I'm going to put this into words the best I can. I don't know how organized my thoughts will be, but these are some things that have been on my mind a lot lately.

I'm on the internet a lot. I watch the news often. I'm following the election closely and pulling for Barack Obama. I think we need a fresh start, and I think he's the guy to do it.

As I get older I get more liberal. I chalk it up to having and seeing more life experiences and understanding that real life is not at all idealistic. I'm pro-choice. I wasn't always. In fact, I was very much pro-life when I was younger. I was a member of PETA. And I'm ashamed to say that I thought homosexuality was a choice, and a sin.

So, time passed and I saw a whole different world than what I thought I would see as an adult. I was sheltered in my military life. I grew up thinking that pot was evil, homos could be "cured" and that I should never question the word of God.

I left home and saw the world for what it was... Imperfect. I had a few "aha" moments. Friends had unplanned pregnancies. They had abortions. They weren't selfish monsters. They were women who made a difficult choice. Some regretted it, others didn't.

I smoked pot and found it wasn't much different than having a few drinks. I had a hard time understanding why it was illegal. I didn't feel like a criminal.

I watched friends lose jobs and have to use public assistance. Hell, at one time Eric and I even qualified for food stamps.

I met and befriended gay people. I knew there was no way it was a choice. I believe, with 100% of my being that they were born that way.

Then there were my questions about religion. I've always been inquisitive... To the point that it drove my mom and my teachers crazy. When I was a kid I questioned the Bible and my mom got very angry with me. She told me that questioning was showing lack of faith and that was a sin. Really? Why did God give me a brain then? I lost faith in the Christian religion in my teens. I dabbled in Wicca in my 20s. I still don't know what I believe. I'm agnostic because I am not arrogant enough to think my beliefs are right for everyone.

This brings me to my point. I'm seeing a very divided country lately. It seems like its idealistic conservatives vs. empathetic liberals. We liberals seem to be "live and let live" type of people. I find this way of thinking much more realistic. Life is not perfect. Sometimes a baby is not in your cards. Sometimes people need public assistance. Sometimes people become slaves to addictions. And not everyone believes in the same god. Some people don't believe in a god at all.

Conservatives seem too rigid for my taste. Everything is so black and white. Well, guess what? Life is gray. It's ideal for someone to just say, "Well, don't get pregnant!" in the pro-life argument. Much easier said than done. Accidents happen and I don't think they're all meant to be.

"Get off your ass and work!" OK. This is the most ridiculous thing I hear with the welfare argument. Not all jobs pay well. A factory worker making $8 an hour sometimes has a hard time feeding his or her family. Guess what? That factory worker could very well climb the ranks and not need assistance down the road.

But today I saw the cruelest statement on CM regarding making abortion illegal. It was something to the effect that women who would resort to a coat hanger abortion and die from infection deserved it.

When did we become so self righteous and judgemental? When did we decide we have all the answers and the "right" way of doing things?

I'm glad I grew up and opened my mind. I feel like a much better person for doing so.

Tags: conservative, liberal, abortion, welfare, homosexuality, religion

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