Widespread embracing is better for advancement of the freedom movement than selective condemnation based in fear.
But it omits that folks can condemn based upon things other than fear.
It omits far more than just that.
I don't believe anyone has suggested hating anyone.
release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me
Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering
Do we have to view things so simplistically black and white?
None of this seems simple to me.
There are billions of people in the world. I have to exercise discernment about the ones I decide to associate with. I can choose to steer clear of certain people for my own safety and other good reasons without hating them.
Of course you can. I avoid most people. It's a struggle not to be a hermit.
I would advise my friends...
Yes. That's good. And it's often good to advise even strangers about disreputable types.
It seems good that "Tom" brought this up about J.P., and that we've shared these observations. What we've learned as a result of this thread might save someone from trouble. Does anyone need to be warned about Cantwell? C4SS doesn't run a daycare does it.
I'm a little peeved that some facts were not shared with me that seemed very relevant before I started considering doing business with J.P.
That's understandable. I failed when associating with him back in the summer of '13. It seems I should have been more aware, seen the deception, investigated, learned, spread the word. Perhaps a fear of conflict, or more likely a fear of doing something that might bring the bad opinion of new acquaintances whose good opinion I'd come to desire, but some fear must have blinded me, and I didn't see.
That was a failure in judgment.
My judgement fails soooo much.
I'm left without a sense of trust for folks involved in the Keene area liberty movement because of it and I imagine it would take quite a lot of effort and time to rebuild that trust since I don't see much sign of things changing.
Once bitten, twice shy. That's sensible.
The point of this thread, which I've been contemplating:
you believe Ian has hurt the freedom movement by promoting the likes of JP and Cantwell on The Free Keene Blog, on Free Talk Live, and at Keenevention; you fear this is a pattern, and that Ian or others might bring still greater harm to the freedom movement by not being more careful who they associate with.
Maybe so, maybe not.
Well, now I'm thinking "not". Difficult to see the future is. But it seems that Ian is attempting to act from Love: embracing the rapist. And this should have more positive effects.
I see a lot of fear here. Fear of embarrassment. "What will people whose opinion I value think of me when they see Cantwell being crazy, when they hear of J.P.s pretending, of Brad's diddling, and associate them as being part of MY gang?" Fear of failure. "I've invested a lot in this project, and it could all be ruined by one bad apple." Fear for the safety of the children. Fear of being cheated. Fear of being deceived. Fear of being set up.
These things are very complex, and it's impossible to know with certainty the right path. Looking deep inside of myself and trying to understand my fears helps me avoid being ruled by them. Then trying to act from Love often serves as a good guide.
I embrace the undiscerning Ian
In Joy,
~K'neth