August 21, 2016 By Arch Kennedy
I have been at this conservative activism thing now for over a year now and I have been met with a wide spectrum of responses from both sides of the aisle. I have been accused of being everything from a self-loathing gay man to a bigot and racist. Granted in the beginning, it hurt. It hurt a lot! But as I continued my activism, I realized that speaking out comes with a price and you have to be willing to undergo the criticism, even when it is not warranted.
I grew up on a farm in the middle of Central Georgia. The nearest town was 7 miles down a lonely highway and it had a population of about 10,000 people. So, needless to say, I grew up a small town boy. I went to the only public school in town that encompassed White and Black students. I can honestly say race was never an issue during all of my growing up years. I never once heard either one of my parents mention anything about “race”. It wasn’t even in my line of thinking. Everyone was the same. I didn’t see “color”.
I bring this up so that people understand where I am coming from on my posts on social media and my blogs as well. You see, I think we are at a point in our nation’s development where it really isn’t about White vs. Black but really liberal vs. conservative thinking or principles.
The liberal side has been concerned more with social issues in the recent past. The problem for the Left, now is, that we don’t have much of a problem in that area and they must continue to propagate what is now a false narrative of social wars that really don’t even exist, at least not even remotely on the scale you would be led to believe. I truly believe most conservatives think like me. Is there racism? Sure there is. But, it is not even remotely to the extreme you would be told by the media today.
My writing and posting comes from the heart and to truly know me, is to know that I don’t have a racist bone in my body. I happen to be gay and my partner is Mexican. It is time for us to move past the fake social wars and look at what is affecting ALL Americans. The Democrat elite and media are trying to make you believe that cops are out to get the Black man and that criticism of islam is racist.
My hope is that folks will understand that I am coming from a place of truth…not racism. Only when we have honest, open discussions on Black unemployment and murder rates and islamic terrorism can we FIX the problems. I encourage each of you to take a personal inventory and ask yourself: Do I care about my Black brothers dying in the streets and out of work. Do I care about the root cause of islamic terrorism and how that affects my brothers and sisters across the world? It is time to stop blaming and start TALKING.
Arch,
O have much of your face book posts and find your focus much in line with mine.
I also came from a small farm town in Ohio. We were but now live in Florida where financial troubled on our small farm. We only knew to work every day on and off the farm to make ends meet. We never took assistance and never thought about it. Later I enlisted and served I the Mari e Corp as many in my family have served. I am involved in real estate development and construction. I have a small country retreat in South Alabama that I have been blessed to have. As with you racism was never a discussion in my home or church when I was young nor is it now except that we may express our distaste of it or it use as a political tool.
Beautifully stated! How does your partner feel about Donald J. Trump?
As a 65 year old man I have been out for at least forty five years. I guess you can say I have always been a conservative /libertarian. Many gay people who are liberal are all one sided and I cannot discuss politics with them or I will be shunned. I feel safer with straight conservative people. Seem as if gay people these days are only concerned with only gay agenda. I really don’t know where I fit in these days. I just keep my views and thoughts to myself ! Thank you for what you do and your standing up for people like myself.
Arch Kennedy you hit the nail on the head! I was raised like you were. I understand fully where you are coming from. I’m also gay but all my friends know I’m a conservative.