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.
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