Why does it seem like every time I enter a political conversation, I’m talking to a liberal who’s constantly rolling their eyes at my conservative views?
But when I finally come across that rare opportunity when I discover another conservative, I’m like a 5-year-old in a candy shop.
“You think that? I do too!”
“No way! And about that law? I think…”
“…don’t even finish your sentence! I completely agree!”
“Yay!!!!!!!!!!”
But it’s depressing to me that I feel so exultant whenever I come across a fellow conservative. Why has it become so socially unacceptable to be a conservative, or simply a Republican for that matter? It’s so maddening that the point has been reached where it’s rare for me to find another one of “my kind.”
You might think I’m exaggerating and that it’s only because I’m 15 years old and I don’t really have that much experience having political discussions. I actually do have them quite often (proof: at my grandpa’s 70th birthday party last fall, my mellow, kindhearted “Uncle” Joel went full-out bonkers when I brought up that notorious four-letter word: Beck), but I’ll give you another really good example.
I was despondent when my best friend from middle school decided to go to boarding school up in New Hampshire for high school, although I knew it was for the best. P.S., he’s a Republican (shhh!).
We keep in close touch and always fill each other in on things happening in our lives. One thing that struck me as extremely odd was that he signed up for Young Republicans club at his school…but there was no teacher adviser for it. I asked him why, and he said that no faculty member wanted to be the adviser for the club. The administration actually ventured out into the town to see if any of the townsfolk would be interested. No takers.
Eventually – four months later – a teacher stepped up to advise Young Republicans, and all is well and good. But why did it take so long to find one? I’m sure the Young Democrats club has a huge group of students and the teachers had to draw a name from a hat to see who got the honor of being faculty adviser. We Republicans have become so ostracized in today’s society that people are trying to avoid us! We’re not lepers, we’re people, just like you!
Whether it’s because of today’s media propaganda, where Obama is “hope,” and Bush is “dope,” (I happen to think it’s the other way around, and you can also add to Obama’s list “snob”) or if it’s because parents tell their kids that Republicans are the demonic children of Satan sent from Hell to conquer the world and viciously slaughter all of its inhabitants, I don’t know. I just want the prejudice to stop soon.
I don’t want to have to be that irritating kindergarten teacher telling you about treating others the way you’d want to be treated, but I’m going to have to.
Seriously.
Stop being mean to Republicans.
Stop dissing Fox News. You have MSNBC, CNN, et cetera.
Stop dissing the Wall Street Journal. You have the New York Times.
Stop dissing Bush. You have Obama, and he sure ain’t a keeper.
Whatever my opinions might be, I’m not going to say that Democrats and liberals are wrong and stupid. All I’m going to say to them is:
Stop being bullies.
The Liberal • Feb 23, 2010 at 10:24 pm
President Barrack Obama’s State of the Union Address had many underlying themes, but the most important and obvious was compromise. He spoke about reaching across the aisle from the liberal left to the conservative right. His speech certainly didn’t support your theory of an ostracized conservative population – he treated the Republicans with all due respect and offered to have meeting sessions with them to find compromises on all the leading issues. I also take offence at your line, “Stop dissing Bush. You have Obama, and he sure ain’t a keeper.” This seems to imply that Liberals cannot voice their opinions on President Bush, while you are allowed to insult President Obama, saying that he, “ain’t a keeper.” Back to the beginning of your article, to answer your question as to why you feel your always talking to a liberal, its probably because you live in the Northeast. In fact, I could very well imagine this same article written in reverse in a conservative area of the country. Lastly, its not even socially regarded as uncool to be a Republican! I’ve never stopped talking to someone because of their political views, and I have many Republican friends. Also a sign of an ostracized population is fear of expressing their opinions, and I see none such fear in your article. I hope you understand that conservatives are not outcasts, or at least acknowledge that the President and I don’t think you are.
Reverend Doctor Eric • Jan 27, 2010 at 2:24 am
Regardless, while disagreeing with someone's opinion is inevitable, dismissal of the validity of their opinion merely on the basis of disagreement is ludicrous. If people were willing to be silenced by the majority there would never be any kind of social discourse–or at least no discourse worth having. I think this article, unlike many at inklings, was well written in addition to being, like many inklings articles, poignant.
Libertarian for Life • Jan 9, 2010 at 11:19 pm
There's a BIG difference between "conservatism" and being a Republican. Conservatism encompasses conservative social policy, but also fiscal (economic) conservatism. Bush, a republican and a so-called "conservative" ballooned our foreign debt and started two costly wars that currently don't seem to have objectives. THAT'S NOT CONSERVATIVE!!!