I do not like the terms liberal or conservative, but they are simply handles that give us a basic place to start when trying to figure out where someone is coming from. In addition, the "party" system of government isn't the greatest - it was not created by the constitution, but simply a way people have chosen/invented in order to organize themselves for the electoral process. I choose the Democratic Party because it more overtly expresses values such as caring for people who can't care for themselves and racial equality that I agree with. (Also, it is practical in the State of Maryland to be a registered Democrat.)
Unfortunately, along with such values are side-effects which I disagree with such as equating sexual orientation with biological ethnicity or "race" -and- fighting for a woman’s right to choose to terminate a pregnancy. These are things that I strongly disagree with for biological reasons as well as for reasons of personal faith... but I digress.
So Yes, I am both a conservative and a democrat. Here are three areas that explain why:
- Family: I see the core building-blocks of a family as a married couple - that is, a father and a mother, and their immediate children: adopted or by birth. Extended family includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, nieces and nephews and cousins that the primary adults in the family may need to support. My mother raised a niece and she herself was raised by an aunt. I would even include in the extended family minors that you end up raising because of extenuating circumstances. For example, my wife and I have had teenagers live with us because their home life was... shall I say - difficult.
- Work: Personal financial responsibility is important if you are able. Ultimately if a person has general physical and mental health, they should work for a living and learn to accept authority both at work and in society. They must NOT expect a hand-out and should be willing to work from the bottom up. Whats wrong with working in fast-food and mopping floors and washing dishes and dumping trash and doing what you are told with a good and positive and hard-working attitude? If a person has the mental and physical ability to function in society and hold a job, then they should do so. However, if you cannot, then society can help you survive. Help can be from the government as well as the private sector. Caring for people who cannot care for themselves is important, and giving people a second chance is also important.
- Right and Wrong: There is such a thing as absolute truth. Truth is not relative for many, many things. However, there are complexities in life that make such declarations difficult to determine. Yet, problems with ethics in areas of cheating, stealing, lying and sexual scandals in government and corporate America exist because people do not stand on the obvious absolute truths. I’m not talking about military espionage or intelligence gathering, police investigation work or other covert operations needed for certain jobs. I’m talking about basic truth – don’t lie, cheat, or steal. Don’t exploit children. Don’t use your position of power to gain sexual or financial favors. Do what is right. Be honest and tell the truth. Have integrity. Work hard on behalf of your constituency. But of course, for something to be defined as right or wrong, some standard has to be chosen. My faith is a major factor in defining such things.
Finally, I am interested in others thoughts on such things. Feel free to comment or just send me a note.
