Hi, Jennifer! I wanted to tell you thank you! I know we don't agree politically/morally on many things, but you did have a profound effect on my ability to reason through arguments.
I'm don't know if you remember 8th grade speech class, but I do. One of our assignments was a 'persuasive' speech, and I chose the topic of capital punishment, and why it was acceptable to use in society. I didn't know that you had also chosen the topic, but taking the opposite side, arguing that it was inhumane and wrong.
I thought I had sound arguments based in morality (mostly via the Bible), but when you got up after me and gave your speech, you obliterated every single argument. The cognitive dissonance in my brain was extremely uncomfortable as I sat there contemplating your arguments.
I didn't immediately change my mind, instead I looked for real arguments to back my position. After years and years of contemplation, I did change my mind.
This also affected many other aspects of my life, making me question almost everything I'd been taught, including my religious beliefs, my personal relationships, my education, my family life, and so on. I still regularly question these things, searching for rational, logical answers to issues I might have from day to day.
Basically, you inspired me to search for truth no matter what my personal beliefs, and for that, I thank you.
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