Conversion

I wasn't always this way.  I grew up in a small town, in a conservative family.  As soon as I could form my own political opinion, I did my best to turn my back on theirs.  I remember being called "The Flaming Liberal" by my high school World Events teacher.  That was a badge of honor that I wore with pride.  Understanding my parents and their archaic, selfish, and seemingly racist views was impossible.  They had no compassion.  No heart.  And it sure seemed like no soul.  I railed against any conservative that dare speak their minds, and I believed every cliche about Republicans....even though some were my friends. 

Starting in 1995, when I was in my 20's, two incidents happened.  Both were subtle in outward appearances, but they were profound in how they started to establish a new thought pattern for me.  The first was when I was reading a Mother Jones magazine on my lunch break at the shop.  I made a comment about the article that I was reading...I don't even remember what it was about...but I do remember the response of my co-worker that I was chatting with.  He told me to remember that the left knee jerks just as hard as the right.  I understood the subtext, and it did give me pause to think about it for a minute. I had to agree....he had a point. 

About a year later, a different co-worker at the same job handed me a copy of Barry Goldwater's The Conscience of a Conservative to borrow.  This was a guy I remembered having conversations about Blade Runner and laser discs, but never anything political.  I really have no idea why he gave it to me to read.  But I took it.  I put down the punk rock UK conspiracy magazine I was reading at the time, and delved into what Senator Goldwater had to say. 

What I found was a book that I was agreeing with ninety percent of the time.  I found a clear and reasonable argument in favor of conservative principles.  It started the eye opening.  I started to think about the logic of the other side.  The book soon was returned to it's owner with little discussion, but my brain kept chewing on it's contents. 

In the fall, I proceeded to vote for Bill Clinton a second time.  During the next four years I watched his second term devolve into a sex scandal circus, and I decided to make a change in party.  I went from registered Democrat, to Independent....but with a heavy bent towards the right.  I left the Democrats disillusioned.  And there was no way in hell I was going to vote for Al Gore.....