WHAT IS A CONSERVATIVE?

My mother who is a liberal in the classic, heart reaching sense, asked me a question a few months ago, that until now I was unable to answer adequately.

She asked me, ‘What is a Conservative?”

I, who am a self-described conservative, was shocked that I couldn’t lay down decisive terms to bring understanding to the issue. That is until now.

I now will endeavor to answer the question that my sweet mom asked me.

(I will add to the list as I believe that its incomplete. )

A conservative believes in the potential of the nation because of his belief in the individual.

Personal responsibility is the highest calling in the life of a conservative.

Strong family identity grounds the individual in his community on a local and national level.

A family consists of a loving, supportive father, sweet and gentle, caring mother, children who respond positively to nurturing discipline and affection or a variation (however slight) of the above.

Society should be protected in the most cursory way from elements that seek to subvert it.

We believe in the strongest punishments for wrong doers, especially those who prey upon children and all who are unable to defend themselves.

We believe in an economy based upon hard work and industriousness.

We believe that those and only those who are unable to work should be given welfare.

We believe in the right to possess perpetual private property and the right of acquisition.

We believe that the overt assailable taxation of the masses is counterproductive to the concept of personal prosperity and should be averted.

We believe that the right to worship or not worship shall in no way or in no place be impinged.

We believe that the right to speak one’s mind is imperative and essential.

We believe in the necessity of the self-control of the individual.

THE SMOKING ISSUE

Here in Beaver County there have been almost daily letters to the editor about whether or not smoking should be banned in the county. I thought about sending my own letter but I'm concerned that I would offend too many of my friends.

However, in this forum, no problem. Here it is:

I thought I would throw my voice into the roused rabble of the smoking controversy. For me its quite a simple issue. I try to see things in black and white. I’ve always to tried to cut through what can be complicated messes and bring order out of chaos. And I do that by using terminology that is more to the point and less muddled. For instance, instead of calling abortion “abortion”, I call it what it really is, “Child Murder”. I no longer call smokers “smokers”, I call them “Drug Addicts”. Nicotine is a drug. If a person is addicted to smoking then they are drug addicts. This is not my opinion but it is a hard fact. They are drug addicts, pure and simple. And they should be viewed as drug addicts, whatever pity or scorn that affords them. Just thought I would bring order out of chaos.