<p>Easy now on the independents man. Maybe I'm turning into a stoic, but politics these days are just too extreme for me. Political parties always have to be as close as possible to direct opposite to each other on political notions. There isn't a middle ground. Some of us just want a nice government that sits in the background and keeps things running. </p>
<p>When you die, what are politicts going to matter? Just sit back and enjoy life. </p>
<p>Politicts, religion, and music just aren't worth getting steamed up over.</p>
<p>"When you die, what are politicts going to matter?"</p>
<p>Wow. <em>chuckle</em> I won't bother responding to this.</p>
<p>"Political parties always have to be as close as possible to direct opposite to each other on political notions."</p>
<p>To the contrary, I think that the whole political spectrum has shifted to the right. Kerry was a centrist; a moderate. If he ignored the constitution in his decision making, he would be classified as a republican. I am dissapointed that true green liberals (and even libertarians) are not represented in our two-party system. The two-party expectation is a social construct, not a political one.</p>
<p>Politicts, religion, and music just aren't worth getting steamed up over.</p>
<p>OK now, hold it right there. Politics can get steamy. Religion can get steamy. But music? Music is the most important thing to get steamed about!!! I might be the only music goddess out there, but fighting for/about music is completely worth it. </p>
<p>"Having a vested interest in preserving a crumbling empire of patriarchal ignorance, on the other hand, is a noble cause."</p>
<p>This is why post-Bush liberalism don't fit me too well (nothing personal). Being patriotic is now something ignorant, eh? Dude, strong nationalism is what makes this country special. I know what you're talking about, the "oh, we only care about ourselves; we're the best there is, etc, etc." That's not a problem, but whatever you think, demoting patriotism, which the liberals see as the solution to better international relations, is not the right way. You're not gonna get people on your side when you act like you're ashamed of your country.</p>
<p>There's a book called "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It."
It discusses how the Republicans are misleading and wrong by saying their way is God's way. And while the Christian teaching (and many other religions) of peace and doing good for the society is the same as what liberals believe, liberals run screaming away from anything that has to do with religion. Point is, the Right doesn't know what to do, the Left doesn't know how to do.
This can apply to many other things. I side with liberals on many issues, but they're just not using what works better (I know there's a better word to this). One good example - Pro-diversity: liberals' way is to discriminate against the majority (affirmative action, etc.)
This is a huge generalization, but it helps to know for understanding.</p>
<p>And yeah, commenting the first post, I don't like the extreme liberals. Talking about approaching things the wrong direction, whew. Oh, and the ones jumping on the rebellious bandwagon to be cool annoys me too.</p>
<p>cujoe, you do realize that at some schools, it is the exact same situation except in the other direction. Personally, (no intents of a flame war, but just something that I believe is pertinent) if you don't want democrats plastering your doors with flyers, then I recommend that you ask the current adminstration to stop forcing the Christian religion on me.</p>
<p>I too intend to get involved immediately with Columbia Democrats when I get on campus in the fall and hopefully become president by senior year. I want to somehow get involved with professional politics (not as a candidate, but as a leading strategist. I would love to become the Karl Rove of the Democratic Party). </p>
<p>During the last election, I found the ignorance level in the United States incredibly high. People would say "Down with Bush!!" or "I hate Kerry because he flip-flops" when they didn't have any evidence as to either side. My school political group attempts to get rid of ignorance in society by providing alternative information and weekly discussions on issues ranging from the war to the economy to health care. </p>
<p>I do think the majority of youth is liberal, but one of the most suprising statistics I found as of late was the fact that over 50% of high school students believe that newspapers should need to clarify stories with the government before print and over 40% believed that creationism should be taught along side evolution. Both these statistics shocked me and scared me as to the way youth thought is progressing. Quality political education should become a standard program in all schools, providing both sides of an issue and a weekly group discussion.</p>
<p>l33twinkie, I do not think that liberals are demoting patriotism at all. I think we see patriotism in a different light, one in which patriotism means calling out the other side on issues pertaining to domestic and international relations. Thomas Jefferson said that "The strongest form of patriotism is dissent." Just because we don't agree with the current path our country is taking, doesn't mean that we aren't patriots.</p>
<p>Personally, I think it is best to provide both sides of an issue. But evolution isn't an issue. I think most people who are in higher education or have received a good high school education would realize that evolution is something that has been scientifically proven. </p>
<p>This issue really boils down to whether or not a religious idea from the Bible can be taught in a public school. My answer is obviously no.</p>
<p>My only response[li] to l33twinkie is the following quotation, which you cannot accuse of being "post-Bush liberalism":</p>[/li]
<p>Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. -Mark Twain</p>
<p>I have a very deep love for my country. I am often ashamed of the actions of my government. I do not feel represented. So, I channel my patriotism into improving the political climate. According to our constitution, dissent is a form of patriotism. It is part of the elaborate system of checks and balances that is our government. I am proud to play a part.</p>
<p>Let me nip the evolution debate in the bud. Nothing in science is ever proven. People need to realize this. Evolution is not proven. Neither is gravity. Theories about both are being developed. As far as high school (and most college) goes, both are as good as fact. There is currently no alternative hypothesis to either.</p>
<p>evolution isn't an issue. but with creationism, there is one. kids should be have knowledge of both so they can choose the side they believe in.</p>
<p>I love the Mark Twain quote- the difference between government and country. I find blind patriotism scary. A democracy means choice. The OP said he was tired of the Young Democrats thing? What does that mean? Tired of people stepping up and getting interested? Tired of people asking questions? Tired of people wanting to make a difference? Tired of people believing in democracy and using that system to share ideas? And why is the word Liberal used as an insult? </p>
<p>Liberals believe in freedom, rights, and if you look deep into what liberals do- volunteering, helping people, giving of time, treasures and tithes, those are people who care about our country and its citizens...and they do it without judgement</p>
<p>I'm not against the club. I think that they have every right to conviene after school to discuss issues of interest.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, I am against my school's dem. club periodically playing videos with grotesque images of "helpless Iraqi children" being blown to smitherees with "Jaws"-like music in the background, which has happened a couple of times since the beginning of the school year....</p>
<p>yea... what kinetic said was basically wat i meant, it's done improperly, giving the democratic party a "bleak outlook" as to it's future generations... i assume the same can be said with some republicans... but i am from jersey...</p>
<p>Yeah, but creationism involves specifically teaching religious doctrine in public schools, which is unconstitutional. And topics like "Intelligent Design" are just the backdoor way of instituting Christian beliefs into public schools. BTW, I am a Christian myself, but I believe that public schools and God should be separate - just as the Bible passage about the pharasee's (sp?) and Jesus - I'm paraphrasing here, but it was something to the account of "Pay Caesar what is Caesar's and pay God what is God's". We can have both, but we should separate them in our public institutions.</p>
<p>There is an article in a prior Playboy magazine about Abstinence programs - a writer for Playboy went undercover to an Abstience convention in Tennessee and showed how basically it's Christian beliefs spinned in order to get it into public schools. But this doesn't surprise me when Bill Frist, a Republican Senator from Tennessee and a former doctor, lies when he says HIV can be passed via saliva...</p>
<p>Ummm, creationism is a belief based on one religion. Evolution is science. If learning about creationism is so important, learn it in a Christian church. Period. </p>
<p>Many many world religions have totally different views on "creationism"....</p>
<p>citygirlsmom, i think the "tired of young democrats" is not about hating the democrats, rather the person feels offended by those who take their beliefs too far.</p>