My dad was a proud member and it certainly helped influence my political leanings and love for history.
I used to get their magazine in the 90’s after the Waco debacle. I still agree with them 100%.
I feel I have to explain things in great detail and actually defend what is in reality a non-radical viewpoint, to avoid sounding to my child like I'm ‘out there’. It's out of control and has to stop.
In order to stop the radical left I believe it is crucial to decentralize our society as much as possible. It is much easier in 2011 to propagandize than it was in 1911. A relatively small group of people can control popular culture and higher education, and filter what we hear, see, and read.
It took the left many decades to put themselves in the position to control these avenues of public perception and popular thinking, and the best way we can stop it is by adding options that they don't control, overwhelming the central control they've worked so hard to put into place.
One example is higher education. Leftist control of universities can be overcome by massive growth of online higher education and institution of aptitude testing to allow direct comparison of knowledge with those who obtain standard university education. The aptitude testing should be by private companies that provide results as a fee service to employers looking for the best employees. Any complaints by the left about this can be defended by pointing out that this is the most egalitarian, affordable, and universally accessible system of higher education that can be put into place.
There are many more fairly straightforward ways in which we can decentralize society and take control back from the left, but it will take time. We don't have time to waste.
My grandfather was a member and I still have his 1959 copy of ‘The Blue Book’.
There is some fascinating reading right there.