Is ‘Conservative’ a Bad Word?
Saturday, February 05, 2011
At Brown, I was taught to be proud of who I was. A moment later, discussion surrounding not being ashamed of being gay, bisexual, counterculture, etc. came. Not once did I hear, don’t be ashamed of being a conservative. Don’t be ashamed to believe that it is not the government’s responsibility to take care of you, feed you, and put clothes on your children’s back.
I didn’t hear don’t be ashamed because you’re pro-life. It’s great that you value a child’s life, be free and open with your beliefs. Nor did I hear anything coming close to it’s great you believe in God, that’s just awesome.
No, here in New England and definitely amongst certain circles in Rhode Island it’s OK, and even celebrated to be everything but conservative. For instance, by my picture to the right you can tell I’m African-American aka black.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWhile at Brown, that was definitely something the culture told me to be proud of and embrace. In 1994, I even attended the Black Experience at Brown along with other highly intelligent black high schoolers. Yet while my skin color was celebrated my conservative views were not. It was OK to be everything but conservative.
Well, I’m talking to you in-the-closet conservatives—yes you reading this and wondering like me how life-as-we-know-it has changed drastically in the last two decades. Folks like you and I have to stand up for what we believe in like our friends on the Left.
So say it with me now, it’s OK to be a conservative. It’s OK to be a conservative.
Obviously, there are people in this world who don’t share our beliefs but what troubles me most about these people is how they malign you and me. We’re called bigots, racist, homophobes, rednecks, and every other word they can conjure up to deride our character and refuse to ask themselves, I wonder why these people believe the way they do.
No, instead it’s all about individual rights, supporting working families, and making sure that undocumented immigrants have a chance.
Pffftttt.
The arrogance of the Left really bothers me, but again my conservative brothers and sisters – yes, even women are conservatives don’t you know – we cannot allow the rhetorical jumping jacks of the Left to pigeon hole us to ignominy. No, instead let’s work to persuade other Rhode Islanders across the state of this novel concept – if you work and make money the state doesn’t have a right to it. No, the burden is on the state to tax you not on you to find loopholes to keep your money. A novel idea I know, but hey it is the 21st century. If we don’t stand up now, twenty years from now we’ll be living in a world we no longer recognize nor are welcome.
Conservative won’t be a bad word, it’ll be criminal.
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