My Confession
It was great fun being a teenager in the late sixties. With radical changes in music, fashion, civil rights, sex, drugs, and hair (when there was more of it), I had a wide assortment of issues to sort through. Conservatism, to me, seemed out-dated. I saw it as being tired, out of touch, closed minded, mean-spirited, and brainwashed. I believed our generation was ushering in a whole new “enlightened” way of living.
At this time, most of the awareness I received about world affairs came from music, movies, headlines, placards, and bumper stickers. At eighteen I wasn’t seriously interested in politics or current events other than believing that war in general was wrong and all drugs should be legalized. The lottery ball didn’t quite give me a high enough number to avoid the draft so I entered the army with 1-AO (non-combatant) status. I went through boot- camp then completed AIT (advanced individual training) as a field medic. I believed as long as I didn’t carry a weapon I’d be morally exempt from participating in war. The medic’s motto “To conserve the fighting power” eventually forced me to reconsider my initial status (I didn’t want to be a cog in the “war machine”). So consequently I attempted to change my draft category to class 1-O, (hell no, we won’t go), unsuccessfully. Long story short—After some antics such as impersonating a five-star general (for dramatic effect), refusing direct orders, going AWOL, and some time in the stockade, I was finally discharged as “Undesirable” which I wore as a medal of honor…(wincing). During this process I consumed an abundance of radical left material and became involved with anti-war activism both on and off the base.
I hated Nixon, loved Carter, was aghast when Reagan called The Soviet Union “the evil empire”, and voted for Dukakis (although I would have preferred Jesse Jackson!). The first small pang of conservative influence I remember experiencing was when the Berlin Wall came down. The second was probably during the first Gulf War. Where I observed the necessity, resolve, and principle of military force against what I reluctantly considered a true evil dictator. During the ’92 elections I was somewhere in the center moving right.
As conservative thought started gaining ground within the various media sources: talk-radio, cable news, and the press, there were more angles of perspective available. The more opportunity I gave conservative philosophy to make its case before me, the more I realized it was time to leave all my cynical baggage and rebellious inclinations behind. Today I’m a crazed and raving neo-conservative, but still can be warm n’ fuzzy. This could all come back and kick me in the ass if I ever ran for president…Then again, maybe not.
However, I still reminisce a little whenever I get a whiff of patchouli oil, incense, or marijuana.
At this time, most of the awareness I received about world affairs came from music, movies, headlines, placards, and bumper stickers. At eighteen I wasn’t seriously interested in politics or current events other than believing that war in general was wrong and all drugs should be legalized. The lottery ball didn’t quite give me a high enough number to avoid the draft so I entered the army with 1-AO (non-combatant) status. I went through boot- camp then completed AIT (advanced individual training) as a field medic. I believed as long as I didn’t carry a weapon I’d be morally exempt from participating in war. The medic’s motto “To conserve the fighting power” eventually forced me to reconsider my initial status (I didn’t want to be a cog in the “war machine”). So consequently I attempted to change my draft category to class 1-O, (hell no, we won’t go), unsuccessfully. Long story short—After some antics such as impersonating a five-star general (for dramatic effect), refusing direct orders, going AWOL, and some time in the stockade, I was finally discharged as “Undesirable” which I wore as a medal of honor…(wincing). During this process I consumed an abundance of radical left material and became involved with anti-war activism both on and off the base.
I hated Nixon, loved Carter, was aghast when Reagan called The Soviet Union “the evil empire”, and voted for Dukakis (although I would have preferred Jesse Jackson!). The first small pang of conservative influence I remember experiencing was when the Berlin Wall came down. The second was probably during the first Gulf War. Where I observed the necessity, resolve, and principle of military force against what I reluctantly considered a true evil dictator. During the ’92 elections I was somewhere in the center moving right.
As conservative thought started gaining ground within the various media sources: talk-radio, cable news, and the press, there were more angles of perspective available. The more opportunity I gave conservative philosophy to make its case before me, the more I realized it was time to leave all my cynical baggage and rebellious inclinations behind. Today I’m a crazed and raving neo-conservative, but still can be warm n’ fuzzy. This could all come back and kick me in the ass if I ever ran for president…Then again, maybe not.
However, I still reminisce a little whenever I get a whiff of patchouli oil, incense, or marijuana.
posted by Larry at 9/19/2004 09:43:00 AM
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