Kids here smoke as soon as they start high school, that's around 12-13 years. After a couple years they gather before school starts to smoke, then go to class, then smoke again.
Indeed. No matter how convinced I am that I'm right in a discussion with friends/family, if I used a phrase like "right/wrong side of history," I would immediately lose their attention if not their friendship. It's vital to remember why people still disagree with whatever you believe in, rather than just steamroll and ignore them.
There are already plenty threads here and on the net discussing abortion - you are just stating your own beliefs without any justification, or attempt to address the crux of the topic.
Regardless, in a discussion, I don't the onus is on me expound on the numerous facets of the position right from the get-go. Abortion is a topic with many facets. You can't cover it all at once. I mean, yeah, you have to establish a position to start, but not all that much.
I think rather than just saying 'without any justification' you could have more charitably asked a number of clarifying questions or could have taken an opposing stance to argue from. There was enough in my statement to squabble over.
In general, the onus isn't on you to "expound the numerous facets" - but I think it is on you to expand on your own claims to the point they can be understood; for example - what is a "human right", are you talking about legal rights, or your own opinion; What is a "pregnancy" - do you include all trimesters, allowing abortion up until birth? etc etc etc
Note, I don't really want to get into the discussion, I'm just pointing out no-one could understand you position without follow-up questions.
> There was enough in my statement to squabble over.
True, but the same can be said of any unsubstantial post - you want me to charitably ask for substance, but "unjustified" statements are a dime-a-dozen, and can easily flood a thread - It's just as easy from my perspective to down-vote and move on.
Providing a fuller context in the first place, to me, proves greater good faith wrt wanting a good discussion, and a better guarantee the continuing the conversation will be productive.
In France there was a law that punished successful suicides, which is the extreme of such ridicule (disclaimer: I am French)
At some point in the future everyone will come to their senses and were going to have days of remembrance for people that we harmed in the drug war, I hope.