[Cringing Negativism Network]

I think it’s a question of how the term “conservative” is defined.

For example, I absolutely love FReeping. I am a strong advocate for the Bill of Rights. I believe in limited government, RKBA and states rights.

However I cannot honestly self-identify as conservative, since even though I pray honestly, I don’t go to church and am a bit too tolerant of some things to really be conservative.

It’s not a hindrance that I’ve found. Most of the time I’m tolerated here. Despite having a strong belief in trade protectionism, and I’m very proud to be a FReeper.

I guess I consider myself a Tea Party libertarian.

Why the gay group can’t do so, is confusing to me. There’s no shame in being a libertarian.

That’s what they are. So why are they trying to define themselves as what they’re not?

I mean, nothing is stopping them from voting for conservatives. Nothing is stopping them from opposing marxism and central planning. That’s all great.

Nothing is stopping them from being Republicans or Tea Partiers. It’s the term “conservative” they’re trying to for some reason co-opt. Why? What is so important about claiming that term? It’s not theirs to claim.

They’re not conservative. They should not claim to be.

IMHO.

[Talisker]

For example, I absolutely love FReeping. I am a strong advocate for the Bill of Rights. I believe in limited government, RKBA and states rights.

However I cannot honestly self-identify as conservative, since even though I pray honestly, I don’t go to church and am a bit too tolerant of some things to really be conservative.

It’s not a hindrance that I’ve found. Most of the time I’m tolerated here. Despite having a strong belief in trade protectionism, and I’m very proud to be a FReeper.

I guess I consider myself a Tea Party libertarian.

Those are some slick spin-divisions between types of Christianity, constitutionalists, Tea Partiers, and libertarians. What is this, the balkanization of the Republicans? Or should we call it the Protestantization? Whatever, it supports myriad divisions, and leaves the Left laughing with glee.

I call myself a conservative because I believe in conserving the doctrine of negative rights put forth by the Constitution of 1789. That political philosophy, to me, defines America, and is the highest political expression of the Greco-Roman, Judeo-Christian teachings of thousands of years of Western history. I truly believe that if we lose it - as the Left is pounding away to accomplish - we will be plunged into a thousand years (or more) of global collapse, and billions dead in the process.

That's why I want to conserve it, against anyone - the Left, gay-hating-Christians, Christian-hating-gays, RINOs, or anyone else who would throw it out in the name of "higher principles" invoked solely to polarize people and destroy the unity necessary for its preservation.

[samtheman]

Nothing is stopping them from being Republicans or Tea Partiers. It’s the term “conservative” they’re trying to for some reason co-opt. Why? What is so important about claiming that term? It’s not theirs to claim. They’re not conservative. They should not claim to be.

But they LIKE co-opting terms.