At work the other day my co-worker was describing the type of books by a certain publisher as "tree-hugger conservative." He quickly corrected himself, then said, "Tree-hugger conservative, now that's an oxymoron." At first I laughed, then I thought, "Wait a minute. I think I might be a tree-hugger conservative." And it got me thinking about the difficulties inherent in jumping back and forth over the political fence. I 'm no fence-sitter, but, independent woman that I am, nor am I content taking up permanent residence in either compound. I don't flip-flop over issues. It's just that some issues find me camped firmly on conservative soil, and other issues find me lobbying alongside the liberals. Go figure.
I wasn't raised that way. I have deep "red" conservative blood coursing patriotically through my veins. In fact I come from an extended family made up of many who would (I'm only partly joking) as soon disown you if they knew you voted Democrat. Yet I was raised in one of the most liberal states in the nation. And then I moved to the most conservative county in the USA. Maybe that accounts for my seeming ambivalence. It just seems that the older I get, the more people I come to know and love, and the more life experiences that hit me over the head, the more I think twice when someone tries to tell me everything is black or white.
I admit I find myself in an awkward position, campaigning and voting for and with a few of the Democrats in my state while abhorring the beliefs and behavior of many of the Dems at the national level (the Clintons, Kennedy and Kerry make me cringe). I often roll my eyes, pull my hair out and write letters to the editor over the narrow-minded antics of some of our local Republicans; yet I admire and respect many of those seated in various positions in Washington (Condi Rice is my hero).
Maybe I'm schizophrenic. I prefer to hope I'm achieving some semblance of balance in my life (not in the Fox way, but more like in "The Karate Kid"). Maybe I'm just insane. In any case, pardon me. I've got to go hug my tree.
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13 comments:
Wax on, wax off. Just don't get squished like grape. ;-)
I'm a new reader, but you spoke to me. I feel exactly the same--this "double think" in politics was the norm where I grew up. I usually go liberal at the local level and conservative at the national level.
The problem with hugging trees is that once they've given you their apples, limbs and trunk, they can't return the hug.
I agree with you on the distorted perception of fence sitting. Too often an issue is taken too far left or too far right. Instead of looking at it as a fence issue, I try to look at it as a 50 yard line issue.
I am with you, and this has been on my mind a lot lately. The best way I can even attempt to compartmentalize my political viewpoints is to say that I am a liberal mormon.
My dad always tells me that the older he gets, the more conservative he gets. I feel like I get more liberal, and that's what living in the UC has done. I grew up in NY and was the odd one out for my conservative views, and now, I feel that I can't honestly give my opinion in certain company because of the potential reactions. Then I wonder if a small part of it is my need to go against the current...? No, I don't think so. I don't feel like I flip-flop, either - things just change: don't count me as part of the Clinton Democrats, but remember that the '60's Kennedys were also Democrats...ug, as I type this it gives me a headache to even try to fit myself in one camp or another.
Liberal Mormon. Can we create that as a party?
Welcome cabesh--anytime. Great comments all. I like the word moderate (although ~j, when I am especially frustrated I also come up with such flattering qualifiers as open-minded, open-hearted, reasonable, tolerant and Christian [and by my use of flattering I don't mean by their omission, but by the fact that we should need to add them in the first place]), except that some view moderate as spineless. I like my spine just fine, thanks.
Winston Churchill is credited with saying, "If you are not a liberal at 20, you have no heart. If you are not a conservative at 40, you have no brain." I guess I'd just like to think I can have (not to mention still use) both. And that personal responsibility and accountability don't preclude having a generous heart and caring for the planet. And then there's that agency thing...
I really like that Churchill quote. As I read your comment, and considered the term 'moderate' I realized that perhaps my views haven't really changed all that much (notwithstanding the expected changes that come and go with time) - my conservative NY views and my liberal UC views could be the EXACT SAME.
How do you define tree hugger?
My problem is that I can usually see both sides of the issue and have a hard time taking one of those sides. Am I wishy-washy? Maybe. Do I hate politics? Definitely.
The one place I always side WITH, however, is education and educators. Teachers should be paid more. More money should be spent on schools. Bush and his buddies screwed up big time with NCLB. Tax credits for private school suck. And nobody will be able to convince me otherwise!
As for tree hugging, more people should. Did you know Ponderosa Pines have bark that smells like vanilla? I'll take you tree-sniffing sometime. Then you won't feel bad at all for looking out for trees and their friends!
Although "tree hugger" generally refers to environmentalists, I'm using it rather loosely when I apply it to myself in the political sense. (I cannot tell a lie. I did have a big tree cut down when it was in danger of falling on my house, but I planted two more in its place.)
I believe natural resources are here for us to use, but too often we abuse. I don't think we are supposed to make plants and animals more important than humans, but we should be careful, respectful and, above all, thankful.
Admittedly there are a few people to whom I am related who believe I am a little "out there" simply because I pay extra $$ each month to recycle.
But I am also "tree hugger" quite literally. I've hugged a tree or two in my day and I'd do it again. (I talk to them too, especially those newly planted ones that you're just not sure if they will send down their roots and grow.) Maybe I am a little out there...
Compulsive, I like your philosophy. (Also, I have two of the blue recycling bins, and they fill up WAY faster than the one black one.)
~j: Two? Good for you! I never even thought of having two blue cans. (But I do have one green and one blue and I feel downrigh patriotic every time I fill them up.)
Lorien: Sign me up. I would love to go tree-sniffing. (OK, somehow when I said it it sounded illegal.) I just have to stay away from the cedars in the spring. Achoo!
PS You know I'm right with you on the front line for education. That's one of the issues on which I am most stalwartly aligned with our local donkey friends.
WOOOOO! Go Donkeys! Wouldn't politics be so much more fun if politicians had to wear padding and equipment and they ran around during sessions and smacked each other on the butt when they got a bill passed? If it looked more like football, I might get into politics.
Sincerely,
Proud Owner of a BLUE and GREEN Can
Way to go Provo City Triple Play!!!! Woooo!
I've always identified as liberal liberal. I have deep "blue" running in my veins as well (and YES that blue comes from people who are native Utahns and residents of The UC.)
However, that doesn't mean I'm always on one side of the fence or the other--what kind of people are on only one side? (Boring didactic people, that's who.)
I love, no, lurve politics. The past few years have been really tough on me. I sobbed for days after the '04 election and uncharacteristically couldn't even look at the political news for months afterwards (this is not hyperbole.)
So, yes, Liberal Mormon, that's me.
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