Conservatism Isn't Evil (Part One)

If you listened to the mainstream media enough, you'd get the idea that conservatives were all corporate executives, burning money in the fireplace for fun and praying for a new war to break out somewhere in the world. The truth is, that image is false. The image described above is a boogeyman tale designed to frighten and turn away young and impressionable minds from conservative principles. Think about it...if you have been on any college campuses in the last decade you've seen the left-leaning students and professors demonizing conservatives as oil-greedy, money-hungry warmongers who have little to no compassion for others. With that in mind, I felt it might be an interesting exercise in self-reflection to discuss the basic tenets of conservatism and maybe dispel some of the myths out there regarding conservatives. This will be a multi-part series as there are a number of the things to discuss. Please leave comments or feedback as I think this is an area that deserves some discussion. From an article by Russell Kirk from 21 years ago, some of the conservative values include:

1) Morals are important for a functioning society

Without getting into the aspects of religion, let me clearly state that yes, Virginia, there is a 'good' and 'evil' in the world. Morals encompass a citizen's capacity for both within a society and when those morals are done away with, people are left to an unclear world of ambiguity and vagueness that is dangerous. Morals ensure that there is a good to oppose an evil and without a set of moral ideals, shades of gray threaten to force us all down a slippery slope where one can't tell the difference between good and evil. Thus, conservatives begin with a simple belief in morality and adhering to a set of general customs and norms in society.

2) Continuity is okay

Is America really so bad? Of course we've made mistakes and what country hasn't? But the fact of the matter is, America really is a good country at heart and when we need to change (i.e. slavery, women's rights) we do. The fact is, our Founding Fathers created the system of government we have to ensure that change would be slow and tedious because rapid change is dangerous (see: Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea for recent examples). That being the case, conservatives would prefer minimal, if any, changes to the country that exists today. Liberals would make the case that big changes are absolutely necessary but often fail to explain the realities of implementing those changes or the consequences. Conservatives believe in change but in constrained and controlled change that doesn't open the country up to radical elements that might prove to be negative in the long-run (again, see: Communism, Fascism, etc.).

3) Historical precedence is important

It is important to understand that when historical thinkers and philosophers espoused deep concepts and ideas, they often did it at a time when it was the norm to do so. Conservatives see these historical thinkers as critical starting points from which to begin debate or thought on heavy issues such as private property, liberty, etc. Citizens in America today are often hampered by lack of free time and daily life to the point where we look to our leaders for guidance. Conservatives look to people like Locke, Jefferson, and Adams for initial guidance by which to frame new ideas as their ideas are time-tested and sound. Should we abandon the theory and philosophy that established our great country because it's "old?" Of course not. But if you ask liberals you will see that many would prefer to abandon John Locke for Karl Marx or the basic tenets of capitalism for socialism. Just because it's historical doesn't make it irrelevant.

4) Prudence is essential

Conservatives have a cautious nature that is often misrepresented as obstinance. The truth is, prudence is a way to measure long-term consequences to actions and to act accordingly, as opposed to rapid-fire decision-making. Conservatives believe that actions need to be weighed before taking sudden action to ensure that there are no surprise side-effects of the action. Look at the recent economic bailouts for instance. Democrats swooped in and saved the day (with the help of some Republicans) for the various companies, but a conservative would have looked at the long-term consequences of handing out money to companies (i.e. more companies asking for more money). Rash decisions lead to disastrous consequences, and conservatives oppose rash decisions.

5) Human beings are imperfect

Conservatives see humanity as flawed and ultimately imperfectable. This is not a negative, glass-half empty view. This is a realistic perspective on human nature. With this in mind it is simple to see why conservatives do not accept the premise of a Utopian society; that a communist society will never work, although if you listen to some liberals, they would try to convince you that "if only it were applied by the right country, it might work." Human nature's history indicates otherwise (see: Cuba, China, North Korea). Liberals also complain that conservatives only support the wealthy. Well, nothing can be further from the truth. Conservatives accept the premise that there will be less fortunate people or groups in society and that no plan or concept will provide equal economic or social footing for everyone. Again, that isn't evil or cruel....it's realistic, and working from that point of view, people can work to help the less fortunate in the best way possible...and no, that doesn't mean a government handout.

That's all for now. Next time I will touch on more substantive issues such as abortion and taxation. And please keep in mind, these values are not always practiced by Republicans, which is why conservatives sometimes criticize Republicans as well.

Whatever Happened to College?

Ever wonder why there seems to be an upward swing in liberal voters in the country? Why we can't say the Pledge of Allegiance without violating somebody's civil rights? Or why kids aren't allowed to sing the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in schools? Well, it all starts in colleges across the country where indoctrinated students enter the workforce and become active citizens. Just take a look at just ten incidents from this year that define what's wrong with the politically correct movement in America right now.

My Own Identity Crisis

So before, I had mentioned that I had been going through a bit of a political identity crisis recently. As I grew up with my family, I became increasingly conservative in my political and social beliefs. Only my mother was a liberal, as far as I knew, but my aunts and uncles all leaned right, and so, I did as well. After four years in the military and the infidelity of President Clinton, I came into 2000 as an even further entrenched Republican. I felt a bit lost in college, a political minority among a sea of liberal young people and professors. And then came September 11, 2001. I was enrolled in a number of political science courses and was just beginning my pursuit of a degree in International Affairs. The events of that tragic day are burned into my consciousness and I remember how I had become almost embittered toward anyone who challenged the authority of President Bush. Liberals became something I grew to truly dislike and distrust. When I finished my studies in 2003, I went to Hawaii and began pursuit of a graduate degree in one of the most liberal states in America. I made friends with some who were liberals and learned that there were good people on the other side and maybe (after 2 years) I had learned to appreciate their differences.

At the same time I married a wonderful woman from Japan. She is a very left of center person and we acknowledge our political differences, which are often sharp. We moved back to Nevada in 2004 and soon after our marriage, my wonderful son was born. It was at that moment that the crisis truly emerged within me, although at the time I was unaware of it. If you remember, America at that time was going through a tough presidential election and America was politically divided. My wife and I had a number of political discussions that year and into 2005 and these were often coupled with arguments over our differences. In that same period I started working on my graduate studies in political science. I began to see the political world through a sharper and more focused lens and my wife began to open my worldview a bit more. And in the meantime I was beginning to be frustrated by the Republican party in general. There was just something not right in their actions and words, and I began to tune out for a while.

Then came this election cycle. I finished my Master's degree in Political Science in May 2008 and watched the election unfold with a very different mindset than I did during 2004. I was open to different ideas and watching the candidates, I never felt impressed by John McCain. His service was admirable, but he didn't express himself well and didn't seem to have a solid message. In contrast, Barack Obama seemed like the guy. He was charismatic, maintained his message, and I was unexpectedly drawn to him. And after he won, I sat down and asked myself if maybe I was truly a liberal. Maybe I had shifted so much over the years that I couldn't call myself a conservative. But the truth was, after examining the conservative ideals again, and looking over the Republican platform, I was, in fact, still a conservative. I hold those tenets to be true. And after some thinking, I realized that the Republicans in office had been the ones to turn me away. They hadn't maintained their principles and as a result, I (and many other) Republicans felt lost. Was I like that? Did I really subscribe to that party ideal? No. I subscribe to the basic Republican and conservative principles that held the party through the 80's and 90's. And because those in office had strayed from the course, it tainted the party's image across the country. The discourse didn't help either. Partisan exchanges often became heated and insulting over the past eight years and so it was difficult to truly debate the issues. Liberals were this and conservatives were that, never mind the actual issues.

Well, the crisis is at an end. I am a Republican. I am a conservative. And that doesn't mean I am hateful of liberals. It doesn't mean I support President Bush 100% of the time. But it doesn't mean I welcome the left's perspectives with open arms either. I lean right for a reason, and it's because I believe that the principles of conservatism are correct. And the most important thing for me to recognize was that conservatism doesn't equal dislike of liberalism. It just opposes it ideologically. I have liberal friends who are great people. My wife is still liberal and I love her. But at this point in my life, I can maintain my positions and have a civil discussion with those on the left and not be insulting or degrading. I can also appreciate their positions and respect them, even while disagreeing with them. Finally, I know, at this time, that being conservative doesn't make me a bad person. And holding conservative views doesn't either. Maintaining conservative views and positions is something I am not ashamed of, and now that my head has been cleared and I have grown a bit this year, I am more than ready to tackle the issues and work to fix the damage done to the party. My only question is, am I the only one that went through this?