A California Republican

Somehow, when I write these blogs, everyone thinks I am rich. Some people even think I am a man. But here’s the thing - I am not rich. I am not a man either - I am a woman.

So why do people think these things? I can only assume it is because the traditional image of a conservative is an older, rich, white male. There aren’t a lot of young female conservatives. I think that might change since Gov. Palin put a face out there as a young, female conservative. I could wish she wouldn’t have spoken out on foriegn affairs, but oh well. People simply don’t think that a conservative can be anything other than a rich, white male.

Which is funny. Traditional family values are something that all people should like. Kids do better in homes with a father and a mother than they do in any other situation. Multiple studies have shown this. So as a mother  - you should want the best for your kids - and this represents the best.

Also, conservative has come to mean a member of the Religious Right. I don’t think I am a member of that class - and they certainly wouldn’t brand me a member of their group. I am religious. But I am not one of them. I do not zealously speak out on issues. I don’t think that God truely is going to get involved in our politics. I do think that people should live by God’s Words, and the example that Jesus gave us. But if you don’t - I certainly don’t think you are going to be killed by a lightning bolt. You might not be happy, and you won’t be living standards that will let you right into Heaven, but you won’t be struck dead on the spot.

And I am not rich. I have a husband who works, and I work: part-time as a freelance writer, and part-time as a fiscal analyst. I also go to school part-time and am a full-time mom. So I have 4 jobs. My husband has 1. We have a one-story condo, which has lost over 60% of its value in the current market. But we aren’t defaulting on our mortgage becuase of it. We made a decision to buy within our means, and we wanted to buy to have something for ourselves. The decision to buy a home wasn’t based on flipping the house for more value, it was based on wanting a home. A steady place to call our own. So we live in it. We aren’t rich by any means.

But yet, people continue to assume that a conservative means a rich, old, white male. I think it is time to change that view. There are conservatives out there of all kinds - old and young, rich and poor, while and not, male and female. So please, stop stereotyping me because you hear I am a conservative. I don’t think that you are a poor, lazy, woman when I hear you are a Democrat. So don’t think of a rich, white man everytime you hear the word conservative.