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Related: About this forumHello, I'm M.G.
Last edited Wed Oct 9, 2013, 11:24 PM - Edit history (1)
Hello everyone,
My name's M.G. and I reside in the Notheast.
Twenty years ago I was an active member of the College Republicans. In fact, conservative campus politics was both my main extracurricular activity and my primary social outlet. I was a moderate Republican at the last historical moment when they had real say in the party. (I was a big supporter of Jack Kemp, and Governor William Weld of Massachussets was a personal hero.) That said, a lot of what I stood for was still pretty bad. I was passionately opposed to social spending and unions, and often grossly insensitive or downright confrontational on issues related to race and gender.
As I matured a bit it became clear that a fairly high percentage of my fellow young Republicans were, well, damaged. Not stupid, but generally either eaten by anger, spitefully bigoted against African-Americans or Gays, or gripped by a theocratic religious fundamentalism alien to me.
I began to look at my own motives for associating with this crowd and I eventually realized that I was literally seething with buried anger issues. What I believed were sincerely held political convictions turned out to be convenient poses for venting unresolved personal resentments. I was also lonely, neither a drinker nor good at socializing, and my political affiliations gave me the kind of bonding experience other students got from church or fraternal groups. Oddly enough, a lot of the accuracy of my self-analysis came from cannabis use (which I honestly haven't done in years), which gave me just enough distance from ordinary consciousness to honestly see how my politics were a product of neurosis.
By my late 20's I had become a proud Democrat and never looked back! Yes, the party is flawed, weak, at times captive to lobby interests, and occasionally corrupt. What else is new? The GOP are a bunch of angry neurotics and backwards fundamentalists; the Democrats are a flawed political machine which aspires to decency and occasionally reaches greatness. I know which I prefer.
I've been perusing this site since Bush Junior stole an election in plain sight, but I've finally decided to start posting. So happy to be here, and thanks for reading!
pacalo
(24,721 posts)M.G.
(250 posts)Hey,
It took me years to find some of the stuff on here, so poke around a bit. Have a thick skin if you are going to dive into threads. I hope you find your time on here informative and fun.
Peace
M.G.
(250 posts)Thanks, and yes, it has been fun so far! Should have joined this community years ago.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)BangkokGarrett
(2 posts)Hi MG. Welcome! I'm new today, too. Trying to up my post count, too, so I can start a "Hello" thread here!.
I'm actually somewhat similar in that I too was quite conservative decades ago. I was Tea Party before Tea Party was cool!
M.G.
(250 posts)Great to meet you! Looking forward to learning your own political journey.