@VeronikaAnnJ l agree with everything you said. I had one friend who overdosed on heroin and died, although l think she did it on purpose. The hypocrisy of so many conservatives is what l find most intolerable. If you call them on it they just get pissed off and lose all reason, as if most of them have the ability to reason to begin with. I have lost a couple of friends during this whole mess, but that is okay. I don't need that kind of thinking in my life.

@VeronikaAnnJ They re no longer suited to govern. Most people don't like change, but they accept it as part of life. Conservatives HATE change.From the 20th on change comes faster and faster, and they can't deal with that.They can't see past today and are generally longing for the past. To my way of thinking good governance should spend part of its time looking and planing for the future.

@VeronikaAnnJ Your parents are Progressive? Mine were.

"Try being nice" -- IMO, any suggestion (or expectation) of self-censorship is still censorship.

@FearlessFly You're choosing one like it or not, we all do.

@Willow_Wisp I haven't blocked anyone.

@FearlessFly
Why not?
I do all the time.
Especially when someone has been exceptionally rude or pushy.
Once I was so pissed I responded with "Thanks for letting me know who you are, welcome to my ban list." Then another person I kind of liked chimed in "You can block me too if that's how you are."
So I did.

@Willow_Wisp 'rude/pushy' are subjective . . .

I choose to 'confront myself' with as many differing POVs as are available.
I can choose to 'move-on' (or not) at will.

IMO, the alternative is an echo-chamber leading inevitably to confirmation bias.
ymmv

@FearlessFly You're safe unless you get personal and overbearing. I don't block the bulk of people I disagree with, Spankie comes to mind. He says interesting things, fucked up interesting things. I don't get an anger vibe from him, if I did, POP, banned.

@Willow_Wisp . . . when it comes to 'speach', SAFE is rarely a priority for me.
I say what I mean and mean what I say -- I don't think that 'means' I'm a mean person !

@VeronikaAnnJ I openly advocate free speech, but I'm not about to allow some damned Troll to lower my standard of living online by allowing them to guilt me into letting them abuse me in the name of free speech. Never allow someone to weaponize your cause against you.

I think we need to draw a line between free speech and hate speech. OP says the challenge of bad behavior on the part of the advocate got the block. That, I agree, is hypocritical.

I, too, have not blocked anyone. I believe I can support my beliefs/claims to any and all challenges, and if I can't, I need to amend them. I expect the same of others. Since Spanky was brought up, he does not feel the same way. We're currently arguing about Pelosi, and he's making assertive claims about her being corrupt and then responding he doesn't need to explain himself. The two most important lessons I learned in my life were from Mr. Namosnick- "Say what you mean and mean what you say" and Dr. Hill- "Have a reason for everything you believe". If everyone put those together and lived by them, no one should ever need to or want to block another.