices against others for race, religion, orientation, and a lot of other ways people pick on or pick out a "difference." My mental garden is a lot nicer now---but every now and then I still encounter a weed, and then it's "back to work" to uproot it and throw it on the compost pile where it belongs.

Anyway, in case I haven't said it before, my apologies to the folks I was arguing against back then---and my thanks. You taught me something very very important, and that's priceless.

PS---This was rather hard to own up to... I'm still kind of ashamed about it.

[adam_warlock_2099]

I agreed that alcohol, after many years of experience, was the cause of and solution to all of life's problems. When really it is just the cause of life's problems.

Now I just have to get behind that and admit it to myself.

[section 8]

I was Wrong....once


Now that joke is out of the way...

When I first got here I was wrong... a lot, Mostly my attitude was wrong.

(I already admitted this, but) I was wrong about torture.

[Paul McEnery]

I am an absolute prize dill-bag when I've got the bit between my teeth.

There's two I'm really sorry about. And I've hesitated to bring it up again not wanting to open old wounds. And because of a big old heap of shame.

One was jumping on Solaris's shit, and then misjudging the whole business, and then digging myself in deeper, and just generally being a giant cock.

The other I'm so ashamed of I walked away. But I know I owe Tangentman and Beetlebum a massive apology for it. And probably a bunch more people.

And I also know I've pushed RedJack way harder than was called for. Generally, I figure he can take his lumps and dish it out, but that doesn't make me right for being a dick about it.

All of these are things I wish I hadn't done.

[Solaris]

I am an absolute prize dill-bag when I've got the bit between my teeth.

There's two I'm really sorry about. And I've hesitated to bring it up again not wanting to open old wounds. And because of a big old heap of shame.

One was jumping on Solaris's shit, and then misjudging the whole business, and then digging myself in deeper, and just generally being a giant cock.

The other I'm so ashamed of I walked away. But I know I owe Tangentman and Beetlebum a massive apology for it. And probably a bunch more people.

And I also know I've pushed RedJack way harder than was called for. Generally, I figure he can take his lumps and dish it out, but that doesn't make me right for being a dick about it.

All of these are things I wish I hadn't done.


Forgiven, Paul. :smile: And thank you.

[Spike-X]

I was wrong once.

I thought I was wrong about something, but I was actually right.

Thank you (http://www.sadtrombone.com).


Seriously though, I've often been wrong here, but I think I've always admitted it, eventually.

Not trying to big myself up, just sayin'.

[Pink Bat Maxine]

Paul & Solaris, that was lovely. Thank you.

[Spike-X]

Yeah, nice work guys.

[Solaris]

Paul & Solaris, that was lovely. Thank you.

No, thank YOU for starting this thread.

And, I'll back up Spike on this too---when he's wrong, he admits it...

...he's just not wrong very often. :tongue: :wink:

[Spike-X]

That made me giggle, thank you.

[x_goalkeeper]

I hope I understand this thread correctly :smile:

I have done some wrong things to people here lately, by accident, and without embarrasing them or me I say I am sorry! I already told them too :redface:

[tangentman]

The other I'm so ashamed of I walked away. But I know I owe Tangentman and Beetlebum a massive apology for it. And probably a bunch more people.


I'm honestly surprised by your apology--but pleasantly so. I waited this long to respond because there are a few people in my life right now who certainly do owe me apologies for stuff happening close to home. That has nothing to do with anyone here, but I wanted a little distance before posting.

Paul, I accept your heartfelt apology. Especially because of the initiative you took offering it. The gesture was noticed and appreciated. I also apologize for the very pointed (and manipulative) things that I said back then. I was no angel--I went below the belt, too, and said something very evil. Again, my apologies, and consider this a clean slate.

[K-DoG7p7]

I was wrong about how quickly GA/BC wouls fall below 30.000 reader...


but i was only a month off!!

[Lester C.]

When I was in high school I was a hard core republican. Chalk it up to me rebelling against my dad and me growing up and trying to fit in an all white environment while being multiracial. For a couple of years I knew it was all bullshit, having entered the work force, but it was a part of my identity so I pretended to still be a republican arguing for shit I didn't belive in anymore when I was in fact becoming very liberal.

[beetlebum]

Max: This thread was a great idea.

It's nice to see the reconciliation going on here.

And Paul, your gesture is appreciated.

I've already admitted that some of the things I've said on this forum were wrong in other threads here.

But nonetheless.....

Lester and everyone else who posts in The Lounge: If I've ever been too hard on you, or have said anything that has offended you, I will now take the time to say I'm sorry for it.

Jerry Mya: If you read this, I apologise for going off on you in a thread about gay marriage. As angry as I was, I shouldn't have dismissed what you said as "fucking stupid".

Other than that, I do regret the fact that I was a bully for most of my school years. I went back and forth from being picked on to picking on others, and I do sincerely regret the fact that I screwed people over - much the same way Jenny Humphrey did during the first season of Gossip Girl - in order to be in good standing with my school's very own version of 'The Plastics'.

Now I just have to hunt my old classmates down and express my sincere regret for it.

[Grazzt]

I fell for a joke article about a chef preparing endangered species and the occasional bit of human flesh. And then presented it as fact on the Comm. board. I only found out it was fake a long time after the thread had died, so I never admitted I was wrong.

[Pink Bat Maxine]

You know, thinking about it...... there's a lot of times where I have felt and still feel I was really right in what I was saying, but may have been utterly beastly in how I've said it.

I have a lot of frustrations and anger in my life. But if I've taken it out with no good cause on any of you, I'm sorry. I'm really not this rude loudmouth I come off as here. I think in internet forums, it takes a bit of skill and gentility not to let one's worst aspects out to howl. And I can do to tend that part of my mental garden, I know.

I can't address this to anyone specifically because I just don't remember. But I hope I can do better in the futrue.

[section 8]

http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu358/dvlschld1313/fonzie.jpg
You're saying i was Wrwrwrwrwr...
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