I wasn’t always a conservative; my political awakening began as a long-haired liberal in the 60s. Luckily, I progressed to thoughtful conservatism in time to vote for Ronald Reagan in 1980. After the Obama era, I realized what was at the heart of my conservatism; the preservation of church, community and family. These are the pillars of civilization and the source of all governance. Moreover, they are antidotes to an all-powerful central state crushing individual rights.
More than other countries, America was born to elevate individuals over oppressive governance; fighting George III in 1776 (men are free) and Dixiecrats in 1965 (men are equal). Further, America’s founding fathers recognized a need for public conscience (respond to Pearl Harbor) and private conscience (exempt Quakers from combat). And, in matters of private conscience, conservatives recognize churches, communities and families care for individuals better then central states.
An example of private conscience is religion in school. Churches tend to support it to preserve a moral nation, and secularists tend to oppose it to advance diversity. Whatever – but there is no doubt despotic central states (USSR and PRC) tear at churches to deny safe harbor for conscientious individuals. In the USA, there’s a mad-liberal delusion the church doesn’t serve we the people. If this is true, why do 77% of Americans have church affiliations, and so many church vs. state cases end in the Supreme Court?
Consider this: every year, Catholics alone baptize 660,000 children, educate 1,700,000 K-12 students and 765,000 college students, marry 138,000 couples, and conduct 392,000 funeral services. That’s millions of individual choices, protected by the 1st Amendment, and thousands of churches caring and feeding American hearts, minds and souls. It’s absurd to even suggest churches don’t advance wisdom and morality in the USA.
Long before central states existed, humans organized into communities for the common good (defense, food and shelter). Liberals claim they follow the science, unless it’s ample evidence of communities as the natural order of mankind – not the state. The war for independence was essentially community (Boston Tea Party) against central state (George III), which is why the US is a federation of 50 states, further organized into counties and municipalities.
I support empowered communities because I’ve seen local civic clubs help the poor, PTAs impact schools, and EMS volunteers respond first to local disasters. Grass roots is a most American virtue – the basis of we the people. Thus Obama was wrong to disparage Midwestern towns for “clinging to their anti-trade sentiment” – because communities that live it know best what the problem and solution is. Above all, I know local police do more to safeguard a neighborhood than the local antifascists.
Think about replacing the nuclear family with the state, because that’s one plank in the Marxist manifesto of Black Lives Matter. Really? 80% of black children grow up in single-parent homes – and it’s not exactly working. Socialists disparage “family values” a lot because they don’t want parents managing their family’s health and education. Rather than empower families to work for America, the left is busy with its destruction.
My political conservatism is simply a desire to preserve America’s core values (land of opportunity) and traditions (two-parent homes). Hence, I oppose universal basic income (equal outcome) and support low interest rates (equal opportunity) to achieve the American Dream. And I love the tradition of dialing 911 and local police rushing to my aid. And so do Hispanics who’ve fled lawless states: 31% in California, and 36% nationally, now support Trump (source: Sacramento Bee).
My practical conservatism preserves a clear view of America: I see that it is both imperfect and where the poor, the brown, and the oppressed want to migrate. I see blue cities with bad schools and too few gainful jobs, that won’t try school vouchers or opportunity zones. It’s not politicians: it’s clergy visiting the sick, locals forming neighborhood watch, and grandparents keeping children that make America great – and that’s worth preserving.