@ES16 I urge you to reconsider. To start with, you won’t ever find an internet forum or real group of people that will 100% agree with you on 100% of issues. If you do - what a boring company that will be.
Having diversity of minds is important. Please stay.
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@BRUCE26 and @Ben_Blanc - I think the issue here is that not everyone agrees on everything.
Ben made a good point that a lot of the things you stated may be society norms right now, but that doesn’t mean we believe in them.
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But that’s exactly my point
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I actually disagree with that, @Aaron25. I think we should do both. The US is a melting pot and we should take the best from each group. But if we were all the same we would be a VERY boring country.
There is both good and bad to that. People should be able to express themselves and have different views (as everyone in this thread does), but we can all find common ground in the desire to protect our loved ones.
Do I agree with what’s stated in that list (not if it’s true/false, but if I think it’s right), no. But I’m so glad we all have the ability to help change the face of this country one person at a time. We have free will and expressing it respectfully without doing harm to another is one of the best things about this country.
@ES16, I will encourage you to take a day or two to reconsider your request. Topics get heated as we’re all passionate about our viewpoint (which you had an inkling would happen when you posted this topic). But that doesn’t mean opposing viewpoints are a personal attack. Please assume good intent. Everyone here is doing their best to communicate in text - and without knowing the other people in person, it makes it easy to misunderstand meaning without physical cues.
(Sorry, but I’m going to use @Ben_Blanc as an example, hope you’re ok with that Ben!)
I’ve seen great responses from @Ben_Blanc that have been well thought out and detailed - and I’ve seen short responses that leave me scratching my head or thinking he meant something other than what he meant. But once asked about it he explained and it made sense.
We’ve all had short answers due to time constraints or assuming people would know what was in our head (I’ve done it more than my fair share of times.
Remember why we’re here everyone.
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Post withdrawn by me, the author.
Stick a fork in it.
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Exactly - take the best but do no harm to others. 
I think everyone here is on the same page with this, but semantics are getting in the way. 
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Wait–you mean to tell me that it’s possible to not be completely understood in a blog?? NO WAY!!! LOL
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I get the distinct impression you’ve never quit anything in your life, don’t start now. I agree some debates are tiresome and futile. No surrender no retreat🇺🇸
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I love this Forum and USCCA Community because of the way how it operates and is managed.
[ 
for @Dawn]
@ES16 , don’t disable yourself from the Brotherhood. Just follow @Dawn’s advice… 
This thread is hot… Actually there are more at this Forum… I learned the lesson few months ago, and now I’m doing 
…
Stay safe.
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I am just using this quote for everyone not directing it to the original person that wrote it (Read all of the way to the end. I promise it won’t disappoint, you may not agree with everything but it won’t disappoint.). Yes, what I am about to write specifically applies to someone that is transgender but it can be used to apply to any situation. Have any of you actually taken the time to fully understand what it is to be transgender? What it is that these people go through? Who they really are? The things that they do? What they really want (in life etc)? How different or similar they are to you and everyone else? Maybe that you have actually met someone that is transgender or have talked to someone who is? Or maybe just maybe someone in this group is transgender, have you thought about that? If there was/is someone that is transgender in this group how do you think they would feel reading all of these interactions from their fellow group members?
Now, let’s turn the tables a bit. What if you were the minority that was looked down upon and belittled by everyone? How do you think that would make you feel? What if everyone called you mentally ill because you were what they called different from everyone else? Yet, you know deep down it’s not true. What would you do? How would you want others to act? How would you try to change things for the better?
I am not trying to convince you to change your beliefs. Because I know better than that. Because no matter what I say it will not change that. It is only you that can make that change. It is only you that can take the first step to making a change in yourself. Misconception is a dangerous thing and something that is very hard to break. It’s so much easier to go along with something that you don’t really know or understand but take the word of someone else. Why is that? Taking the time to do research and learning the truth, gaining knowledge (especially on a subject where there may not be a lot of material on) is hard and a lot of work. Humans can be and are lazy by nature. We are always looking for that easy way out. Looking for that quick dollar as they say.
A little about myself. I have a bachelors in Software Engineering and a Masters in IT Management so I am well educated as you can see. I am also a transgender woman who is a part of this wonderful community we have here. Something that a lot of you may not be aware of in most state in order for anyone to be able to start transitioning medically they must go through an evaluation by a licensed practicing medical health professional. Of which I have done and have been deemed mentally and emotional fit and capable of being able to be on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Someone that is wanting to have Gender Reassignment Surgery (GRS) or the many other names it goes by must also go through another evaluation. So, if that is the case then how are we mentally ill? I won’t go into all of the other legislation like the bathroom bills and whatnot because it is unnecessary and will derail this thread more than it already has. My point is we are all different no matter how you look at it. Not one of us is the same. There isn’t one of us that can say we fall under every single item that society deems what is 100% normal because we are all unique. We should’t be arguing with each other. Instead we should agree to disagree on certain things and at the end of the day say in the heat of it all when it comes to it you are part of this great community of USCCA and I have your back if you need it because we are all brothers and sisters.
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I have done a great deal of studying on the issue. I worked to set up a surgery center of excellence specializing in gender reassignment.
My understanding of the issue is clearly as an ‘outsider’, but not an ignorant one, nor a judgemental one.
I understand and empathize with the extremely difficult life you and the transgender community live with/in better than most, and my intent was not to judge.
The mental illness reference (from my perspective) is only a reflection on the fact that for a physician to bill, there has to be a diagnosis. I would have trouble arguing that gender dysphoria is a physical malady as opposed to related to behavior health. That was my only point, not that a person is mentally ill (kind of like pregnancy being a disease). It has to be put in some box, and that’s where it ends up from a diagnostic perspective–not right or wrong, it just is there.
I will withdraw my post given it offends. That was not my point. My point was that I think toleration of a different belief is all that should be required. COEXISTENCE. Not accomodation or acceptance.
For the same reason I wouldn’t expect or try to legislate someone else conforming to my world belief, I expect the same in return.
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A number of my family members have an endocrinal disorder, I guess it is genetic. After studying conventional treatments, Eastern medicine treatments, etc, etc I came to conclusion that Endocrine system is so complicated and intertwined, that modern medical treatments involving hormones are nothing short of ignorant and barbaric, they neither heal nor reduce suffering.
As for surgical alteration of body parts created according to instruction from genes, which science barely began to understand, and the extremely complicated endocrine system, which both are wired for 20+ years of life to interoperate with these body parts - it is nothing but vivisection to me.
Why would anyone do such damage to themselves?
Agreed. I definitely appreciate 100% red blooded Americans like you.
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Dawn, before saying goodbye permanently let me clear up a few things… i copied and pasted this from the FN SCAR website as I’ve stated above. This was meant as sarcastic humor, nothing more. Maxine Waters is a violent radical, racist pig, (IMHO), and should not be allowed near small children. If you want to change your gender please have had it. Quite a few of my wife’s and I friends grew up in the closet back in the 60s and 70s and finally have been able to have relationships (those that are still among us) openly without fear of reprisal. I removed the word “mentally” from the original quote as i don’t believe being gay, trans, bi has anything to do with a persons mental state. Spitting on another human being or that fact an animal, whether in a restaurant or not, is intolerable. Lastly, anyone who would like to crossover to the Middle East, where we are heading next, (yes, even though there’s a pandemic) your more than welcome to attend. Ben_Blanc, PM at peacesun16 at gmail.com when you get a chance. Before heading to the sand box i would like to meet you personally and discuss this face to face. I haven’t read any of the additional comments from some of you folks so again my apologizes, it was meant as sarcastic humor. Ben_Blanc, will expect your email. I will personally pay for you to join us; plane fair, visas, passport fees if needed before we cross over. You just need 3 days change of clothes. The rest we will supply you. Ok, Dawn. You and Zee have been an inspiration, lots of good advice and noteworthy forum topics. This was one of the better more tolerable sites to be on but my time here is done. Thanks again to the ones who posted kind words.
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Thanks for the invite 
but i think i’ll pass…As for the face to face, let it go dude…Trust me.
It’s a start 
Good day to you Sir.
Interesting things in that list… I agree with a majority & those that I find questionable, no need to address. The 
is against THE MOST HIGH GOD & HIS WORD so HE has left the to their own devices & imagination. To summarize all you stated, if I may, “Good will be called Evil & Evil will be called Good.” 
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Not a chance tough guy… just buried a buddy of mine who served in Vietnam, Gulf War 1 & 2 before the virus stupidity started… peacesun16atgmail.com, replace the at with the @ symbol. We meet and finish this. I’m be waiting for your email. Please choose the time and place… anywhere. Again, i’m fronting the full cost of wherever you feel more at ease.
Well not a lot left to say here other than…
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