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I’ve spent the past couple of years “coming out,” as it were, politically. I began blogging in 2001, anonymously, on politics and music for a group website I’d founded (and dismantled when I started Mamalogues). Here I am again, but this time I’m using my name.
I’ve been a politics and news junkie since grade school. My family is vested deep in Missouri politics with my uncle having worked with the famous (or infamous) Carnahan family. Yes, 99% of my family members are die-hard southern Democrats, a family full of modern-day feminists, unionists, and activists and I am the proverbial black sheep in the fold. Hosting a conservative talk radio show (and my former similarly-leaning newspaper column) hasn’t helped. My family will tell people that I’m on the radio but never why.
Really though, they’re pretty good sports about it.
I was a notorious high school and college Democrat; I worked Bill Clinton’s campaign and attended dinners for Hillary Clinton as rewards for my hard work. I vocally opposed George Bush in 2000. I wrote speeches for local democratic candidates and served as a liberal-leaning editor of my college paper. Despite all of my activities, there were major elements of the Democratic platform with which I vehemently disagreed, i.e. the Second Amendment, economics, education, et al. However, I had been raised a Democrat; my family knew all the local congress, my uncle was counting on my help in a race for pity’s sake. It was an identity. I would be turning my back on more than politics if I hopped the fence.
When I became a parent I expelled a lot of my old political leanings with the afterbirth. September 11th finished my transformation and I’ve not been the same since. The change was summed up by a shocked look I received from a one-time college professor when we ran into each other at a protest. He was there with the activists, many former comrades of mine. I was there to crash it with a motley crewe of pals. Our placards bore the exact opposite messages.
One of the biggest misconceptions about either liberals or conservatives is that they each think the other group is comprised of bad or selfish people. I don’t believe this; I think that many people, many politicians, enter into politics with a servant’s heart (some may not) and the best of intentions. Unfortunately, not all ideas work, not all ideas have worked and politically, I cast my lot against those. At the end of the day, if people can’t talk about politics and then sit back and have a beer together afterwards, there’s more brewing there than just policy issues.
I’m excited about contributing to BlogHer. I know that it’s a more liberal-leaning majority here and because of this I’m looking forward to the potential for discussion beyond the Twitter-sized ranting and raving. I wouldn't have accepted Queen of Spain’s offer if I didn’t respect BlogHer's editors and the way that ideas are presented here – and that those who are on the other side of the political fence are comfortable enough in their own convictions to break bread with a conservative. It’s a reason I was drawn here in the first place: mature discussion on hard-edged topics by intelligent women. These topics would rapidly invoke a flame war in other parts of the blogosphere.
I also look forward to going deeper into political blogs authored by women. I’m incredibly pleased at the increasing number of these blogs, especially those conservative in nature. A few of my personal favorites include The Anchoress, La Shawn Barber, Cassy Fiano, and the more moderate Ann Althouse. I can't wait to share more with you.
Thanks for the emailed and Twittered welcomes and votes of confidence. I’m thrilled to contribute to this organization of fantastic women writers and I look forward to the discussion.
