(reprise, and change) DADDY, WHAT IS A RIGHT WINGER? -- change to "Middle American"

NOTE: I am bringing this back for those who missed it. Unlike the DemocRATS, we are not afraid to let people know what we believe. The other side wants to fool people and are afraid that they will learn what the left believes. We are Middle Americans. Perhaps that is what we should be calling ourselves rather than their definitions like neo-con and right winger.
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When my daughter was growing up she asked me that same question that your children probably asked you. The answer was given during the Clinton times, but today the issues seem pretty much the same.

Those on the so-called political right hold some general beliefs in common. Not all of those on the right hold all of the same views.

I began the explanation with an exercise. We went into the middle of our street in front of the house. I had her take three steps to the left, and I took three steps to the right. She understood that, in political terms, I was positioning myself on the right. She was positioning herself on the left. Then, I had her take three more steps to the left. And three more steps to the left. And three more steps to the left.

She noticed that I was pretty far to the right of her. Her comment made me proud when she said, "Dad, yeah, you are way to the right, but you didn't move. You are where you were before. I have gone over the sidewalk and am on the front grass." Point made.

We did more, however, than merely play in the street. We had some real discussion during her growing years, and I gave a general idea of some of the beliefs held by those on the political right. Welcome to the dreaded right wing.

1. We believe that it is the right of all men to live free and determine their own destiny.
2. We believe that we are ultimately answerable to God for what we do on this earth.
3. We believe that the Constitution is the greatest secular document ever created and that, although it is secular, the influence of God in its creation cannot be denied.
4. We believe that men and women are different and that children have a much better chance in life if they are raised by a mom and a dad.
5. We believe that America is the greatest nation in the world and the greatest force for advancing freedom in the history of this planet.
6. We believe that it is first the job of the family, the extended family, friends, neighbors, and your community to help people. We should not look to the federal government first. That was never intended by the Founders and is an enormous waste of money and resources.
7. We believe that people who do bad things deserve to be punished. We may feel badly that someone had a rough childhood, but that gives him no right to harm another innocent person.
8. We believe that a murderer should pay with that which he has taken from someone else.
9. We believe that the most innocent of all -- the child developing in the womb -- needs to be protected.
10. We believe in the dignity and ability of individuals, not of groups. We will judge everyone on what they do, not on the color of their skin.
11. We believe that people should be rewarded by their sacrifice and hard work, not because they are part of a favored group.
12. We believe that slavery was horrible, but there are no living slaves and no living slave owners. A white person can feel badly that slavery was in our history, but we have no reason to feel guilty. We didn't do it.
13. We believe that the most important purpose of the federal government is the national defense of this country and maintaining a strong military.
14. We believe that if communists or Islamist terrorists want us dead, we need to take the strongest action possible to prevent it. We shouldn't leave our security to the United Nations.
15. We believe that you don't negotiate with evil. You destroy evil.
16. We believe that there are some bad policemen, but the overwhelming majority do a great job. We should be grateful that they are willing to put their lives on the line to protect us.
17. We believe in the right to own guns for our personal protection.
18. We believe that trial attorneys have run amok and are sucking the lifeblood out of business.
19. We believe that our schools have been taken over by leftists who care more about their agenda than teaching our children the skills they need to succeed -- reading, writing, math, and science.
20. We believe that homosexuals should be left alone, but that marriage needs to be between a man and a woman, and that children should be adopted by a mom and dad.
21. We believe that the word "American" has no place in the American Civil Liberties Union.
22. We believe that people should be able to smoke in a restaurant if that is the way the entrepreneur wants to run his business.
23. We believe that the excessive confiscation by the government of the money we earn is both immoral and hurts our economy.
24. We believe that an able-bodied person who receives money from the government (from us) should do something productive to get that money.
25. We believe that the free expression of faith does not violate any provision in our Constitution. In addition, we believe that the attack on religion and decency is doing great damage to our nation.
26. We believe that immigrants should obey our laws and wait their turn in line to come into this nation.
27. We believe that Ronald Wilson Reagan is the greatest president of the 20th century and that Bill Clinton is even worse than Jimmy Carter.

28. I believe that Islamist terrorists and Hillary Rodham Clinton pose the greatest dangers to this republic.

Also, we must all work diligently in the coming months to convince “progressives” that the Democratic Party has let them down. They must abandon the party. Their only recourse is to join and work for the Green Party moving forward. I may even register as a Green Party member to swell their voter registration rolls. Divide and conquer.

Begin with putting all known “progressives” in your sphere of influence on the Green Party mail list from their website. Great fun. Start inundating them with information now.

2 posted on 11/08/2004 7:24:57 AM PST by schaketo (http://www.gp.org/ Convince progressives to join the Green Party – Divide and conquer)

3 posted on 11/08/2004 7:27:25 AM PST by netmilsmom (Zell on DEM Christianity, "They can hum the tune, but can't sing the song.")

dougfromupland,
You sir are an answer to prayer. I have to attend the "Best Of Sacramento" this week and my wife and I will be seated at a table with several other couples...all of which are "roaring liberals". This is helping me put better into words exactly what I may need.

Thanks for the kind words. This would make an interesting handout to create some dinner conversation. :)

For the new FReepers, I hope you have a chance to read this. We are not monolithic here. We do have some things in common --- the love of America, the support of our military, the belief in individual responsibility, and the desire to have government do as little as possible to be involved in our lives.

Our "right wing" beliefs are really good old-fashioned middle American beliefs. When people learn what we believe, many people realize that they believe many of the same things. We welcome them aboard.

10 posted on 02/03/2005 7:57:55 PM PST by doug from upland (THE RED STATES - celebrate a great American tradition)

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