WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
“Our opinions do not really blossom into fruition until we have expressed them to someone else."
-MarkTwain Quoted in Mark Twain and I, OpieRead, 1940.
Prior to writing this book, I felt it was necessary to come up with a fitting title. I wanted the title to define, not only the statement I was making in the book, but also to be a statement in and of itself. Our society has portrayed liberals as understanding progressives that are not afraid to be unique and conservatives as stiff and stuck up rich white guys. With my tattoos and “in your face” style I do not fit the mold of a traditional conservative. Because I believe in personal accountability, strength through superior firepower, and love my country (the way the founding fathers intended) I do not fit the mold of a liberal. I am a conservative freak.
I’m pissed off about what is happening to my country and even more pissed off that many seem unwilling or unable to see it. From political correctness to pacifism, from gun control to affirmative action; the current trend is to turn the other cheek, get something for nothing, and try not to hurt anyone’s feelings along the way.
Once a daydreamer, I now consider myself a contemplator, a thinker, and an analyzer of information. What was once a childhood problem, I now feel is an ability to analyze and evaluate information that allows me to develop an informed common sense opinion on issues. Eager to argue or debate, I will often strategically plan out my arguments well in advance allowing me to be prepared should the need arise. Fewer things are more satisfying than landing a knockout punch during debate. It can leave your adversary not only feeling stupid but often looking stupid as well.
When it comes to frequently debated topics I often feel dumbfounded as to why “I get it,” and so many others simply “don’t get it.” If I have to explain what I mean by this, you most certainly “don’t get it.” Hopefully, after reading this book you will either “get it” or at least come to terms with the fact that you are an idiot.
While in my early twenties I began to take a strong interest in politics and social issues, and began developing philosophies in regard to what was right and wrong and what I needed to do in order to become a better man today than the day before. I often reflect on the events and people that have shaped the person I am today. I reflect on those values and the virtues that I feel to be important and challenge myself each day to aspire to achieve a new level of decency. Words like accountability, responsibility, loyalty, and work ethic inspire the direction I take in life.
Currently, I am still far from the person that I aspire to be, but the fact that I acknowledge that and strive each day to improve myself is what separates me and others like me from those who seem to be on this planet for no reason other than to steal oxygen. It is what separates us from those who take for granted their time on earth and the gift that God has given each of us. The gift of life.
Why do the things I have to say have a special or significant meaning? They don’t.
What credentials or specialized education do I possess that make my opinions or observations noteworthy? None.
Why then should anyone value my opinions, observations, and interpretations of the current direction of our society? The answer is simply, because I offer what amounts to be an average man’s common sense approach to identifying and hopefully changing the direction that we are seemingly headed. Moreover, I have something to say and understand that if those of us who “get it” do not begin confronting those who do not, our society will continue to erode. The values that have made our nation the greatest democratic experiment in history will dissipate and we will be left with the remnants of what was once a good, decent, and free people.
I have something to say to those searching for understanding. I am reaching out to those of you who search for the reasons why our society seems to be slipping further from our grasp and has become unrecognizable from the society enjoyed by our grandparents. I’m speaking to those searching to understand why it seems cowards now outnumber what was once a nation of heroes. Certainly, the understanding of life can be found in the Bible, but to understand what ails our society one needs to only look at your nearest liberal.