Monday, January 17, 2011

Conservative or liberal; you make the call

My daughter, Emily, is in her first year of college. She’s at the University of Georgia. I would have preferred the University of Tennessee, but what’s a dad to do?

She knows I’m conservative, and she has always been very proud of her liberal ideals. She’s been ecstatic since President Obama took office and has supported his quasi-socialist agenda, including a redistribution of wealth. (She was pained when he sided with Republicans to extend the Bush tax cuts.)

Now those of you with kids in college, or have had kids in college, know there’s a very liberal mentality that permeates most campuses across the country, and Georgia is no exception. After sitting in on several lectures, she came to the conclusion that I must be some sort of uber-conservative for always railing against what I believe are blatant attempts to turn this country into a socialist nation.

Emily was home over the Christmas break and decided she would challenge me on my opposition to higher taxes and the need for more government entitlement programs. She kept referring back to a particular lecture for support for her argument.

Out of nowhere, I asked how she was doing in school. Now, Emily has always done very well, so I wasn’t shocked with the answer. She fired back with that condescending tone she takes when she has an answer nailed down that she had a perfect 4.0. She started complaining rather quickly right after the proclamation about how difficult it is to maintain, given her tough schedule and that she had to study constantly to keep it up there. She said she didn’t have any time to really enjoy being away at college because she was always studying.

So I listened politely, like a good father does, and then asked her how her roommate was doing. She said her roommate was barely getting by and might flunk out. She said she’s always out partying and doesn’t show up for half her classes because she’s too hungover.

I knew the answer I was going to get. I set her up like a bowling pin. I told Emily to go to the dean’s office and ask him to take 1 point off her grade point average and give it to her roommate.

That way, both would then have 3.0 GPAs. Boy, was she ticked.

I got an earful of how crazy an idea that was because she works so hard to get her grades and her roommate doesn’t do anything to earn hers, and basically, I must be losing my mind for suggesting such an outlandish idea.

I just smiled and said, “Sweetie, welcome to the conservative side of the aisle.”

I have to stop here to let you know the story above was sent to me by my wife, Sue. I wish I could take credit for it, but it was sent to her in an e-mail.

However, if you can think of a better example of the difference between a conservative and a liberal, I’m all ears. The e-mail she sent contained the following as well, and I thought you might enjoy reading how other people define the differences.

If a conservative doesn’t like guns, he doesn’t buy one.

If a liberal doesn’t like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn’t eat meat.

If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.

If a liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.

A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels.

Liberals demand that those they don’t like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn’t go to church.

A liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced. 

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.

A liberal demands that the rest of us pay for his.

And that’s where we stand today, folks.

There was absolutely no doubt in anyone’s mind that health care needed reforming, but what we ended up with is a socialist policy that requires us to pay for health care for all. It’s time to repeal the health care bill.

So the question stands, are you a conservative, or are you a liberal?

Monday, January 10, 2011

Who is to blame for Arizona shooting?

That is the question isn't it?
We need someone to blame after all.
Surely it must be the mainstream media, which is apparently to blame for all our social ills.
Perhaps it's the Internet, which is beginning to take a little heat off of mainstream media with its 24-hour instantaneous, sometimes inaccurate reporting of events.
Or maybe, just maybe, Jared Loughner is to blame.