With political season in full swing I find myself getting asked "Why are you liberal?" People act as if it is a bad thing to be a Liberal. I am actually proud of my decision and very happy with that decision I made. I stand by the policies that are liberal. I believe in fair taxes, affordable healthcare, religious freedoms, and civil liberties. To me it makes sense that I am liberal but yet I still get asked the same questions and constantly get angered when people assume certain things about us "Liberals". I cannot speak for all Liberals, but I assume we are all tired of hearing all these things:
"You don't believe in God."
Actually, I believe I am a better Christian when voting for Democratic policies. Why? Because I vote for policies that help the poor, feed children, and vote for policies that protect the land our savior made. As a logical person who understands politics and religion I know they do not go together. We separate church and state therefore you cannot throw the bible at me when discussing politics, because it's silly. I just want you to know CHRISTIANITY ISN'T THE ONLY RELIGION. Can we stop acting as if it is. PLEASE!
"You support Abortion."
Oh, this one really gets my blood boiling. Yes, I am pro choice, because I believe that everyone has the right to do what they want with their body, but would I get one? No, because it's pretty simple if you don't agree with abortion-- you don't get one! Really, I am not sure republicans are pro life or pro birth. Most don't care what happens to that child after it's born. Which is obvious, because they vote on the programs that ensure that child is taken care of. I support programs such as planned parenthood because they do more than abortions. If you want to end abortions you must educate teens. We must stop fearing the word SEX and teach teenagers safe sex. I believe that education is the start of lowering abortion.
"You hate the Second Amendment"
I whole heartily believe in the constitution and I believe that everyone has the right to bear arms... under conditions. Not all Democrats want to take your guns away. We want better laws to ensure that people who shouldn't have guns don't have them, but personally I am very pro guns. I understand they are a peace of mind and everyone has the right to protect themselves.
"You support lazy people."
I don't know when we got into this way of thinking that poor means lazy and rich means hard working, but that thought process is really ignorant. There are rich people who have schemed their way to the top and there are poor people who have been at the top to only lose it all. Am I stupid to think welfare fraud doesn't occur? Of course I know it happens, but it honestly doesn't happen as much as Fox News would like you to think. How is someone okay with taxes being cut for rich people who make billions of dollars, but let's raise them on people who make anywhere from 10k-70k a year? Do you not like your middle class? You're okay with helping companies but not the struggling mother who works 40 hours a week? Let's go back to abortions... If you don't want people to get abortions maybe you should support welfare, because people get abortions, because they can't afford it. So decide... support pro choice or support welfare. It's a full circle.
"We need to build a wall."
This one has me flustered. Here's how you fix immigration: Tax the companies that helped get those immigrants come to this country or employ illegal immigrants. Big corporations usually are the ones that employ illegal immigrants. I mean it is cheap labor for them. They know when someone is illegal, but still are employing them. Fine those companies.
"Make America Great Again."
When do you believe America was at it's greatest? When we were stealing land from Native Americans, When we owned humans as slaves, when we went through the great depression, when there was segregation, or when women weren't allowed to think for themselves?
I could probably write a novel on the things the things I am sick of hearing. I simply believe in compassion and I sometimes struggle with believing conservative policies reflect that. I wish that our country could come together and agree on how to make this country strive, but these days it seems impossible. I try to understand that Liberals and Conservatives want this country to strive, but we disagree on how to get to those policies, but try not to assume things about us Liberals and I will try not to assume things about Conservatives.
