Are Conservatives Racist?

While conservatives have names like socialist, commie, pinko, hippy, tree-hugger, econazi, and beatnik for liberals, liberals have their own share of stereotypical names for conservatives, including fascist, capitalist pig, redneck, hillbilly, and Bible-thumper. Increasingly, though, I've seen the term "racist" pop up more and more each and everyday. When President Barack Obama came into office, the term was flung around endlessly. It reminds me of how conservatives often called liberals "sexist" for things they said about Sarah Palin during the election.

In fact, conservatives are being accused of being KKK sympathizers and members of the Klan. Some people might even call us the "RepubliKlan." A lot of liberals don't endorse this kind of name-calling at all, but the accusation that we're racist is starting to come from prominent celebrities.

Not only does Garofalo accuse us of being racist rednecks, but she also accuses us of being cerebrally-challenged anti-intellectuals. On top of that, she accuses conservative women and minorities of suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. I guess that means I suffer from Triple Stockholm Syndrome then, being a girl, a Native American, and a lesbian. Boy, do I hate myself!

If she actually took a step outside of her Hollywood bubble, she would realize that the tea party protesters aren't such bad people. In fact, there are hardly any sentiments against race expressed at the tea parties. I will admit that some conservatives are racist, but there are just as many liberal racists as there are conservative ones. Racists come in all colors, nationalities, backgrounds, and political affiliations.

These people are just making a case against an out-of-control government that is spending away the futures of their kin, taking away their Constitutional liberties, and destroying the value of the dollar at a rapidly growing pace. These tea parties are making a case not only against so-called liberal Congressional leaders, but also against so-called conservative Congressional leaders.

This isn't just about Obama. It's about the entire establishment.

Did it ever occur to these people calling us racist that perhaps it's the fact that President Obama is one of the most radically pro-government, pro-tax, pro-abortion, pro-socialist presidents ever that has people flocking to tea party protests? We disagree with his political policies more than any other president before him. There are bloggers like me who write entire articles supported with facts and opinions that have nothing to do with race.

I have friends from across the political spectrum, so I'm not saying that all liberals are quick to draw the race card. I would like to bring up the fact, again, that conservatives played the sex card during the election. It's just that I've recently noticed this growing trend of accusations that we are bigots and racists and Klan members. I know liberals have damn well been accused of that, too, because of the history of the Democratic Party, but it seems that the race card is being played more and more everyday now that we have a black president.

We even have former presidents accusing us of racism. Jimmy Carter had this to say:

Even if you do approve of Carter, you have to admit that this was not one his best moments. His argument had little basis in reality. If he had said, "Some of the opposition is because the president is black, but most of it is not," that would have been acceptable, but he stated that the basis of the opposition was race-based.

Maybe it's just hard for some Progressives to grasp why some people would not support policies that seem humanitarian at the surface, so they jump to the conclusion that, "Hey, the only way they could oppose such a charming, eloquent, good-looking, black man is if they were racist."

A few positions that make people think we're racist:

Most conservatives oppose race-based Affirmative Action. We understand the basis behind it: Minorities and women faced oppression in the past, and some people think they might need policies that level out the playing field. However, those of us who oppose Affirmative Action in one way or another believe that giving an unfair advantage to any group, whether it be a majority or a minority, is unjustified. True equality means equal opportunity, and people should be hired and accepted into institutions based on qualifications, not upon immutable differences.

Most conservatives do not believe in slavery reparations. People are often clouded with the guilt of their ancestors and want to make it up to those whose ancestors were slaves. However, those of us who oppose slavery reparations want to make it up to minorities by leaving the past behind and appreciate them for their gifts and not their skin color. As a Native American, I would rather be acknowledged for my character than be pitied by society.

Most conservatives oppose hate crimes legislation. This type of thing is a very controversial type of legislation to oppose. Since it seems like something that should be a given in our society, people will wonder why anyone would oppose it. The answer is simple: Those of us who oppose hate crimes legislation believe in equal protection, not special protection. Everyone should be protected equally, regardless of immutable differences. Someone who kills a white man for not getting drugs in on time should receive the same sentence as someone who kills a black man for being black. Of course, we'd factor in how much the victim suffered and whatnot, but equal crimes deserve equal prosecution. Hate crimes legislation is supposed to promote equality, but it does not truly achieve this. The alternative solution is the true promotion of equality.

Most conservatives advocate limited federal welfare. A significant amount of the poor are minorities, and I know this because of my own relatives in the reservation. Those who are strong supporters of federal welfare wonder why people would not want to financially aid the poor, but those of us who advocate limited federal welfare have legitimate concerns. These are not limited to economic concerns - we are also concerned about society and the well-being of the poor. We believe that forcefully taking from one person to give to another is an act of aggression that promotes hostility. It also lowers income levels across the board, making the poor poorer because of the limited job opportunities. What we want to do is promote welfare through private charity and voluntary public donations. There are two social concerns that need to be addressed: If you allow people to give out of generosity and kindness, then they will be more giving, less hostile, and more respectful to humanity. Even if they do end up buying material goods for themselves instead of aiding the less fortunate, it will benefit the economy, which will make our country wealthier. Logic and history indicates that the poor do better in a wealthy society. When you force people to give, it is no longer generosity or kindness that gives - it's merely force. We also happen to believe in an old Chinese proverb that says, "If you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you can feed him for a lifetime." What we want to do is motivate people to work so that we won't have to forcefully take from anyone else.

As you can see, those are some of many reasons people think we're racist. People also stereotype based on small groups of people that are actually racist, such as conservative KKK members. However, one must also note that there are liberal KKK members as well. As pointed out earlier, racists come in all shapes and sizes. In this video, these people obviously took a few stereotypes and misinterpretations, and made a generalization about it:

Not only did they make some pretty broad generalizations about conservatives, but they also come to the conclusion that the very idea of conservatism is racist in and of itself. I, as a conservative, do seek change, but the change I seek is a change in Washington, not in the fundamental principles upon which America was founded upon. I want our government to revert back to policies that worked and not ignore our social and economic freedoms that were guaranteed by our Founders. That is the kind of change I seek.

Must we really resort to the lowest common denominator in order to promote our political ideals? Liberals and conservatives are both guilty of doing so. We forget that maybe we just have differing viewpoints that we need to educate ourselves on. We get so lost in our political disagreements that we forget that we are all human.

And we're not victims either.

I am proud to be who I am. I may be a mildly autistic Native American lesbian girl, but that does not make me a victim. I am sick and tired of being pitied for who I am. I am a survivor who takes responsibility for her own actions, and I am not going to let people tell me that I need to change my lifestyle or beliefs because of that. Some people think it's pretty sick that I'm on the far-right, but I stand by my beliefs, and I am not ashamed of them.

Is it so wrong to disagree with a president that is amazingly well-known and well-liked the world over? Some of us just don't see things the way the rest of the world does, and that's okay because our political differences are only one part of us. Instead of judging each other based on stereotypes and generalizations, we should educate ourselves to learn the true meaning behind opposing beliefs.

I admire liberals who defend conservatives from accusations of racism and bigotry because of misinterpreted political positions, words, and ideas. I admire conservatives who do the very same for liberals whose ideas are wildly twisted out of proportion.

If we step out of our own political bubble once and awhile, we can learn to understand why people think and feel the way that they do. Even if we disagree with them, we can at least try to understand where they're coming from. Political discussions are constructive and educational if done so in a civil manner, and we all need to do a better job of that.

With that, I would like to wish you all a fabulous day. God bless you, and God bless America.