An End to Liberalism

When I was in college during the Vietnam War era, those protesting the conservative tradition of fighting for your country whether it is right or wrong were labeled liberals.  As I grew older and looked at definitions both in and outside the dictionary, it became apparent liberal also meant a broad or generous application of some commodity or resource.  Conservatives proclaimed those with a liberal agenda wanted to “tax and spend” copious amounts of other people’s money.

It's just yellow laces.
Maybe, it will start a new tradition.

Recently, the need to end liberalism came into sharp focus when my old college roommate, himself a college liberal, noted I was a conservative but just wasn’t willing to admit it, yet. Looking around and assessing my lifestyle I concluded he was absolutely right. Outside of yellow laces in my black gym shoes and a pair of brown and gray saddle shoes my wardrobe is very mundane.  To be honest, I wore a tie nearly every day of my teaching career, a tradition that died out a long time ago.

Really, they're just wingtips
with suede.

Although I enjoy traveling and eating out, we spend most nights preparing our own meals and clearing off our own table. I drive one of two cars the newest of which is 13 years old. No matter how open-minded I attempt to be I do not partake in anything where copious amounts of something are consumed.

I guess I am conservative.  That’s why I’m so concerned about the liberalism showing up in what had previously been deemed conservative individuals.  Probably, nowhere is it more evident than in the political process itself.  For years good solid conservative citizens have fought against the liberal practice of forming special interest groups to raise millions of dollars to buy elections and influence legislative agendas. They claimed unions and other communist infested organizations perpetuated this practice, which was antithetical to democracy. Yet, it is these same conservative citizens who fought to get the Citizens United policy of money as free speech that led to these well-intentioned conservatives spending liberal amounts of money to purchase elections.

For most of our country’s history these conservative individuals have fought to keep federal money and policy out of education, demanding local autonomy. Today, some of these same conservatives want funds at all levels to support a voucher system that would allow the free flow of liberal amounts of money to flow to private and parochial schools.

How liberal can you be with $18 in your pocket?

Finally, the one item that concerns me the most about the move of conservatives to more liberalism is their desire to move from a platform of law and order to one supporting the proliferation of weapons.  Not only have more states broadened their policy toward concealed weapons, but also the number of places where a person can wear his gun on his hip has risen to a point that exceeds the gunslinger days of the Wild West.  My college roommate explained to me that when everyone has a gun there is less chance anyone will attempt to use it.  Knowing how well everyone drives, supposedly after having to learn how to operate a vehicle and passing a stringent test, I’m not sure I would want to be inside a store, restaurant or bank when somebody purposefully stepped forward to rob the place and a bunch of well-intentioned citizens drew their weapons and attempted to apprehend the perpetrator.  My sense is the liberal amount of gunfire would probably result in a liberal amount of injuries.  It’s time to put an end to liberalism.