Confessions of a 9-11conservative (9-11con)

5/1/2003 | Jon Alvarez

[OOPisforLiberals]

Fantastic thread. Thought I'd share my story. Not necessarily a "conversion" - more like a galvanization of views I never consciously knew I had.

I'm 27 and graduated from college in 1997. I'm a professional programmer/engineer and we tend to be fairly detached from real world events. I didn't really have a lot of strong political views - I just never really thought about it. I currently work in a weird setting - a video game company - where you tend to have this interesting dichotomy between artists and programmers. Artists, predictably, tend to be liberal to hardline-liberal. The programmers veer centrist to conservative. I suppose its odd because everyone really gets along with each other because politics are very much in the background.

Anyway, in the back of my mind I had the ghostly programming of "Republicans == white guys == bad for all the usual reasons". I was always skeptical of religion and the massively anti-religious views of the left were subconsciously appealing. I believed in non-discrimination and rights for all (still do!) since I saw them as self-evident assertions. The "common wisdom" is that evil Republicans are anti-all-that-stuff, right? I think -that- little gem is one of the left's most powerful weapons. Take clearly valid beliefs and say "but THOSE guys think they're bad!". People who don't tend to be involved in political discussion just buy it flat out. That's how they set the hook like a Flashking Wobbler on a smallmouth.

The clincher of the whole deal was simply : the NRA. Several years back the NRA ran a series of very long TV ads highlighting gun confiscation in Australia and Britain. The spokeswoman was a classic White Lady (its uncanny and ironic how the liberal mind is the one that immediately seizes on race) breathlessly talking about "owning guns!". I thought - wow, what a bunch of psychos. I even brought it up to a buddy at work - solemn nods all around. Only later would I realize that that was a purely programmed, reflexive response. You're -supposed- to hate guns and the NRA! (the irony here will become apparent shortly).

Around a year later I found myself bored. I started looking for a new hobby. At one point I came up with - shooting. As a kid I spent MANY summer months up in Maine with my dad terrorizing Pepsi cans with a .22. I absolutely loved it. I thought "you know, I'd like to get into target shooting with some -real- firepower". Research began. It didn't take but a day or two on the internet and a HUGE light bulb dinged over my head. "Wait a minute, I hate the NRA don't I?". I live in Illinois - gun control Mecca of the whole US. Can't even own a .22 (can't even SHOOT one with a friend) without a state-issued license (the FOID). I plowed through reams of gun control stuff on the net. I realized that gun control was truly anathema to me - the NRA mirrored my views -exactly-

And from that point, it was all over. I was so intensely shocked to see that a.) I absolutely loved shooting and always had since I was a kid b.) I reflexively, almost instinctively thought the NRA and everything it stood for was crazy. A big WTF moment. Like the sun coming up, it dawned on me - I was a conservative - and moreover I was PISSED at having been so manipulated by liberalism. The more I learn about the effects of liberalism - its "plots" and plans - the dirtier I feel. Ugh.

Guns were simply the catalyst which opened my eyes WIDE on how things really were. One issue after another - I realized what a crock liberalism is. Its a -shadow- of what it used to stand for. These days its simply about controlling others. Liberalism is frankly, anti-liberal. I'm not particularly religious these days, but that's the closest thing to an epiphany I could ever imagine.

As for 9-11 : I was long past my conversion. But there was one significant change I made in my life. I own several guns. I never kept ammo around unless I was going shooting in the next few days. On my way home from work early 9-11 morning, I CHANGED that policy for good. I always keep a little reserve ammo around these days.

[Rate_Determining_Step]

Acutally a lot of people are in the same boat. Hey, I, my partents, their parents, etc. never thought much about politics. There's more important things going on right now.

Whether or not we admit it, we've all been there. Then there's Ron Silver who went from being a no-think shrill for the Clintons (with a bit of self-study and re-examination of what's important) to an articulate, staunch defender of the President and our policies. You could have bet me a thousand dollars Silver would have done this and took my money. He appears to not lost any of his fire. It's just refocused. And, of course when coupled with the facts makes it even more potent.

I also think a lot of American Jews woke up on 9/11. I know a dozen people who never gave a second thought to politics and international affairs, but now are plugged in like the best of us. You're not alone.

I however, saw this coming. After 8 years of Clinton and Les "What will they think?!" Aspen I knew our enemies were embolden like never before. I only shudder what would have happened had Gore won the state of Tennesee.

[LibWhacker]

You are the reason why I predict Dubya will win in a landslide in 2004. 9-11 shocked a lot of people out of their apathy and/or out of their leftwing mindset. Even many democrats will vote Republican in '04, because to vote for a democratic presidential candidate at this point can only suit someone with a death wish. Welcome aboard, Jon -- and thanks!

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Keep up with the writing. I have been writing my congressmen about Mugabe's terrorist regime in Zimbabwe. Even wrote the President and Vice President.

Cheney's office responded! I was pleased to be acknowledged. It may not change anything, but at least someone heard me, in Washington. Even if it was just an aide saying to Cheney, when reviewing constituents' mail..."You received 1000 letters about taxes, 200 about stem-cell research, 500 about the education crisis... oh, and you received one letter asking for more to be done in Zimbabwe."

At least it was something.

[wayoverontheright]

Great Post!.

Reports of innocent stewardesses being slashed with box cutters infuriated me. The cold-blooded murder of 3000 of my fellow Americans filled me with rage.

I too, felt rage and couldn't believe the obvious lack of any feeling whatsoever from those on the left. I said to myself and others,"It's as if it wasn't their country that was attacked".

What we all have to realize about the left is that it WASN'T their country, because membership in the left requires an anti-capitalist bent, which dictates that over time, anything which involves American might also involves the possibility that the CAUSE of capitalism will be furthered, and those on the left have to, little by little, establish mental residency somewhere else in order to continue to receive the warm fuzzy associated with being a part of the left, perched as it is so high above the rest of us.

[jhw61]

Excellent! Your an inspiration...truly. I find our Commander-in-Chief so inspirational too. He is constantly talking about bettering neighbors, kids, in a such a real regular way...I find myself constantly talking out loud and cheering him on, cheering myself on too!

[dead]

The East Germans knew how to seal borders. Barbed wire, machine gun nests, mine fields, dogs, and shoot to kill orders. Available technology, why don't we use it?

Because we're not communists like the East Germans?

[corlorde]

Man, great article!

[JusPasenThru]

Bookmarked for later read bump.

[Northern Yankee]

Hi Susannah... welcome! (Your entry date to FR. is of significance to me...)

John... Susannah is right about Joe McCarthy.

He was right on so many issues, but might have gone about things a little more delicately. He was pillored by the left of this Country, and his reputation has never recovered.

I grew up in a very conservative family. My father, a WW2 Veteran - who flew B-29's out of Guam, understood the value of freedom, and conservative thought. I used to watch his liberal friends become angry with him during discussions of politics. He on the other hand would not get angry, and would continue to argue with reasoned, logical answers. He would get slapped down, but he'd come up smiling after each bout.

He once told us that although conservatives are accused of being closed minded, they are the most open minded people there are. This addage has stuck with me my entire life, and it continues to hold true!

[mathluv]

Jimmy C was the last dim I voted for - period. I have called myself a Reagan democrat in the past. Now I am a Republican!

[jonalvy44]

nice...sounds like a great dad! I've gotten wonderful response to this...thx all!

[Northern Yankee]

Good analysis...

Further evidence that I think the Clintons time has come and gone.

I don't see Hillary ever getting to the White Houese, even though Dick Morris thinks she will.

9/11 has changed this Country, and President Bush has restored faith, and confidence to the Presidency.

The Country has no stomach to put the Clintons back there. I firmly believe this. It's one thing to be voted into the Senate in a very liberal State like New York. It's entirely something different to be voted into the Presidency.

If she ever gets the Dem's nomination, this Country will mobilize likes its never done before.

[JusPasenThru]

Good read. Very nice expression of the outrage we felt against the anti-war crowd. If they don't like it, I wish they'd all go to Damascus.

[Susannah]

Very well-written and thought out story. Welcome to the Republican side! My last vote for a Democrat was Carter.

I think colleges are somewhat of a breeding zone for liberalism. My neice is a Dr. of Medicine and graduated from college a true liberal. Since the war, though, she broke up with her boyfriend because he constantly wanted to watch CNN and she wanted FOX.


Interesting thing about the NRA. I saw the head of the NRA on a tv show explaining why Michael Moore's documentary was a work of 'fiction'. I know nothing about guns, but it made sense the way he explained it.

[Susannah]

Regarding McCarthy:

you wrote:

"He was right on so many issues, but might have gone about things a little more delicately. He was pillored by the left of this Country, and his reputation has never recovered."

Was Joseph McCarthy a Republican? I know he was from Wisconsin, but haven't found out which party he was in.


Makes me wonder too: the McCarthy news is recent,,,How many others have been smeared that we will wait decades to find out the truth about?

[arasina]

Bravo Jon! I applaud your efforts and new passion for politics, and I like the 9-11con "label" as well!

I've been a conservative since I was a little girl and argued with my best friend in grade school---Me: "Nixon!" Mary Jane: "Kennedy!" :-)

[Northern Yankee]

McCarthy was indeed a republican.

As a matter of fact he worked on the McCarthy hearings with Robert F. Kennedy in the 1950's. They developed a warm friendship and if I remember right, Bobby was reluctant to start shooting down "tail gunner Joe".

I often wonder who else was smeared in this assault.

The "red Scare" was not fiction, as many would have you believe. I often see how far the democratic Party has come to the socialist table, and have thought Sen. McCarthy was ahead of his time.

[cgk]

Interesting thing about the NRA. I saw the head of the NRA on a tv show explaining why Michael Moore's documentary was a work of 'fiction'. I know nothing about guns, but it made sense the way he explained it.

If you haven't read this yet: Truth about Bowling for Columbine, you should. It tells a lot about how the liberals work - and why they awarded him an Oscar for his bit of fiction. And let us not forget his crass jokes about the Heroes of Flight 93 who perished Sept. 11th, which he made, courageously in London, foreign soil.

Welcome to the right, and FR :)