The more social media I consume, the more confused I become.
Democrats seem to be all over the board these days. Liberal voters around the country are criticizing Democratic politicians for being ineffectual and/or too mainstream establishment. Traditional left-leaning media is criticizing politicians and voters alike for being either too extreme or flat-out wrong. And liberals on social media are fighting amongst themselves over the best ways to resist creeping authoritarianism.
I finally realized that I was in danger of becoming a leftist sheeple — in other words, someone who emotionally reacts to every outrage du jour even when it conflicts with a previous outrage du jour, simply because one of “my people” said it.
In an effort to ground myself, I decided that I needed to determine what I actually believe in and articulate it to myself at the very least.
It turned out not to be all that hard.
First of all, I believe in freedom. I believe that every person should be free to live their lives in whatever way they choose without interference from me or the government, as long as their choices aren’t harmful to others and don’t impinge on someone else’s freedom.
And second, I believe in equity.
Not all of us are created equal. Some of us have significantly greater challenges in life than others, and I don’t think those challenges should prevent people from having an opportunity to lead successful lives. Equity occurs when everyone gets whatever support they need from the government so that they can have an equal chance at success as everybody else.
Third, I believe in equal justice. Laws should be fair. They shouldn’t discriminate against one group of people or benefit another. And they should be evenly enforced.
And finally, I believe everyone deserves due process. If you are in the United States and are accused of a crime, regardless of your citizenship status, you should have the right to legal representation and to defend yourself in court (or the equivalent).
These are the principles I believe in. Would you add or change anything?
P.S. I also believe that I need to rely on facts when determining whether our government is violating any of the above four principles.
Meanderings & Mind Munchies 