This chapter in itself isn't part of my political views, but I think that people need to hear this; people can change.
Two years ago I was racist, cruel, an asshole and generally self-centered in my views about everything. I thought I deserved more than other people. I was moderately transphobic, I was hateful.
Two years ago I got into a massive argument with a friend who is important to me over immigration, and it ended with a rather personal argument because neither of us were mature enough to avoid that. We didn't talk for a year, and in that year I took a moment to stop listening to what was being spoon-fed to me by my grandparents and teachers and fellow students, I stopped watching the news and did my own research when I wanted to know what was going on. I stepped away from society and let myself form my own opinions on things like social reform, politics, and economics.
I'll be upfront about it, how different of a person was, and some (but few) of my views haven't changed since then, but they're less racist, less selfish, or so I'd like to think.
I will probably use myself from then as examples of how blind-sided people can be by their own beliefs, but my case is not everyone's.