I agree with you and my fellow countrymen. The rule about not starting a sentence with a conjuction is utter nonsense, imposed on innocent schoolchildren by "teachers" who couldn't make it in the real world. But if you absolutely have to avoid antagonizing the grammar nerds, you can always use something like "on the other hand," "otherwise," "be that as it may," "nevertheless," etc. And congratulations to you, Kailin, for paying attention and discovering the truth, instead of just believing what some self-appointed grammar police claim.