Why I Don’t Want To Belong To A Political Party
I was recently a guest on Hot 97 FM. I was on a panel discussing race relations and law enforcement. When these folks found out that I am a registered Republican, they were floored. My way of thinking, my views, and the fact that I went on this show is not consistent with the GOP brand. That goes to show that we need to do some work. My aim in life is to promote unity, diversity, acceptance, reason and the rule of law.
For most of my life, I was a registered Democrat. That is until I wasn’t. For the past few years, I have been flying the Republican banner. Though I still, for the most part, represent the GOP, that too will soon change.
I like to consider myself a reasonable, balanced individual. If you are honest with yourself, and also a reasonable individual, you should agree that nothing in life is black or white. Neither of the two major parties in the United States completely represent any of us. That being said, we should be voting strictly on issues, and not so much along party lines.
I happen to be a gun owner, and I am extremely pro-gun. However, my friends over on the Liberal camp are very much against guns and gun ownership. There is one person who always says to me, “Angel, Lil Jimmy’s right to live trumps your alleged constitutional right to own a gun.” My reply to that is that Lil Jimmy will never get his hands on my gun; all of my weapons are securely stored. My friend happens to believe that guns kill people, while I believe that bad and irresponsible people kill people, not the guns. I have laid my gun on my desk many times, and not once did it jump up and attempt to shoot me.
Sarcasm aside, as a reasonable person, I acknowledge that guns make it a hell of a lot easier for PEOPLE to kill other people. Furthermore, living in NYC, I recognize and acknowledge that in a large metropolis like this one, where people are crowded into trains and buses, where you have a mixed bag of people, some of which may not have all of their marbles, carrying a concealed gun here presents a greater danger than it would in the open fields of Montana.
On the other hand, my friends over on the Conservative camp are, for the most part, anti-gay. I happen to be pro-gay rights. I have had debates and disagreements with some individuals who condemn homosexuals and gays as an abomination. Some of them have even gone as far as using the derogatory term “fag” when speaking about homosexuals. I do not agree, nor do I support this.
Recently, I penned an article on Latino Rebels directed at someone whom I have always supported, Dr. Ben Carson for his ridiculous prison statement and his views about homosexuality being a “choice.” I was shocked and appalled that a man of such great medical intelligence could have such a foolish view on this topic. He has since then apologized, but the fact remains that he said it, and in order to say it; odds are that you believe it.
Those are two perfect examples where I disagree with both major political parties in America. A few days ago, I was on the NY Board of Election website, and I was extremely close to clicking on the option which says, “I do not want to belong to a political party.” The reason that I have not done this yet is because doing so would prevent me from taking part in primaries. However, I am still heavily considering this as my next move.
What are those of us, which have grown up with an “open liberal mind” supposed to do when the current party we belong to can be so closed minded on these major social issues? As a Latino man, I cannot and do not support this push to deport honest, hard-working undocumented immigrants. How could I? That would be one of the most hypocritical things that I could do.
If not for welfare programs when I was growing up, I would not be where I am today. How could I with a clear conscience support removing those very same programs from people who are in the exact situation I was once in? How can I back a party which seeks to regulate a woman’s body? I don’t applaud, nor do I promote abortion, but I’ll be damned if I try to tell a woman that she has to keep a baby after being raped or under any circumstances.
Then, on the other hand, what options do we have when the party we grew up with stands against our right to defend our home, property, and our lives? Living in NYC and being a gun owner is a terrifying thing. I hope that I never, ever in my life have to fire my weapon in the defense of my home or family. In a place like NYC, I would be crucified. The news stories would read, “Psychotic Gun Toting Nutjob Shoots Innocent Hungry Intruder.”
I have no desire to fire my weapon at a living being, but it really bothers me that I would have to hesitate or think twice in defending our lives out of fear that I would be wrongfully incarcerated. I also happen to believe in order and process. Though I am not “anti-immigrant,” I am very much against anyone being able to cross into our lands without being vetted and accounted for. I stand behind a secure border and full accountability for all individuals entering and leaving this country.
All this being said, neither of the two parties is really in line with that which I personally want. The liberals are too far left, and the Republicans are too far right. Whatever happened to balance, reason, and working together?
This is why I don’t want to belong to a political party. Why can’t we simply vote on the issues?