# What is an issue you have completely changed your mind on? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731 "2014-08-28T06:54:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/1 "2014-08-28T06:54:51Z")
Ubiquitous video surveillance in public, I used to think it was a violation of privacy and Orwellian and a tool of tyranny. I’ve completely come around on this, with one caveat that I will get to at the end. I now think it is overall a positive and good thing, for both the public and the authorities. It cuts back on both crime and abuse by the authorities, everyone behaves better if they know they cannot get away with anything. The caveat is that I am totally against the use of facial recognition to create databases of where random people go, or police or computers pouring over video to attempt to bust people on inconsequential stuff like drug use or being drunk in public or prostitution etc. That would be an abuse and I’m totally against it. But get mugged? The cops should examine the footage. Murder or rape in the area? The cops should examine the footage. As long as the footage is not used for fishing expeditions for minor crimes I am all for it. What have you changed your mind on? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/2 "2014-08-28T07:12:00Z")
Capital punishment. ---
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/3 "2014-08-28T11:47:35Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Capital punishment. Yep…and abortions as birth control ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/4 "2014-08-28T12:47:42Z")
Pineapple on pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/5 "2014-08-28T13:05:57Z")
I’ve done a 180 on the “police militarization” thing between Boston and Ferguson. Well, sort of a 180. I never had super strong beliefs but I’ve gone from defending it to believing that it really needs to be looked at and is moving counter to what civilian law enforcement should look/act like. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/6 "2014-08-28T13:09:09Z")
Home schooling. When I was young and full of hubris I thought it would be a great thing. Now that I’m older and more humble and actually have a kid, I’m against it for almost all children. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/7 "2014-08-28T13:18:35Z")
[ul][li]Abortion[/li][li]Creationism[/li][li]Economics in general - I used to be a fairly squishy socialist, until I studied some economic history.[/ul][/li]Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/8 "2014-08-28T13:25:09Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > [ul][li]Abortion[/li][li]Creationism[/li][li]Economics in general - I used to be a fairly squishy socialist, until I studied some economic history.[/ul][/li]Regards, > Shodan What was your previous position on abortion and creationism? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/9 "2014-08-28T13:29:41Z")
I used to believe that the very idea of “gay pride” was absurd. No objection to equal rights for gay people, mind you - I just thought that sexual orientation, being a morally neutral thing, is about as worthy of pride as a preference for chocolate or vanilla ice-cream. Thankfully, helpful friends pointed out that “gay pride” has highly desirably consequences - encouraging people to come out of the closet increases the likelihood that straight people will know that they know a gay person, and we have good data showing that one’s views of gay people improve dramatically once that happens. Gay pride _works_, which is the highest praise one can give any human endeavor. Moreover, events like gay pride parades are reasonably viewed as “pride in civil rights for gay people parades” - and the gains in that regard over the past decades are certainly a worthy source of pride. So, I now believe I was wrong to dismiss gay pride as fundamentally silly. I’ve also changed my mind (mostly) on race-based affirmative action. I used to believe that it was fundamentally unethical, unwise, and should be dispensed with. “Yes,” I would argue, “There are certainly a lot of poor and disadvantaged members of ethnic minorities. But there are also prosperous members of these groups! And, for that matter, there are poor white people. College admissions should look to ability, and financial aid programs should look to need, and race should be left well out of it.” While I detest the ongoing need for affirmative action, I concede that the necessity is very real. Quite frankly, the poverty of a black Chicagoan whose family has been poor for generations is different from the poverty of a white guy in New Hampshire whose parents were laid off a few years ago. And different tools are needed for these two cases. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/10 "2014-08-28T13:30:03Z")
I was for the death penalty, but now I’m against it. But only because the system doesn’t work well enough, and too many innocent people have been freed from death row by DNA (and likely other) evidence. If the system was perfect, I’d have no problem with the state putting convicted criminals to death. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/11 "2014-08-28T21:03:12Z")
I’ve changed my position some on gun control. In my college-and-younger days, I was for gun control, just because that’s the generic liberal position. Now I think that if a private citizen with no criminal record wants to own a gun he absolutely should have that right, although I’m strongly in favor of things like registration, background checks, safety training, etc. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/12 "2014-08-28T21:10:11Z")
Capital punishment. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/13 "2014-08-28T21:14:43Z")
One whether or not a should contribute to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/14 "2014-08-28T21:24:46Z")
Gay marriage.:o (Ducks.) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/15 "2014-08-28T21:27:31Z")
Pot legalization. Probably because I never partook. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/16 "2014-08-28T21:30:54Z")
Capital punishment and abortion. I used to be for both and now I’m against both. Fundamentally, I don’t think we should be killing people. Now, I know MANY people will argue with my definition of ‘people’ when it comes to abortion, but I’ve given it considerable thought and my opinion is that life begins at conception. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/17 "2014-08-28T21:37:55Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Capital punishment. > [@DrFidelius](#): > > Pineapple on pizza. > [@madmonk28](#): > > Capital punishment. Any of y’all care to say _why_ you’ve done a “180”? (And in which direction ) ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/18 "2014-08-28T21:49:58Z")
Instant replay in the NFL. Used to think it was a no-brainer, but I’ve come believe that \*not \*grinding the game to a halt for 4 minutes is a lot more important then determining whether the runner dropped the ball a tenth of a second \*before \*his knee hit the ground, or a tenth of a second _after_. Whatever, he shouldn’t have dropped the ball, and he was almost down, it’s no great injustice either way, let’s just get on with the game and the breaks will even out eventually. Politically I’ve changed quite a bit (gotten more liberal), but it’s all been incremental stuff; I can’t think of any flatly binary statements I’ve flipped on. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/19 "2014-08-28T22:54:42Z")
This is going to say a lot about me as a human being (how shitty I am) but here goes. Death squads. When I was younger just the name sounded horrible. But as I’ve gotten older I can see their uses (when used properly, which is the hard part). If you are going after terrorists and serious criminals I don’t see the problem. That is one of the major functions of tier one military units (ST6, delta force, SAS, etc), they are death squads. Granted in real life they end up going after anyone deemed a threat to the power structure of the political establishment. But if used to only go after major criminals, terrorists, those who target civilians, etc I say game on. Is it wrong to start sentences with conjunctions? But I enjoy doing it so much. Also, police planting evidence. That used to really bother me, but if they are planting evidence on serious criminals and that is the only way to get them off the street I don’t mind too much. Other than that, I say throw the book at the cops if they do it to anyone other than a serious criminal who victimizes the public consistently. Yes I’m an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731/20 "2014-08-29T01:36:40Z")
Gays (on everything pretty much). Grew up conservative, believed they were bad, sinful or whatever. Now it’s like ok, whatever. Gay marriage? Sure, ok. Gays on TV? Fine, whatever. I remember not wanting to see gay characters kissing on TV, especially soaps in the 90s and early 2000s, but being ok with it the last few years. I think it was a pretty gradual evolution and I realized how far I had moved on the dial in maybe only the last 2-3 years when I found I was just fine with gay marriage being made legal by the state legislature in my state (and voting against the amendment that would have reversed that decision) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-issue-you-have-completely-changed-your-mind-on/696731.md?page=2)