What is it about being part of some minority, or "victim" group, that makes some people define their lives by membership in that group? Whether it's the homosexual community, various racial groups, or what-have-you, all too many people seem to believe that everyone else cares, either as a "-phobe" or as an "ally." This divisive view of the world is a solidly leftist view, and is one pushed by the left to prevent people who otherwise agree from cooperating on more important issues.
So, for the record, let me explain the Conservative opinion (as a whole- excluding some outliers) of your "victim" status. We. Do. Not. Care. You're gay? Great. Have fun. I don't care. You're black? Awesome. I don't care. You're Jewish, or a Muslim, or a Catholic? That's fantastic. I don't care.
We don't care, because we really believe that it is "the content of one's character," that matters. Conservatives, far more than Liberals, eschew the "soft bigotry of low expectations." If you tell me you're ready to compete, then I believe you- and I will hold you to exactly the same standards as those against whom you are competing. You see, it's no more fair to discriminate against them because they are not religious, or black, or gay, or whatever, than it is to discriminate against you because you are. You are equal to others, not better, and not worse. Therefore you will be held to the same standards. I promise not to care. I promise not even to take it into consideration.
And I promise to continue not to care until you force me to do so. You see, we don't care that you're gay, or black, or religious, or whatever, but too many of you define the world through that lens of perceived victim-hood. When the homosexual community pushes for a radical change in religious matters (demanding homosexual clergy, or demanding to be given Catholic Communion despite being in an open and ongoing homosexual relationship, for instance), or societal norms (the definition of marriage); when a minority community demands special treatment because of their race or ethnicity; when a religious group demands some special treatment because of their religious beliefs. When those things happen, you've forced me to care. You've forced me to take a stand, because even choosing not to take a stand is taking a stand.
And if I'm forced to take a stand? Well, I'm a Socially Conservative White guy who is a member of the Church of Christ. I will always side with the group that best represents me. I promise not to snoop into what you do in your bedroom, or to base any of my decisions on anything except my opinion of you as a person. I promise not to hold what others of your demographic group do against you. In return, all I ask is that you not force me to have an opinion.
So when you hear CNN or MSNBC or certain bloggers try to claim that Conservatives forced some issue, or discriminated against someone, remember this: As a rule, Conservatives didn't care. We will give you neither favor nor disfavor based on what group you belong to. We will not prop you up, nor will we tear you down because you happen to be a member of some "victim" or "minority" group. Conservatives are, as a rule, "color blind," and not just on issues of race.
This is not to say that all Conservatives, especially Social Conservatives act the same way. But, as I mentioned above, those tend to be outliers. Also, they tend to identify themselves through some "victim-hood" lens as well. Which means they're neither more, nor less, guilty of making an issue out of something I shouldn't have to care about than any other member of any other "victim" group. When Social Conservatives make a huge issue of someone’s sexual preference (the most frequently commented on issue by Social Conservatives), they’re saying much more about their view of themselves as victims than they are about anything the supposed target of their remarks.
This is also not to say that there is never any time at which discussion of these divisions is appropriate. Things that make us different do have a tendency to divide, and we must be cognizant of them if we are to unite despite them. Indeed, it is by being truly open and honest about these issues that we can avoid this perception of victim status. When the black community, or the homosexual community, or the stay-at-home mom community, or the single mother community, or whoever knows that Conservatives are cognizant of their issues, they can know that we don’t care.
Just like your employer does not, or should not, care that your car had a flat tire, or you forgot to set your alarm, or that you showed up 15 minutes early. What matters is your performance. What matters is your character. If you show up and work, and if you produce a work product that is helpful toward our ultimate goal, then whatever other issues exist are meaningless, and I don’t care about them.
And, after all, the best form of equality is when extraneous matters, like your sexual preference, or your race, or your religion, don’t matter. When someone can look you in the eye and say, “I don’t care,” you’ve achieved true equality.
No comments:
Post a Comment