I'm a lapsed Catholic. I've never even cracked open the Koran -- but I've become quite disgusted at "conservative" bashing of Muslims and Arabs and "ragheads" these past few years.
For over two decades, I defended conservatives and Christian fundamentalists against charges of racism from the Left. But these past few years, for the first time, I've seen racism within conservatism. I've seen the vile face of Christian fundamentalism.
I long sat on the fence between libertarians and conservatives, paying membership fees to groups from both sides. But after 15 years as a registered Republican, I grew so disgusted that last year I re-registered Libertarian.
These past few years, "conservatives" have come to resemble the PC Left. Now, "conservatives" are booing liberals off stage on campuses. "Conservaties" are engaging in the same character assasination that the PC Left has done against it enemies. "Conservatives" are demonizing anyone who falls outside the pro-war Party line (even fellow conservatives), same as the PC Left demonized their "deviationists".
No, I'm not a Muslim. But after seeing all the foaming and frothing from these PC "conservatives", I've grown very sympathetic to Muslims. I never allowed myself to be bullied by the Left into hating "the white male patriarchy," and I refuse to be bullied by "conservatives" into hating Muslims or Arabs.
"Conservatism" has turned ugly; this is not the conservatism of Reagan, although they use his name. I voted for Bush in 2000, but I won't make that mistake again. I'll vote for whoever the Libertarians nominate (I much prefered Harry Browne to Bush IAE, but I wanted to beat Gore, so I voted for the lesser evil of Bush).