I'm a damn liberal!

Recently through Facebook I reconnected with one of my best friends from high school. (Hi Laurie!) We started talking about our lives now and somehow got on the topic of politics and religion.

Turns out we have some very different views on those topics. At first I thought she had changed, but then I realized it's really me that has changed.

I grew up in a very Republican family and so I considered myself a Republican too. I believed what my Dad believed. I think some of it had to do with how much I wanted him to approve of me. Some of it was my lack of interest in politics, so instead of figuring it out for myself, as the major male figure in my life, I took on his views.

And then I grew up. I had a career, my own house, my own life. And slowly, I started to see the world with open eyes. And I realized I didn't see things as black and white anymore, but as shades of grey. And I realized that I'm a damn liberal! And I like it!

So yeah, I guess I'm the one that has changed. And I'm proud of it. I'm proud that I grew, and that my life experiences have led me to make my own decisions on what I believe. Now don't get me wrong, I'm in no way criticizing someone whose views haven't changed over the years! I'm just saying I no longer let someone else tell me what to think because I didn't bother checking out the facts on my own.

So, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm a damn liberal.

I try very hard to respect other peoples political and religious views, but I do have a few hot buttons, such as a woman's right to chose what happens to her body. It's hard for me not to react emotionally when it comes to those hot button topics. So I'm going to keep working on being respectful and tolerant.

I think I may have offended my friend with some of my comments to her, and I feel bad about that. We don't see eye to eye any more, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be respectful of her views, even if I do think they are crazy don't agree with them.