Last week I was scrolling through different social media platforms and all I continuously saw were posts that were taking shots at conservatives. Now, I really do not care what someone thinks of me or my opinions, but when people are extremely misinformed and assume they know what conservatives believe, I cannot help but try to explain how they are wrong. Call it hatred. Call it ignorance. Call it misinformed. Call it whatever you choose, but I cannot sit back and not try to correct the problem. The liberal versus conservative narrative has been so distorted in the last decade or more to the point that this country is the most divided we have ever been since the Civil War. I know I won’t change anybody’s party affiliation overnight and don’t aim to. What I do know however, is that the current assumption and view towards Conservatism by those on the left is just astronomically inaccurate. I seek to unify, not divide. I admit at times I can be overly assertive and direct at getting my points across when people just do not stop to listen, but I really do mean well. Will this article fix everything wrong in the world? I doubt it. Will I be able to convince people to believe in Conservatism? I hope to. Do we not, as conservatives, at least owe it to the great founders of this nation and to the future of our republic to attempt to right the wrongs and shed light on our beliefs for what they really are? ABSOLUTELY.
I will start by saying conservatives believe America is the freest, wealthiest, most powerful, nation in the world. We believe individual liberty is the backbone of our republic. We believe in equality for everyone without labeling or victimizing anyone. We believe that your individual success is attributed to hard work, determination, and that the spirit of the American dream is attainable to everyone. Rich, poor, black, white, gay, straight, man, woman all equally have the opportunity to succeed if they choose to do so. We believe capitalism is the fruit that is produced when American ingenuity, exceptionalism, innovation, and an impeccable desire to succeed are realized by the individual. The free market is where people are free to exchange their services or goods for something of value to them, be it other goods, services, or money. The markets are set by the law of supply and demand and the individual is the one that sets that standard. One can choose to engage in a transaction or not based on the value they feel is warranted. Americans are some of the most prosperous human beings on the planet and we believe that capitalism is the vehicle that has created such prosperity. Conservatives believe Americans are also the most generous, compassionate, and honorable people in the world. We care about our neighbor no matter who they are. We believe the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights given by our Creator and those rights are unalienable. Conservatives understand the value of the individual and that the individual is in charge of His or her destiny (with the mercy of God of course) and only the individual can decide for themselves what their pursuit of happiness looks like. We believe in individual responsibility for both success and failure. We recognize that responsibility individually when we fail to achieve our dreams, but we take the hard lessons learned from failures and eventually turn them into successes. The airplane, car, lightbulb, cotton gin, telephone was not made overnight in one attempt, but was the culmination of countless failures and the desire by the individual to make life just a little bit easier for the next person.
We believe that marriage is under God’s blessing and is a blessed union between one man and one woman. We would never seek to limit anyone’s freedoms or rights that do not share the same view. We believe everyone is created uniquely in God’s image and everyone deserves the dignity and respect to live the life they choose without fear of persecution, while at the same time expect the same in return. We believe that life begins at conception and that conception is a blessing brought by God to a union brought together by two people who love each other and not some accident or mistake. God is perfect and can never make a mistake. While we believe our Country was founded by Christians, we recognize and honor the First Amendment in that no religion is prohibited and no one can insist one religion over another.
Conservatives believe in the Rule of Law as written by our legislatures and founding documents. The rule of law must be followed by everyone to ensure the safety and liberty of everyone. The rule of law is to be enforced swiftly without prejudice or influence. It is to be administered fairly and impartial and we believe everyone has a right to Due Process. You are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and such decision is attained by a trial judged by a jury of your peers. When found guilty we believe justice should fit the crime as a reasonable person would agree. We also believe the rule of law must be balanced and is done so by having three equal branches of government such that no one branch is greater than the other. All three branches carry equal weight as to ensure checks and balances are attained in all aspects of our system of governance.
We believe in the constitutional and God given individual right to protect oneself, one’s family and one’s property from the evils of humanity in any way one chooses. This includes the right to the use of weapons and firearms when life or safety are threatened. We also believe that the individual right to bear arms is a fundamental alienable right to protect one’s rights to freedom and liberty from anyone, government or power. The right to bear arms and form militia included for one main reason: That if or when politicians decide to trample and burn the Constitution and form their own dictatorship, we have the right to take back our government by force if necessary. Citizens owning firearms also ensures we are never again held hostage by foreign governments or dictators. Any law prohibiting and individual’s access to firearms is unconstitutional. A free society is an armed society and is also a polite society. We also believe that a court is the only place that can limit an individual’s right to own or possess a firearm, when the court finds that the individual is a violent offender or has been adjudicated as mentally incompetent. We also believe that one can contest that court’s decision through appeals and time.
We believe government’s only role in our lives is to provide safety and security from foreign and domestic threats to our lives and property. Conservatives recognize that a strong military and a strong law enforcement entity is paramount. Peace can more easily be attained through strength and might. We believe the government is not a business and does not own anything. It does not generate cashflow as a business would. The people are the government, and the people own everything. We believe taxes are a necessary evil that must be done to fund our infrastructure, military, hospitals, and public services. We do not believe our taxes are supposed to support people in their daily lives and nor social programs that target specific groups of people. We do have an obligation to support our elderly those who physically and literally cannot care for themselves, but welfare is not the answer. We also do not believe our taxes should help fund other governments in other countries. America First.
Our government is a representative republic in that we elect representatives and senators to represent us and our states in matters pertaining to our great nation. One person, one vote and no one is exempt from that right unless done so by a court. Every citizen has the right to vote without fear or intimidation. We believe the Electoral College is the fairest way to elect our President and Vice President to ensure that tyranny is avoided. We believe the states control their elections as they see fit, however each state is given representation to the election of the President by casting electoral votes in numbers based on population. A simple majority would not represent the diversity of the various lands across the country because a few major populated cities would decide the fate of the entire country. We also believe that the 10th Amendment gives all powers not delegated by the Constitution to the states and the people of the states which does include the right to succeed from the union.
If any of these beliefs portray an illusion of fascism, bigotry, hate, injustice, supremacy, or inequality I suggest you look inward to yourself as that view is not only explicitly incoherent and incorrect, it is blatantly a distraction from the very truth conservatives hold dear and the very truths we represent. I am saddened when those who attack conservative beliefs do so with wanton disregard to truth and conflate such beliefs as anything but genuine. I also guarantee you that Conservatism directly mirrors the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. These documents were written as the foundation of this great nation. Although they were not perfect, as citizens of this great nation we had a solid foundation to build upon to help create a more perfect union. The founders made certain we could amend these documents to ensure everyone is equal and everyone can participate in the American Dream. Men and women have shed blood, sweat and tears for nearly 250 years to protect our way of life and our freedoms. We owe it to them and ourselves to find common ground for the sake of our republic.
Brad Kirby is a retired Sergeant, Instructor and K-9 Handler of 20 years with the Durham County Sheriff’s Office in Durham, North Carolina. He is married to his wife of 17 years and has 2 sons that he now homeschools. These beliefs are his own and in no way related to anyone or organization.