Why I can't be a social conservative
I have been thinking long and hard lately about how I turned out like I have. Sure I grew up in a Democratic household, but so did my brother and sister. My sister is the left of me on social issues and my brother is to the right of me on almost everything. My faith is much more important to me than to my siblings, yet I didn't end up as a social conservative. How did that happen?I think the blame can be laid at the feet of my bachelor's degree. I got a degree in History for Education (with an emphasis in South African history). It was during my study that I learned that the only thing constant in human history is change. Time marches on and civilizations can either adapt or die. The Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, Spanish, French, British couldn't stop the clock or turn it back. Americans deceive themselves if they think they will be the first civilization to do so.
That is why I can't be a social conservative. It is a fruitless activity. In fact, to try to stop change will be the downfall of American civilization.
Let's look at what the world has been doing while we've had our social-conservatives in power.
In Asia, the South Koreans are leading way in stem cell research. President Bush has said he'd veto any bill allowing federal funding for stem cell research.
In Europe, 18 big UK companies asked for global warming regulation so they could improve their global competitiveness! Social-conservatives laugh at the idea and some even refuse to acknowledge climate change as a problem.
Out in California, a California court takes on lesbian parental rights case. While social-conservatives have been barking for an anti-gay marriage amendment to the Constitution, life has moved on for most people. Whether homosexuals can marry or not doesn't matter because they are still finding ways to have families. The "I want Leave it to Beaver" social-conservatives have been so caught up in turning back the clock, they haven't taken the time to recognize the need to amend laws so that children aren't caught in limbo.
Better to be a social-progressive and manage change rather than tilting at windmills trying to stop it.
posted by Expat Teacher @ 1:20 AM
