It is a rare and difficult thing when someone chooses to stop listening to a mindless, but popular homily and actually begins to think. I believe Rush said this, but being a leftist is the most easy, gutless thing one can do - with the support of the media and academia, one is automatically praised not for the quality of one's ideas, nor for the depth of one's character, but rather for the extremity of one's leftism.
You, sir, chose a different path. A much harder path. And that requires courage.
Regards, Ivan