A Conservative in a Liberal World

Ok...so maybe not a liberal world, but certainly a proud prisoner of "blue state America."

I don't really know how, or when I became a conservative. I was not brought up in a politically active family. My father and mother are both registered independents.

Contrary to popular belief, as a conservative, my day typically doesn't begin with a bowl of grits, a morning hunt, and then an afternoon of beer guzzling at a NASCAR race. It begins like any other AMERICAN. Any other NORMAL PERSON.

I think it's funny how liberals dub themselves as 'open minded' and accepting, but yet they're the ones who pass us off as angry conservatives or dumb Republicans.

Every day I get the same jokes...and every day I have to laugh just to not look like one of those so called, ANGRY REPUBLICANS. I don't take any of it to heart because it's usually all in good fun, but it gets old.

As someone who has observed many reactions to conservativism I can only conclude that liberals feel legitimately threatened by conservative ideas. Usually when they find out I'm conservative they just fall in line with the jokes and the monotonous cycle begins again.

When a person hears that I'm conservative they usually assume a lot of things about me. They assume that I like all Republicans...(I don't) they assume that I don't support gay marraige (I do) they assume that I don't support stem cell research (I do) and they assume that I'm just uninformed or the victim of poor education (NO) It's only when a liberal actually cares enough to talk with me that they discover these things.

Let me say this...above all else I am an American. I am an American first, a conservative second, and a Republican third. My politics are defined by my ideology, not my party.

Living in Massachusetts my whole life as a conservative is no cake walk. I've been belittled, I've had yard signs stolen from my lawn and property vandalized. I've been called everything from a racist to the devil simply because I have a different set of beliefs.

Can I call it discrimination or will I take heat for that? It is. I am discriminated against by my own state because I am different than the majority. Just like I'm sure a liberal would be discriminated against if they lived in Utah.

If there is truly any war that needs to end, it's the war of political discrimination on BOTH sides. Put your party on the back burner. What has your PARTY ever done for you? Has it ever saved you? Has it ever truly made your life better? When times get really rough it's your NEIGHBOR and your fellow countrymen that will pick you up again. Does it really even matter what their politics are?

Now I am not calling for political apathy by any means. In fact, the one thing I can't stand is apathy. This nation gave you a democratic right to a vote, a voice, an opinion. SO GET INFORMED AND VOTE.

REAL CHANGE can only begin when we put aside the partisan politics that devide us. Who cares if an idea comes from a Democrat or a Conservative? If it's a GOOD idea, its a good idea.

In my opinion we are moving in the wrong direction as a nation. We have a bloated government, out of control spending and a national debt that looms over our children's and grandchildren's future.

I wish that someone would understand that the Governments job is not to be in the homes or doctors offices of its citizens. LIMITED...but EFFECTIVE government that works FOR the people is what we need.

I just hope that people can open up their eyes and see that America's best days are only ahead of her if we change the current climate in Washington.

And to all my liberal friends out there...Please, enough with the blame game. 8 years of Bush was enough, I'm with you on that. He sucked! But Obama sucks just as bad...and we were sold a bogus bill of "Change" that is bankrupting our country.