Comments (6)

By shannon, January 22, 2010 10:44 am

This blog has been cooking for a while.  It’s not diabetes related AT ALL, so if you’re waiting for the tie-in, it’s not happening.

I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I’m a fiscal conservative.  Since I was old enough to vote, I’ve voted Republican.  It’s not that I’m against Democrats; it’s just that my views aligned more with Republicans.  I do not want the government involved in any aspect of my personal life, as long as I obey the law.  They should have no say in who I am, who I love, and what I do to my own body.  They can’t tell me what to wear, where to work, or what to write.  

My reasons for being a registered Republican were always related to matters of money.  My husband and I make fairly decent money.  We’ve both worked extremely hard to advance our careers and earn enough cash to live comfortably.  What I do not like is when the government takes that money and gives it to people who have neither the drive nor the desire to better their lives.  I fully support helping those in need, but I cannot condone laziness or greed.

I believe in a small government.  I believe in capitalism.  I do not support socialism in any form.  Any time government size is increased, freedom is sacrificed.  This belief in freedom was the hallmark of the Republican Party.  Until recently.

Over the past decade or so, the Republican Party has lost touch with its core principles.  The “Religious Right” has taken over and turned it into something it used to be so vehemently against:  unconstitutional.

The First Amendment specifically addresses the rights of religious freedom.  This includes the right to practice no religion at all.  Obviously, this is a biggie – it’s THE FIRST AMENDMENT. 

Thomas Jefferson wrote it best:

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.

So, why is it that conservatives today feel so strongly that religion has a place in government?  

Yesterday, I got sucked into a debate on foxnews.com (yes, I watch and read Fox News) regarding Cindy McCain’s recent photographic support of gay marriage.  While I’m not gay, I strongly believe that homosexuality isn’t a choice.  After all, why would anyone choose to be subjected to the kind of ridicule and discrimination that gays and lesbians face on a daily basis?  However, even if it was a choice, the government has no LEGAL basis to oppose the LEGAL joining of two people.  

Most of the forum posters were staunchly religious and felt that homosexuality is in direct violation of God’s word.  They base this argument on the bible (i.e., a collection of STORIES that contradicts itself with regularity and has been so mangled by translation that it makes little sense).  They argue that the bible is some sort of moral code that must be followed and enforced by the government.  Obviously, this is in direct violation of the First Amendment.

So, I calmly and rationally attempted to explain this in a well-crafted response.  Instead of being even remotely amenable to the concept, the responses consisted mostly of various bible verses.  WTF, Republicans? 

So, from here on out, I am a Libertarian.  I will no longer vote for or support a party that has strayed so far from its core values and become nothing more than a bully, Sunday morning preacher, spewing fire and brimstone nonsense.

Wake up conservatives.  You lost the last election because of this religious nonsense, and if it continues, you’ll lose more and more votes.  This is not Colonial America, and we are not Puritans.  We are the United States of America, and if you’re unclear about what that means, I suggest you give the Constitution a thorough read.

Comments (5)

By shannon, November 10, 2009 9:23 am

I’ve always heard that there are three things you should never discuss in a social setting:  Sex, Religion, and Politics.  Each can only lead to extended debate and often, hurt feelings and anger.  So, when we’re at a dinner party or work get-together, we avoid these topics.  Even on a lot of social networking sites, conversations are limited to “safe” topics.  There are exceptions, obviously, like talking about sex on your local “swingers” board (something I know nothing about) or religious discussions on church website (also something I know nothing about).  But politics, for whatever reason, still conjures such intense debate that even on partisan sites, there is much bickering.

But, what about diabetes-related online communities?  Political discussions are inevitable because we’re talking about healthcare, i.e., the tools we need to manage our diabetes.  Now, with the Healthcare Reform Bill making its way to the Senate, people are starting to get a little more outspoken about their feelings.  Some are excited because the prospect of universal healthcare is appealing.  Others are scared of losing the quality healthcare that they get through their employers.  Many are angry at what they feel would be a direct violation of the President’s promise not to increase taxes.  There are plenty of opinions, and some aren’t afraid to get down and dirty in expressing them.

There was a thread on Tu Diabetes that I had been contributing to somewhat regularly.  Well, actually, I spent most of yesterday reading and responding to it.  It started to get heated, and I realized that I should probably walk away from it.  Because the fact is that when it comes to matters of finance, I am a conservative.  In my generation and community, this is not a popular opinion, but it’s one I believe in quite strongly.  When it comes to most social matters, whether it be gay marriage (I support it) or abortion (I wouldn’t do it myself, but I wouldn’t tell a woman that she couldn’t), my philosophy is live and let live.  I think that, as a nation, we’ve got much bigger problems to deal with than whether or not two people who love each other should be able to marry.  Seriously, let’s just butt out of people’s lives.

Back to my point (I do have a point).  On a site like Tu Diabetes, and in a thread focused on a controversial political topic, differing opinions are inevitable.  People are going to get passionate.  It’s one of the great things about being an American – we CAN debate these things.  We are free to say how we feel and not fear retaliation.  But, when people, who have made no contribution to the discussion, decide to act as “hall monitors” and suggest that certain posts be deleted simply because the spirit of the post differs from their own opinion, we begin a slide down a very slippery slope.  As my mom used to say, “nobody likes a tattle tail!”  

So, I’m finished with this political debate.  I won’t be drawn back in by baiting or trolls.  Because the bottom line is that we’re all just wasting our time.  Liberal, conservative, democrat, republican, libertarian, socialist – it doesn’t matter which party you support or which ideals are your own; we will NEVER agree.  We will NEVER change each others’ minds.  It’s just not going to happen, so why spend so much time and energy trying?  I’ve got better things to do, like shoe shopping.