My problem (well, one of them), is I was a lousy parrot.
I was one of those energetic, entrepreneurial types who really believed that bootstrap capitalism was the best way to success for anyone in pre-Obama America. I still believe that and it is still true, if to a lesser extent than before the zerO. In fact, I believe that micro-capitalism that holds that every person is their own means of production would solve a lot of the world’s problems, minus all the governmental incompetence that restricts the human spirit.
It was like garlic to a vampire, as far as the progs were concerned. They do not suffer innovation gladly. They take orders and they give orders, which are mostly: take orders. I took it personally. Then I met my husband and discovered that he had had the same experience in a different time and place, but with the same old Left. He was told not to have ideas. He also took it personally.
We spent about 10 years sniping from the gallery and we were *tolerated* for that period. Later, we realized that they had a difficult time accepting that anyone could be creative and educated and not agree with them. Then we began hearing that they considered us *lost* to them. So, they reverted to type and we experienced a period of active marginalization, where they attacked us personally in social and economic venues. We withdrew and managed to continue our lives and careers without them. Of course, now, those careers are really anemic and our lives much more circumscribed, but we know it isn’t personal.
Now, I cannot say we experienced love and roses from the organized political GOP. More like indifference. In our area, they are moribund. But, we have conservative friends who are interesting, creative and supportive and while we are all mostly curmudgeons, we manage to network and even to get a few things accomplished.
It is much preferable to the puppet theater of the left.
I chose my FR handle because I hoped to make use of my experience on the left and I wanted to be upfront about it. Now, of course, there are so many of us here and Beck has taken on the job of educating folks even beyond what Horowitz has already done, I often think about changing the handle. But, it isn’t that important and I don’t want to have to explain to the FRiends I’ve made that I am “the FReeper formerly known as reformedliberal”.
I hear you! In a long past life, when I was little more than a child, I might have been called a “liberal” but I don’t think I ever REALLY was. Young people, unfortunately, tend not to think deeply and do act/react emotionally and idealistically, which is, of course, not realistic.
Your story is sad but common: How you were marginalized by those you thought were friends. It is unfortunately true that independent thought is not a hallmark of liberalism or progressivism. Lockstep is the word. Parrot is another.
The GOP is moribund here, too. Useless, actually. Lame. Hapless. AWOL. No fight. No guts. Haven’t a clue how to speak or fight. The Tea Party and people like Palin and Cain (even Trump) give me some hope because at least they put up their dukes and make an effort to stand against the corrupt media and the lies they tell.