unarmed black men), their consistent stripping the views of fiscal conservatism and social of the voting rights of blacks, Hispanics, and temperance. Be the party of freedom that the other minorities (think of anyone who might not Republican Party loves to say that it is, despite vote for them, and the right has probably tried all evidence to the contrary. to stop them from voting at all), their consisI was once told by a dear Republican friend, tent and successful attempts to as I lamented the rampant child The only thing you destroy the unions and collective poverty and income inequalbargaining rights of the workers can be sure the Right ity in the U.S., to “get off my (because when workers unionmoral high horse.” Until the wil fight for is their ize, they tend to vote for the Republican Party stops using continued right to left), and their unashamed marChristianity as a weapon of disdiscriminate under riage to special interest groups crimination, stops hating women teh guise of religious and minorities, ceases to dissuch as Big Oil, Big Pharma, freedom. Wall Street, and, of course, the regard the working and middle Koch Brothers (unfortunately, classes, and no longer produces the left is equally reprehensible Presidential candidates such as on this front, minus the Koch Brothers). Perhaps Santorum, Ben Carson, Fiorina, Cruz and Trump a second part of this essay will be necessary. — then, respectfully, I’ll continue to enjoy the In all regards, the Republican Party has done view from up here on my high horse. ■ everything in its power to divide and destroy the legal protections of its citizenry for which many so hardly fought. The only thing you can be sure the Right will fight for is their continued right to discriminate under the guise of religious freedom. Because in this country, only if you’re a white bible-thumping conservative do you deserve liberty. Democrats are often accused of voting blue purely because it’s a Democrat on the ticket rather than considering the values of the Republican candidate. The Democrats certainly have their demons, and I will be the first to admit them and often rail against them equally hard. But their demons don’t even register on the scale of insanity, Al Sharpton notwithstanding, established by the Republican Party. I would truly like to know how any self-respecting conservative could possibly stand by the GOP when they continue to have such a hate-mongering, women despising, minority loathing, un-Christian message. I implore the conservatives who don’t stand by the ideological idiocy of the social policies of the Republican Party to break free. Create a conservative party that isn’t held hostage by hatred and fear, and instead form a party which espouses SPRING 2016
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