[joesmo]

Actually, I think this is much more the key: "I never would have begun my own conversations without first experiencing clear and passionate outrage to what I believed from those I interacted with."

Outrage is the only reasonable first response to what happened and must come first. If that opens the doors of discussion like it did here, great. Most likely it won't as most people are not persuaded by argument, though they are susceptible to manipulation by sympathy.

When those people choose hate over everything else, however, they deserve to be ostracized and relentlessly attacked. Hate is NOT acceptable. I'm disgusted by those who suggest otherwise, especially in the name of "understanding" the other side. It not only shows an incredible lack of understanding about the human condition, it encourages the acceptance of that hate as a legitimate part of the political process, and brings into question the morals of the person making the suggestion to acquiesce to hate.