Red, White and Green? or...pardon me while I tuck in my tree-hugging bleeding heart
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.
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.
Comments
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.
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?
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...
How do you define tree hugger?
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!
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...
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.
Sincerely,
Proud Owner of a BLUE and GREEN Can
Way to go Provo City Triple Play!!!! Woooo!
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.)