Hey Folks! There is something I have been struggling with for years. I am an aging fat white man from a certain part of the country, and with that comes a wild assumption that I believe in a very specific way. As such my entire life I have dealt with folks assuming I follow certain thought patterns. While I greatly prefer to be talking about gaming and my hobbies, you are going to get the occasional post about my belief structure so I feel like we need to draw a line in the sand here and make sure you understand certain things.
I grew up in a specific part of the country where one does not speak about religion or politics in polite company… that is unless you are a Christian conservative then by all means you are expected to smile and nod along. I was not a Christian conservative and to be truthful I spent my life pretty much not claiming any organized religion. However I did grow up Catholic, and as such, it sorta shaped the way I think about certain things. In that religion, they have something called the Apostles Creed that is part of the mass and serves as a reaffirmation of your belief structure every week.
This got me thinking, and eventually tweeting about it… and as such here is an evolving set of beliefs that I feel strongly about. It is probably important that you consider this as you spend time reading my posts. These are ultimately the non-negotiable truths that make up the lens that I view our world through.
My Core Beliefs
- I believe that Black Lives Matter and that it is important that we acknowledge the long way we have to go as a society to stem that currently hemorrhaging wound
- I believe in Equality for All, most specifically equal access to opportunities and outcomes
- I believe that Love is Love and so long as there is an equality in the power dynamic, it is no one place to sit judgment on this
- I believe that Trans Rights are Human Rights, and I want my friends to feel happy, safe, and fulfilled in this world
- I believe in reproductive rights and the full autonomy of choice for those who have a uterus. I feel like we are better as a society with safe access to abortions.
- I believe that guns have their place but no one needs to own artillery. We would be better if that industry was forced out of the shadows with a global registry for gun and ammunition purchases and a safety net to handle bad actors before they can cause harm.
- I believe that sex work is work, and it is completely valid, but we should also help those who want to leave abusive situations they were forced into.
- I believe that you should not abuse whatever power you might have been given and that you should ultimately find a way to use that power for the good of others
- I believe that the best and only true measurement of success for good or bad is the impact you have had upon the lives of others and the outcomes that have happened as a result
- I believe that I am a growing and changing person and that I am by no means finished in my journey and reserve the right to adopt new ideas and toss away old outdated ones
- I believe that a friend is a friend regardless if it is someone you will actually ever be able to meet in person during your lifetime
- I believe that we should do our best to leave the world in a slightly better place than when we found it
I fall short on so many of these, but it is my goal to keep trying to improve on the person I am. We can disagree on so many things, and I welcome debate on the hobbies and games that I play. However, I do not welcome debate on these core points. If you are fundamentally opposed to them, then we might not ever be able to see eye to eye on things. It is through these “creeds” that I navigate the various communities in which I am involved. You are welcome to continue on this journey with me, but if you are actively working against these beliefs I reserve the right to keep this a safe space.