More on my personal politics

Politics are always a touchy subject no matter where they are brought up. Many liberals bristle at the thought of being perceived as "conservative" and conservatives think very badly of the hippy baby-killing tree-hugging soft-on-crime Liberals.

I'm finding that I am becoming much more conservative on some issues, such as pro-life. I've always been of the "none except for incest or rape" mentality (which has changed since becoming Catholic), but I am also starting to see the importance of anti-abortion legislature, making it tougher for people to have abortions. Even moreso than destroying innocent life, I've always been a believer that it messes up a woman psychologically to do that to her body and that damage alone is worth fighting for less abortion and for people to be more responsible with their sexual actions.

I've also realized recently that I have always been EXTREMELY conservative on crime. If a person breaks the law, they shoud pay the consequences, no negotiation. Ok, so even though pot is as "harmless" as alcohol and is just a mild drug, it still is manufactured and distributed through a pipeline that disregards law, and the drug dealing scene is rife with crime and other illegal acts. Drug dealers are bad news and need to be put away. I don't care if "they'll get their drugs from somewhere else" if the dealer goes to jail, if a person breaks a law they should pay, plain and simple. If we need to build more prisons, then tax me to get more police and more prisons, but get them off the street.

I am still very liberal when it comes to things like taking care of the poor, the weak, the old, and the infirmed. For example, I do believe that the Conservatives have a point that in an ideal world the rich should voluntarily give to churches and charities to help the poor. But I also realize that it will never be an ideal world and I believe that there comes a point when that voluntary donation isn't enough and that the public as a whole, through taxes, should also contribute to the welfare of the less fortunate. I also believe that military, cops, teachers, firefighters and other public servants are the backbone of our society, and a teacher should be able to make more than an entry-level clerk with no college education. And if a person is willing to take a bullet from a criminal or war enemy to save my life, then by Gosh pay the man (or woman) already! I hate taxes as much as the next guy, but I hate getting shot more.

I'm also still, and will always probably be, a Birkenstock-clad recycling making-my-own-cleaners organic-eating tree hugger. I'm all about saving the environment in a very hippy-esque way. I believe I am what might be dubbed a "crunchy con." But I'm also making sure I do research into the "crunchy" businesses I support to make sure that they don't support companies that support causes that I feel are wrong due to my orthodox religious beliefs.

I'll get it right eventually, I'm sure I will.