I wonder where I've heard that observation before...
Posted on 09/18/2009 2:42:25 PM PDT by presidio9
Before I came to the UA, I didn’t have a clear-cut political affiliation. I vaguely remember playing the conservative part to piss off the liberal girls in high school — which I had thought to be the apex of instigative game spitting, but which never actually worked for me — and though it was easy to anger and frustrate with intense conservative views, it was even easier to become an ardent, self-identifying liberal when I started college.
Here at the UA, we’re inculcated with a myriad of fresh perspectives that usually undo or very seriously deepen our understanding of viewpoints we had taken as fundamental truths about life. One of the main reasons it’s so easy to adopt a liberal political stance is because conservative views are held synonymous with status quo views — that is, the established order, the dominant paradigm, etc. Conversely, that which defies and ultimately shatters the status quo, breaks down barriers and illuminates perspectives, is fundamentally liberal.
A lot of professors around campus echo this kind of understanding. I remember vividly when one of my professors referenced Dante’s circles of hell and reminded us that the final circle, the worst circle, was reserved for traitors and liars — like Wall Street bankers, he said — probably also Bush and Cheney.
With my professor’s edification, I defended my position as a registered Democrat and generally liberal person with verve. In fact, during the presidential elections I told anyone who’d listen about the flaw I’d detected in conservative philosophy, which took the form of a fundamental contradiction. That contradiction followed that “conservative” actually means conservative government involvement — that is, the government is conservative in its exertion of power. In a more general sense, a conservative government is one that in no way impedes the individual choices of its citizens. What’s contradictory about this is that the Republican Party self-identifies as the conservative party, the party that won’t impose itself on its citizens, yet it espouses and is more than willing to impose a very specific set of moral principles — so one example might be, the government illegalizes abortion, but isn’t going to increase taxes to fund orphanages.
The truth is that, moralistically, not all professed conservatives or Republican Party members are on the same page — I know lots of students around campus that say they just don’t want their freedoms impeded, and believe that the Republican Party is the better of the two, in terms of keeping taxation and government intervention to a minimum. We’ll call these people the fiscal conservatives, and as a group, they make up the bulk of conservatives on campus that I’ve met. In truth, I’ve never met a UA student who has told me that creationism is indisputable fact, gays should be committed or all foreigners need to be killed or kept out.
In acknowledging this, I began to reevaluate the integrity of my own political philosophy. In doing so, I had to come to terms with a depressing truth: there’s just as much contradiction in liberal philosophy as conservative. Here though, liberal philosophy isn’t just about how involved the government is, but rather what the government’s involvement is about: the government exists to ensure the freedom of its people by intervening when necessary for the benefit of the socially/economically marginalized — everyone except for conservatives and Republicans.
This seems like a pretty big problem. I’ve owned Che Guevara posters, I’ve listened to Enya, I’ve had pretentious, high and mighty observations about established orders, marijuana usage and the social implications of Rohan Marley’s “free love” relationship with Lauryn Hill — I’ve even looked at UA’s College Republicans with disdain.
The thing is, in doing these things I’m basically being a hypocrite. As a proposed solution, instead of freedom and equal opportunity for everyone, let’s, as liberals, pick something else as a cornerstone — or try and recognize that almost half of the nation doesn’t vote Republican, or self identify as conservative, just because they’re stupid.
Oh no. Me too. It turns out I'm a liberal!
The 60’s students lived by the mantra ‘question authority’.
Then when they became the authority on campus, they forbade the practice of the mantra.
Good comments.
Well thought out.
See James, hope and change is a two way street my friend.
The author of this is a typical kid. Idealism is easy when you’re young and don’t have to pay for anything yourself. When you get older, and those ideals start to consume your tax dollars, one’s thoughts begin to change.
Liberalism is more about control over others, feeling superior in that they can choose what is best for others because the “simple” people in life don’t really know what they want. It is pure arrogance, and kids tend to be full of arrogance.
as the scales fall from his eyes.....
You may want to update this list:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1523568/posts?q=1&;page=51
I love to listen to Enya when I'm cleaning my guns after a day at the range...#8-)
Me too. Dang it.
Reminds me of the old South Park episode:
GRANDPA
Now, you’re about to see what it’s
like to be as old as me. Are you
ready Billy?
STAN
I guess.
Grandpa flips the switch on the tape player. A slow ENYA
Song begins to play.
ENYA
(Singing)
Take a look, take a look...
As the song continues, Stan is forced to just sit in the
dark room and listen to it.
Finally, Stan grabs the doorknob, but its locked.
STAN
Okay, you can let me out now.
GRANDPA
Not just yet.
Grandpa turns the song up louder. Stan pulls on the door.
STAN
LET ME OUT, GRANDPA!!
The song gets even louder still.
STAN
I can’t take it anymore! This music
is terrible!! It’s cheesy but lame
and eerily soothing at the same time!!
GRANDPA
THAT’S IT!!!! NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IT
FEELS LIKE TO BE GRANDPA!!!!
EXT. STAN’S HOUSE - HALLWAY
Grandpa opens the door. Stan falls out, looking terrible and
beaten.
Grandpa flips off the Enya music, and goes over to Stan.
STAN
Grandpa... I... I had no idea how
bad it was for you... Now I
understand...
GRANDPA
So now will you kill me, Billy?
STAN
Sure I will grandpa... I will.
What’s contradictory about this is that the Republican Party self-identifies as the conservative party, the party that won’t impose itself on its citizens, yet it espouses and is more than willing to impose a very specific set of moral principles — so one example might be, the government illegalizes abortion, but isn’t going to increase taxes to fund orphanages.
The simple concept that the liberal mind either can't grasp or continues to refuse to is the only sane opposition to abortion. Conservatives oppose abortion because they believe it is murder. If it weren't, it would be a medical proceedure along the same lines as plastic surgery and nothing more. Therefore, the Roe V Wade decision that prevented states from protecting unborn human beings actually infringed on their rights. If life begins at concetion (and there is no logical argument that suggests otherwise), then the Pro-Life position is the only one appropriate for Conservatives.
And, I must add, there is nothing to suggest that "orphanages" (which we no longer have in this country) would be innundated with unwanted babies once abortion is outlawed. At the moment, there is a tremendous shortage of babies for all the stable an loving parents that would love to adopt one.
my secret shame.
Kid’s on the brink of epiphany. If he ever ends up in family court for any reason, the transformation will be complete.
I wonder where I've heard that observation before...
Enya?
Progressive income tax, corporate taxes, death taxes, NPR, PBS, MediCare, MediCaid, Food Stamps, Planned Parenthood funding, Section-8.....
All right-wing conservative! I never knew! I always thought those things were liberal! *face palm*
Then when they became the authority on campus, they forbade the practice of the mantra.
Accurately and disturbingly well-put.
Liberals always forget about adoption, even when they are adopted themselves. Girl, adopted, who works in the office down the hall had her baby 86’d.
Talk about pay it forward, eh?
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