Back in October of 2017, I wrote a post titled "Why I Think the Way I Do." I try my best to understand people who see issues differently - or totally opposite - from the way I do, and so it occurred to me that it might be useful to spend some time in this space explaining to you where I come from, why I think the way I do, and why I'm just absolutely unable to fathom how the greatest country on earth has sunk to this disgraceful level. If you read my 2017 post, you may want to skip the rest of this ... it's changed a little from what I wrote back then, but is pretty much the bedrock of my social and political thinking. In any case, there's some fairly personal stuff ahead, so I'll understand if you don't want to read it ... you can just come back another day and read my rants on other topics, and I won't mind a bit. You've been warned - here we go ...
In a few weeks, I'll be 74 years old (yes, I'm a "boomer"). I'm retired (twice), living on my military pension, Social Security, and investments. I've always been fiscally conservative, but living on a fixed income makes it a lot more important to watch the old cash flow. I'm watching the financial news a lot more closely nowadays.
I was born into a middle-class family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My father ran his own business as an advertising illustrator, and my mother stayed at home with us until we were all older; she then went to work, eventually retiring as an executive secretary at an insurance company. My parents were fiscally conservative, strict but fair, and well-educated.
My parents were unfailingly polite and considerate of others, and raised us to be the same. I believe in treating everyone with dignity and respect until they show they aren't willing to reciprocate.
And my parents both had marvelous senses of humor - Dad was a master of the shaggy dog story and Mom was a world-class punster. I like to think I have a good sense of humor, and I try not to take myself too seriously ... by the same token, I don't think much of those who are full of themselves.
I went to a parochial elementary school and a public high school. Both were completely white ... I had no routine contact with blacks (or any other minority) on a daily basis until I went to college.
My undergraduate degree is in Linguistics, with a minor in German (in which I'm conversationally fluent). I am absolutely convinced of the value of learning a second language as a way of improving one's understanding of the rest of the world.
I got my commission in the Air Force via ROTC and served 23 years on active duty, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. One of my brothers retired from the Navy as a Warrant Officer, and the other enlisted in the Army (but didn't make it a career). My oldest son is a Colonel in the Air Force Reserves. If your idea of serving the nation consists of wearing L.L. Bean camouflage outfits, owning 30 guns, and carrying your AR-15, extra banana clips, and a huge Bowie knife to the local donut shop, rather than enlisting and serving in the armed forces to face a real enemy, I think you're a useless idiot.
Speaking of serving in the armed forces, I believe it's not only your duty as a citizen, but also a great way to gain exposure to members of other races, ethnicities, and religious beliefs. When your life may depend on being able to rely on everyone else in your unit, it tends to help bring people together and foster understanding and cooperation.
I earned a Master's degree in International Relations while stationed in Germany. As a result of this education, living abroad, traveling extensively, serving in the Armed Forces, having friends in many foreign countries, and speaking another language, I tend to have a pretty internationalist point of view. Yes, putting America's interests first is important ... but in a world where every other country wants to put its own interests first, we need to learn how to balance our needs, wants, and interests with those of other countries so that - as much as possible - everyone walks away from the table with something.
I cast my first vote for president in the election of 1972, voting for Richard Nixon. I remained a Republican until the end of the first George W. Bush presidency, when I left the party in disgust at its embrace of big business and the wealthy and its increasingly authoritarian drift ... little did I know then how much further it would sink in the era of Der Furor. Today I am a registered Democrat. The party has its problems, but it still remains more aligned with my vision and hopes for the nation than any other option.
I serve as a trained, sworn election officer in Fairfax County, Virginia. This is a valuable civic duty, and the training and experience in election law, procedures, and safeguards has convinced me that those who whine about voter fraud have no clue what they're talking about. Think the system is "rigged"? Sign up, get trained, and learn what elections are really like. Don't want to do that? Be quiet and quit showing your ignorance.
I'm married to a wonderful lady who is a citizen of Germany and a permanent resident (Green Card holder) of the United States. We went through a monumental amount of time, effort, and bureaucracy to arrange her legal permanent residence, which is why I have no sympathy for those who believe it's all right to enter this country illegally. We are a nation of immigrants ... but we are also a nation of laws, and those who want to come here should be willing to abide by those laws. I'm on record with my proposal for fixing our immigration system ... unless you've got a better idea and are willing to put it out there for comment, just shut up and color.
I have three grown children and six marvelous grandchildren. I care very much about the quality of the world that they will inherit, so if you're in favor of ignoring the science about climate change, if you support rolling back the regulations that have helped to give us breathable air, clean water, and safe foods and medicines, and if you refuse to vaccinate your children against disease, I think you're a fool and a danger to the rest of us.
I no longer adhere to any particular religious belief, because too many people who do have driven me away with their intolerance and their sanctimonious attitudes untethered to the teachings of the figure they claim to worship. It might be nice if some people could get back to something as simple as the old Golden Rule, rather than using their rigid religious beliefs as a club with which to beat those who believe differently.
Well, that's enough for now. Those are the basic life experiences that have shaped my opinions and beliefs, and which may help you better understand why I rant the way I do on particular topics. What shapes your beliefs and political positions? I hope it's not some shouting head on Fox News, or a podcast, or the latest lame-brained tweet from someone in high office. Leave a comment and let us know what sorts of things shape your approach to life.
Have a good day and a good week to come. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
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