BY RUSSELL TURNER
THE MOST ABUSED WORD
We humans have a tendency to label anyone who does not agree with our point of view, but there has been a trend to label ourselves to promote an image that we desire. I am a believer in facts and statistics; when you quote those facts accurately, it allows people to weigh the pros and cons of any issue. For example the issue of illegal immigration is a hot topic where the liberals will accuse anyone of being racist when they quote facts and figures about the topic. At one time I thought the most abused word in the English language was the word ‘racist’ but I have changed my opinion to believe that the most misused word is the word ‘conservative’.
During the political season you will see countless politicians make the claim that they are conservative. Politicians and their consultants know that the state of Oklahoma is a conservative state and they know that conservatism is a big selling point. It is our duty as voters to vet the candidates to see who is really conservative. While some candidates claim to be conservative on an issue such as abortion, they can be liberal on issues such as taxes and big government. Conservative values and beliefs encompass many topics; it is time we stop accepting the idea that a candidate is ok if he is a little bit conservative. Would we accept the idea of an expectant mother being just a little bit pregnant?
When you look at the basis of all western religion, the 10 Commandments, God does not think it is ok for you to obey some of the commandments; he expects you to obey all of them. I have often said that politics gets in the way of good government. The desire to win is built into our DNA, far too often politicians will pander to certain groups in order to get ahead in the polls. Too many of our people have forgotten that we live in a republic and not a democracy; the rights of the individual are paramount and not just the majority. Years ago Donald Trump did an interview where he talked about a disturbing trend in our election process. He said that often times the most capable people for public office had an opinion that was not popular, but which was right and was vocal in expressing it. Most times the voters would not vote for them and instead vote for someone who had a nice smile and no opinion. It is our duty as voters to get to know what the candidates really believe; just because they claim to be conservatives does not make it so. I recently read a quote that expresses my belief. “Be good enough to forgive someone, but don’t be stupid enough to trust them again.”
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