The Liberal/Conservative debate is nothing new throughout
political history, but I find myself wondering why can it be seen in every
facet of life beyond politics? What has
driven the young generation to such hatred and animosity?
Facebook used to be a social medium for college students to
connect on a friendship level, to incite silly games and to get a break from
the monotony of studying and being stressed out. When did it become a political forum for
everyone in America? The bigger question
is where was this fervor and voice when it actually counted to stand up for
what you claimed you believe in so vehemently?
Where were they when it came time to vote on issues that were destroying
our country?
Growing up in Mississippi, where Conservatives are
plentiful, was very interesting to say the least. I was raised more on European ideals rather
than Southern ideals. I was exposed to
things many children either were not interested in or parents had no interest
in learning themselves. To say the
least, I was well versed in the world and the way it operated.
I remember my mother telling me stories of how Communists
oppressed and tortured citizens in her county, how the government kept everyone
in a constant state of poverty to promote the wealth of the elite, orphanages
full of sick children, horrible socialized medicine; the list could go on. At the time, being a teenager, I never fully
understood the ramifications of these stories and rarely took them seriously -
I thought them to be just rants of an adult.
Since I was raised in a predominantly conservative area, I never once
had to deal with any of those issues or ever remotely thought this would happen
in our prosperous country. If I only knew then what I have witnessed and know
now!
In college and Graduate School, I majored in the most Liberal
subjects: Music and Education. I’m absolutely in love with music and
couldn’t imagine a world in existence without it. It is difficult to juxtapose having
conservative values and also being a musician - usually these two do not go
hand in hand.
The educational system cultures you that conservatives are
bad and want to take away funding from our programs and freedoms. It’s just hogwash and the furthest thing from
the truth, yet so many buy into this dogma.
For over a decade, I kept my mouth shut, never uttering my
opinions on political matters, because I was afraid of being ostracized amongst
my friends. When I was in graduate
school at Northwestern, I definitely would avoid political conversations as I
was not in the right company. I wish now
that I had spoken up and voiced my opinions.
Fear drove me to silence. That is what political correctness does. I wish I had known that I could support my
friends and still be Conservative. I
felt bullied and forced to be silent.
It’s no secret that the Republican Party lacks support in
the 18-40 year old demographic. I
constantly ask myself why this is the case? Most of the liberal youth are in
college and can rationally see what is happening in the world today. Why aren’t there more conservatives in this
age bracket? Where are we as
conservatives going wrong in adequately gaining this support? How can we shake the stigma of being a
“stuffy Bible beating party full of white men?”
How do we educate a population to stop giving handouts of other people’s
hard-earned money and seeing the fallacy in doing so? How do we stop seeing Republicans and
Conservatives as greedy mongers with no one’s interest at heart but the
so-called 1 %?
People constantly ask me, “how can you be conservative and
be a woman?” or even better, “how can you be conservative and still have gay
friends? First off I answer them by saying that Abortion is not a choice,
regardless of whether you believe life happens at conception or not. You advocate not killing animals, yet
wouldn’t bat an eyelash at aborting a human even after it is viable outside the
womb. No rights are being infringed upon
except those of the unwanted fetus.
Where is the fairness in this?
Who protects their interest? This explanation normally will get
someone’s attention.
Defining what a “right” is in this country is also important
and I think we as conservatives fail to convey this definition
appropriately. Ultimately people don’t
understand the true definition of being Conservative. The media does an awful yet successful job at
pitting people against one another and of course we, as citizens buy into
it.
We love drama and the media gives it to us just like a
Tele-novella! They’ve definitely done a tremendous job at demonizing anyone
that stands for what this county was founded on and reads the Constitution as
if it wasn’t intended to be taken ad litteram.
Liberals are right in one regard, the Bible is definitely
NOT the Constitution. There aren’t any
differing denominations of the Constitutional interpretations like there are
interpretations of the Bible. The Constitution is a binding document that is
meant as is, no reading between the lines and making things up as we go to fit
someone’s agenda. People will constantly
change, and so will society, but we must abide by a set of rules.
We can’t continually keep changing them to appease
everyone. When amendments were made,
they were because those cases were ACTUALLY devaluing human life. Abortion devalues human life yet many take no
issue with it. It seems hypocritical to
me. No one views women as being inferior
anymore, but it’s still difficult to assert ourselves in certain situations. I
see it as more of a challenge and not a hindrance.
Many of the so called “injustices” are manufactured by the
media and by the most important element: the bottom line. Conservatives aren’t attempting to control
anyone or stifle anyone’s freedoms; they simply want “Liberty and Justice for
all.” In actuality, they’re attempting
to PROTECT ALL FREEDOMS from Tyrannical leaders who want to weasel their way
in, (or in our case, already have) promising free healthcare, free money, and a
perennial nanny state.
I am sure your parents taught you the adage that if
something is too good to be true, it usually is. We are so skeptical of
anyone/everything else in our lives except when it comes to the most important
institution governing our lives. Why is
this so? Why would you, as a proud
American, accept handouts over an education and a good paying job? Our system is flawed to a degree that I’m
afraid is beyond fixing.
It is our job as responsible Americans to educate and
influence the younger generations as much as possible before things progress to
such a point of uncertainty and no return, that we’ve completely lost our way. I truly believe that all will come to
fruition soon enough, unfortunately it will be too late for most, but hopefully
when the upheaval does occur, it will put society on the right path for the
sanctity of our glorious country!
Mimi, thank you for writing such a great article. You have truly explained what is in the future of our great country if we do not educate and influence the younger generation. We can only hope and pray that the American people will wake up to what is really happening to our youth. Our public education system has hit rock bottom and see no hope for a quick recovery. Maybe and just Maybe if we elect Trump he will do what he has proposed to fix the entire education system. Our youth is our future. God bless America, and thanks again for hitting on some many topics that our youth do not understand. Bob Brand
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