Carol of No Sheeples Here asked me if I would like to promote the launch of a new Web site today called the 9/12 Mom’s Network. She has a lovely video entitled, “America Is Me,” to inspire people about this venture. The link there goes to a squeeze page where you have to sign up to be on their e-mail list before proceeding — if there’s anything past that page; I don’t know because I didn’t want to sign up without getting more info first. I hope they have analytics installed to see if a lot of people bail at that point.
It certainly looks like a worthy cause that is being carried out by people who are fighting to preserve the ideals on which America was founded.
I have to admit, though, I’m not sure that they include me in their idea of America, solely because I am a lesbian. What is it like to feel included automatically in things like this? It looks like it would be all kinds of encouraging and joyful and that feeling connected with so many like-minded people would be a very happy, purposeful feeling. What does it feel like to feel certain when you walk in a door like this that everyone will welcome you?
I do not have as many civil rights in America as illegal aliens do. Yet I am descended from colonists who built this country, including one who stayed with Washington at Valley Forge that fateful winter when the future of America hung in the balance.
You know that it’s very likely they neither know of or care of your sexual preference. I go months at a time without anybody noticing and that was when I was young enough to prefer sex to a sammich and a nap. Today if folks think of me and sex it’s followed by EEEEWWW! and trying to think of a way to unthink old men and sex.
I think, instead, that they’re inviting you in because you are one helluva writer.
.-= Peter´s last blog ..ARRRGH! =-.
I guess I figure it’s still better to participate in something I want to participate in than not to. And, I guess I hope that the more straight conservatives meet us friendly, conservative gays they less they’ll fear and object to us.
.-= Beth´s last blog ..Homemade Caramel Popcorn =-.
Cynthia, I guess I understand your skepticism, but a Conservative mom’s group should be no different than any other Conservative group; embracing your political attitude, and frankly not caring 2 hoots about sexual orientation. We really are the party of acceptance.
Today I got a shock.
Here I’ve been thinking I’m a conservative and a republican too and then I got in an argument with a kind, dear friend. To be a republican means to agree to the party platform which includes this:
“Faithful to the first guarantee of the Declaration
of Independence, we assert the inherent dignity and
sanctity of all human life and affirm that the unborn
child has a fundamental individual right to life which
cannot be infringed. We support a human life
amendment to the Constitution, and we endorse legislation
to make clear that the Fourteenth
Amendments protections apply to unborn children.”
I would fight and die in order for women to have the right to choose to end safely an unwanted pregnancy. Science doesn’t back up that the moment of conception mades a baby.
So today I learned I’m a democrat.
I came here because this same dear friend said republicans don’t want gays in ther party either and I love your writing so came over here for a bit of solace and found a coping mechanism.
Next time, I’ll steer the conversation towards tomatoes, definitely.
Carol,
Come back toward the light! You are not a Democrat!
Have you noticed in my category list “totalitarian liberalism” and “totalitarian social conservatism”? Totalitarians are people who insist on everyone giving up their autonomy to a designated person or persons, either a religion or government, supposedly due to their greater wisdom — although usually due to their greater sociopathy — and who have detailed lists of how other people should think and act.
Hah!
Conservatism in one word is about liberty. Fiscal conservatism is based on the reality that you cannot have liberty if your government takes most of your money and only leaves you in control of enough to get by on. That’s why fiscal conservatives constantly fight to reduce taxes and the size of government. But those are the only principles that really count in deciding whether to identify yourself as a fiscal conservative.
To be honest, when I switched my registration from Democrat to Republican in December 2008, I ignored the Republican platform. I recommend you ignore it, too. I became a Republican because I think independents are wishy-washy, always looking for the best deal, loyal to no one and to no principles — I just despise that. I think we are fighting for the life of the U.S. as a capitalistic democratic republic and that it’s best to join the team that’s fighting for that cause. The Democrats are fighting to make the U.S. a socialist country and to bring America down as a world power — unless you support those goals, you are not a Democrat.
However, totalitarian social conservatives have made themselves the face of conservatism and the Republican Party, and they like to make you think they are calling the shots. But they are among people who love liberty and respect individualism, which means they are allowed to be themselves but there are plenty of other people in the tent who disagree.
And I do have some serious disagreements with the totalitarian social conservatives who want to fool people into thinking they control who gets to identify as Repubican and fiscal conservative. For example, I oppose Creationism and Intelligent Design. My father’s life’s work shows what should be taught in schools — that the origin of life is an axiom of biology. (Others have demonstrated that Darwin’s theory of evolution is correct and one of the most well-established in all of science.) It was a satisfying moment last year when I realized I didn’t have to sign on to the religious doctrines of Creationism and Intelligent Design to call myself a fiscal conservative. Totalitarian social conservatives are welcome to teach Creationism and Intelligent Design to their own converts in their own buildings on their own time and their own dime. However, I think it is truly evil to want either or both of these religious doctrines taught in public schools — not just factually and scientifically wrong, but genuinely evil because it is a way for religious groups to steal public money to promote their religious doctrines and try to make converts AND destroy a branch of science at the same time. It is not possible to denounce this enough.
Also — like you — I support a woman’s right to choose whether to carry a pregnancy to term. My perception is that totalitarians, both religious and secular, want to get as many followers as fast as possible, so they always do two things towards that end: outlaw abortion and homosexuality. In the battle women face to maintain our equality in every country and every generation, we MUST protect first and foremost the right to refuse to carry a pregnancy to term or dictators, whether religious or secular, will find an excuse to reduce us to being baby-makers who are the property of men. The pro-choice position is one of liberty and equality for women — without it, we’re property.
Although totalitarian social conservatives got control of the Republican platform and put their anti-choice doctrine in it — that’s not for eternity. Once we save this country we can re-visit that poison plank, which I intend to yank out and replace with one that supports a woman’s right to choose based on the principles of liberty and equality.
Totalitarian social conservatives in the Republican party also want to appropriate the apparatus of the state to impose their religious doctrines regarding homosexuality on the public and they come up with various excuses as to why homosexuals should be second-class citizens, either for religious reasons or based on speculation about whether we will bear or raise children (20 percent of same-sex couples have children). There is no such thing as a good reason why homosexuals should be second-class citizens. Furthermore, about 12 to 16 percent of these people will be damning their OWN homosexual children to second-class citizenship (based on the estimate that six-to-eight percent of the population is homosexual and each homosexual has two straight parents). A religion or philosophy that encourages people to turn on their own children in any way is the very definition of totalitarianism.
Totalitarianism and the love of conservatives for liberty do not mix — and I think that love of liberty will win.
So, my dear, ignore your totalitarian friend. You are a Republican if you oppose socialism and want America to continue as a capitalistic democratic republic. You are perfectly at liberty — that word again! — to define yourself as a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. You are allowed to be pro-choice and support equality for homosexuals. You are even allowed to be a libertarian! The Republican Party has a very big tent, it serves the best fiscal policy, and I am rounding up all the gays I can to move in and make it fabulous! Now you get busy and bring in the pro-choicers!
Cynthia
Cynthia, thank you, I’ve been mulling over what you’ve written all day and I really appreciate your persuasiveness and your thinking.
I was livid, now I’m mellow, you sure are something special.
Best wishes, carol