Growing up as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I didn’t pay much attention to politics other than to think “those conversations” were something to avoid. Witnesses are publicly “apolitical,” meaning we didn’t get involved in politics at all, and at least to appearances, had no leaning left or right. Thinking back, I really have no idea how my father voted before he became a Witness (he was in his late 30’s by that time, so I’m quite certain he had voted). My grandparents politics were equally a mystery to me; they weren’t Witnesses and I’m pretty sure they would have felt that voting was a responsibility of any citizen. I don’t recall any conversations that would reveal a preference for either party, but I suspect they were probably Republicans. But if they were, they were a brand of Republican that you don’t see today. My Grandmother used to collect donations of books and school supplies and travel into the deep south to distribute them to impoverished (mostly black) communities and schools. She took very seriously her obligation as a Christian to “care for the needy and those less fortunate,” so this was a religious, rather than a political statement. But I’ve been reading some of Eisenhower’s speeches from the late 50’s and early 60’s, and some of his views then sound like things my grandparents (and probably my father as well) would have believed. A very different tone from the Republican party of today.
Anyhow, I was talking to a friend the other day who saw that I was reading Barry Goldwater’s book “The Conscience of a Conservative” and asked what I thought of it (he’s more libertarian than anything, but he leans Republican). I made the offhand comment that the Republican party of today would be unrecognizable to Goldwater and likely Reagan as well, and he said “Probably the same for the Democratic party too.” That kind of caught me off guard, because I had been thinking “Dang, I never knew Republicans used to think like that. They sound more like Democrats! I wonder where the Republican party lost its way.” Or something like that.
So I did a little digging and sure enough, both parties have gone through pretty significant philosophical changes over time. Republicans are very fond of reminding everyone that they are “the Party of Lincoln” and they freed the slaves. And while true, I’m not sure that it’s fair (or even appropriate) to attempt that connection, as ideologies have changed so dramatically over the years. If you go back to the origins of “liberalism” and “conservatism” in history you’ll find that either of them bear little actual resemblance to the terms as they are used today.
But I think that’s the nature of things. I know I’m not the same person I was 40 years ago, or for that matter even 10 years ago. I think anyone who says otherwise is either deluding themselves or completely lacking in introspection.
So now, the question is whether those inevitable changes have been a good thing or a bad thing. Or neutral. And while I know that’s extremely subjective, I think we can look at it from a more global perspective and arrive at a few conclusions.
Stay tuned.
About BigBill
Stats: Married male boomer.
Hobbies: Hiking, woodworking, reading, philosophy, good conversation.
Everything changes
Growing up as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I didn’t pay much attention to politics other than to think “those conversations” were something to avoid. Witnesses are publicly “apolitical,” meaning we didn’t get involved in politics at all, and at least to appearances, had no leaning left or right. Thinking back, I really have no idea how my father voted before he became a Witness (he was in his late 30’s by that time, so I’m quite certain he had voted). My grandparents politics were equally a mystery to me; they weren’t Witnesses and I’m pretty sure they would have felt that voting was a responsibility of any citizen. I don’t recall any conversations that would reveal a preference for either party, but I suspect they were probably Republicans. But if they were, they were a brand of Republican that you don’t see today. My Grandmother used to collect donations of books and school supplies and travel into the deep south to distribute them to impoverished (mostly black) communities and schools. She took very seriously her obligation as a Christian to “care for the needy and those less fortunate,” so this was a religious, rather than a political statement. But I’ve been reading some of Eisenhower’s speeches from the late 50’s and early 60’s, and some of his views then sound like things my grandparents (and probably my father as well) would have believed. A very different tone from the Republican party of today.
Anyhow, I was talking to a friend the other day who saw that I was reading Barry Goldwater’s book “The Conscience of a Conservative” and asked what I thought of it (he’s more libertarian than anything, but he leans Republican). I made the offhand comment that the Republican party of today would be unrecognizable to Goldwater and likely Reagan as well, and he said “Probably the same for the Democratic party too.” That kind of caught me off guard, because I had been thinking “Dang, I never knew Republicans used to think like that. They sound more like Democrats! I wonder where the Republican party lost its way.” Or something like that.
So I did a little digging and sure enough, both parties have gone through pretty significant philosophical changes over time. Republicans are very fond of reminding everyone that they are “the Party of Lincoln” and they freed the slaves. And while true, I’m not sure that it’s fair (or even appropriate) to attempt that connection, as ideologies have changed so dramatically over the years. If you go back to the origins of “liberalism” and “conservatism” in history you’ll find that either of them bear little actual resemblance to the terms as they are used today.
But I think that’s the nature of things. I know I’m not the same person I was 40 years ago, or for that matter even 10 years ago. I think anyone who says otherwise is either deluding themselves or completely lacking in introspection.
So now, the question is whether those inevitable changes have been a good thing or a bad thing. Or neutral. And while I know that’s extremely subjective, I think we can look at it from a more global perspective and arrive at a few conclusions.
Stay tuned.
About BigBill
Stats: Married male boomer. Hobbies: Hiking, woodworking, reading, philosophy, good conversation.