A Right Turn for the GOP

By ICAROL

Has the Democratic Party truly been moving more to the left, or is it the Republican Party has been moving more to the right that is giving you this impression? And what really is the center anymore? From where I sit, the Democratic Party hasn't moved at all, however, the Republican Party has shifted so far to the right on many issues that it actually scares me.

While I've never voted for a Republican for president, and my first presidential election was the one after Watergate and I voted for McGovern, BTW, there have been times in the past I considered voting for moderate Republicans. Not any more. When I saw what was taking over the GOP 20 years ago, I made a decision to never vote for a Republican again for any office. And I never have.

I don't mind an honest, open, and frank debate about issues, in fact, I welcome them. I don't even mind losing that debate at times. What I do object to is the posture of 'righteousness' on the thinking of the right that bothers me. I intensely dislike someone who claims to be more virtuous, or more moral, then I because of my stand on an issue. I don't claim to be the apex of morality or virtue, why should they? What I see as a difference of opinion, they see as an affront to their way of life.

I'm basically a live and let live type of person. You don't bother me and I won't bother you. You let me live my life according to my moral code and I'll let you live your life according to yours. But these people can't accept that, they are determined to somehow prove that their moral code is superior to mine by trying to force me to live by that code. That, IMO, is not only wrong it is also un-American. Don't wrap yourself in the Flag and claim a deep love of country when you are trying to deprive me of my right to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" according to my own personal code.

I've also had no stomach for those who believe in "My Country, Right or Wrong" For you see, I've also always believed that I am my Country, as you are too, as every citizen of this nation is. The "Country" is not the administration in Washington; it is every citizen in this nation of ours, citizens from both sides of aisle, not just one. "Out of many, one", remember? All of us have the right to be heard, all of us should be respected for the individual beliefs we have. And don't assume that because I won't blindly follow an administration in Washington, that I speak out against what I believe to be an incorrect policy, that I love my country any less then you do.

I remember reading something once about the fact that a true test of a Democracy is not how well the majority enforces its will; it is how well the majority respects the rights of the minority. If this is so, then the people who are running the GOP of today have badly failed this test. For the only rights they wish to respect are their own, and they are more then content to have the rights of those against them become causalities in their battle for total dominance of this country.

9/2/2004