I am one of five brothers and one sister born in a period from 1946-1957. In considering what science knows about genetic, epigenetic … and environmental influences on our psyche, I’m the oldest and have been influenced by my genes, birth order, my “village”, etc., etc.--and have always been quite liberal politically, and quite left of center in the local and global policies and actions I support.
My youngest brother on the other hand is one of the Chosen People. And this brother is conservative, “Fundamental”, and far right of center.
I truly don’t understand my little brother and most McCain supporters. I do have trouble communicating with those folk who worship the policies promoted by Hoover, Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Newt Gingrich, Phil Gramm, Tom DeLay , or George W. Bush, … or wantabes like Rick Perry.
On the other hand, “conservatives” don’t understand how I could’ve believed in and supported many of the wonderful policies promoted by John Fitzgerald Kennedy, LBJ, Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, Jimmy Carter, Paul Wellstone, and Nelson Mandela. … They can't understand how I could believe in those progressive policies toward "sustainable livelihoods and communities" currently being developed by Barack Obama.
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Given my background--and life and work in the pre-Farmworker-Right-to-Know fields and in a pre-OSHA feed mill, with poor browns and blacks*--I couldn’t be anything other than a left of center Democrat—or Green party member. And I can not help but be terribly confused by folk who preach family and constitutional values and doing what’s right, but yet support a political party that de facto develops policy which violates ethics and basic moral values taught us in our families, “villages”, churches and schools during our very early formative years.
*[And my years in a small rural south Texas town during the active period of the African-American Civil Rights Movement which helped give rise to La Raza Unida.]
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