My dad, my father, raised me with the morals that i now have. He raised me to be honest, forth coming, to stand firm in what you believe in and to never back down, even when outnumbered. He taught me to be who I am, and not conform or pretend for anyone. This mind set has earned the respect from some friends, but has also forced me to be a cast away from those who don't particularly care for a person like that.
My dad is against abortion (especially partial birth abortion), he is against same-sex marraige. He is for the working man, he is for making your own bed...then sleeping in that bed. He does not paricularly like government hand outs, only to help a man get back on his feet enough to make his own way again. He is for the military being the best that we can possibly have. He is for the protection of our country. He pays his taxes, which he thinks are too high to begin with...but he still pays them. He worked for the Norfolk & Southern Railroad for 25+ years....He is pro-union. This man has the moral strength that would make many men in this world turn tail and run. He has moral fiber....he believes in a set right and wrong. He doesn't believe that there is a "grey area" when it comes to what that right and wrong is.
My dad is a man of standard....he is a man that knows what he believes, a man secure in his beliefs to not back down from anyone who may challenge those beliefs. He believes that "prayer" should be in schools. He does not believe,nor will he ever accept evolution, but rather, he believes creation. He is a Christian....and a very strong Christian in his beliefs. If I had to choose one word to describe my dad....it would be Moral. He is the most morality-based man that I have ever personally known.
He is a democrat....he has been (as was his father before him, an engineer working on that same railroad), and I never expect him to change his political party stance (he votes straight democrat without even thinking about it). He encouraged me to vote in 1992 when I became eligible to vote....we both voted democrat right down the ticket.
Now...I have asked myself though lately....why do the democrats not stand for our beliefs? Why are they pro-abortion? Why are they so against a "right-and-wrong mentality"? Why do they want same-sex marraige? Why do they want to keep prayer out of schools? And...why is my dad still a democrat?
I have pondered this question for quite some time....I was having a very difficult time with my dad being a "liberal", who (liberals) is basically contrary to his basic beliefs. It then occurred to me when I bought John Mellencamps' latest Greatest HIts CD....My dad is still with the Democratic party from 10+ years ago.
The Democratic party to me from back then...was a party that truly did stand for the "common man"....the railroad engineer and the railroad brakemen. They really did support the rights of the American citizens. They were against the brutal "dictatorship" of Big Business....they were PRO-UNION.....
Now, the democratic party has evolved....they have moved into the far left....oh, they still support the unions....but lets get our heads with it, here: The Union has become a Big Business in and of themselves. The unions have been selling themselves out and "sleeping with the enemy" for years now. I know this, I have seen it in factories that I have worked at where the Unions were. I seen it with the Union that bent over for the Railroad companies. The democratic party has taken on a skin that it didn't have before.
The Democratic Party has evolved....my dad...well, he hasn't....in fact, he hasn't even adapted. He still stands on the values he had years ago, even though the party that he supports left those values. Remember when I said that my dad has strong beliefs, and is secure enough in his beliefs to never back down from anyone who may challenge him? Just as that characteristic is a strength for my dad....it is also a flaw with him. Even if he is shown something clearly that goes against his views, he still will not change his views. You could show him that the Republican Party lines up with his views....he just simply rejects it. His strength becomes his weakness.
He is a Democrat by party affiliation only. Sure, Kerry will get his vote November 2....but actually....my Dad is only voting for the Democratic Ticket.....