It is hard being a Democrat (conservative & liberal)
Left to Right: Le Lowry, Steve Walker (photos)
By the Democrat
a.k.a. Steve Walker (conservative)
It is hard being a Democrat.
We have become too much like the Republicans; lockstep. Those of us Democrats who are more conservative in nature take a lot of flak from our fellow Democrats.
I have been labeled Republican-lite, Republicrap and worse.
While I tend to the right somewhat, I am not a Republican.I don’t believe in school vouchers, I don’t believe in giving corporations major tax cuts, and I don’t support the war in Iraq, although I do support our troops in harm’s way.
Thirty years in the Army Reserve, (Viet Nam vet & Desert Storm) I support our men and women serving our country to include honoring the flag and pledging allegiance to it.
While I profess to be a Christian, I don’t support the Republican jihad against gays. Discrimination is intolerable. Having relatives who died in the Holocaust, (Jewish father, Catholic mother) I rail against singling out people for their ethnicity or religion.
I actively support raising minimum wage and support unions having served as president of the Harlandale Federation of Teachers. (affiliate of AFL-CIO)
On the other hand, I don’t oppose prayer in school, (26 years in the public school) and I am pro-life and strongly believe in family values. So shoot me for sounding too conservative.
I joined the Democratic Party in the 70s when there were three types of Democrats; liberal, progressive or conservative. Most of my fellow conservative Democrats jumped ship and became Republicans. I am still here.
While I support most Democrats for office, I do have friends that are Republican who are running for office this cycle. One of them I have known for nearly twenty years.
We taught together in a middle school. He also spoke to my high school class years later when I hosted a speaker's bureau. Pardon my weakness for a good friend over the Party
Having said all this, I repeat, “it is hard being a Democrat.”
By Le Lowry (liberal)
Pct. Chair
Rep. for the poor
I agree with what Steve has to say, it is hard being a Democrat.
The frustrating thing for me is that I am a liberal and I still seem to have to justify and rejustify my credentials with some Democrats.
The most ardent activists in the Republican and Democratic parties are purging themselves of those that they don't agree with.
Democrats are going after Sen. Joe Lieberman for supporting Bush on the war and Republicans are after Sen. Lincoln Chafee for being too liberal.
Maybe after all this is done they will come after me for being too nice with those on the other side of the aisle.
It is hard to be a Democrat.
Editor's note: Le's father, Gary, served three tours in Viet Nam to my one. His father and I taught summer school together, three years ago on the Southside.
2 comments:
Yes it is! Being a democrat now a days is not easy. If you stray just a tad to the right, you are automatically labeled a republican in hiding. Policy making is a give and take. I am a democrat, and a proud one at that, but I am very disappointed at the way we act. In Bexar County alone, we have an abundant amount of groups, that do not get along. It seems as though we are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Instead of uniting and accepting each others differences, we label and shun one another. In the real world, give and take is what makes the world go round. This is the most frustrating thing to me, you have to compromise to get things done. Democrats, as well as Republicans, want to have their cake and eat it to. This is not how things work. The sooner we unite and accept that we can not always have our way, things will improve dramatically. In a county full of Hispanics, how can democrats not win every single race. If I sometimes find myself leaning towards the center, if not a little right, does that make me a Republican? No, it does not. I have always voted democrat, believe in democrat issues, and will always consider myself a democrat, regardless of what some might say.
I don't find it hard to be a democrat. As PopEye the sailor used to say, "I am what I am."
All that is required from a democrat is to stand up (or sit down) for what you believe in and take your lumps. Stand up and speak your piece, then let others speak their's. When everyone has had a chance to speak, take a vote. Let the majority rule. If you don't like the majority position, polish up your argument and come back for more. If you're right, you will gain enough supporters. If you gain enough supporters, you will win. That is democracy in action. Democracy has been called a terrible,ineficient, form of goverment,but it is far ahead of the other possibilites.
We complain about having to work a few hours for our causes and are hurt if we don't get recognized for our efforts.
Remember the words of our forefathers. Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty or give me death." He meant those words. How about you?
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