I was sitting having lunch when I happened to overhear the woman at the next table say "that area of the state used to be nice, but now it's full of right wing conservative assholes." Now, I don't make a habit on eavesdropping on people, but this woman had already interjected herself into our conversation, making it obvious she was eavesdropping on us. Our discourse was non-political, but she overheard our conversation and started adding her comments and engaging us on what we were saying. We were merely talking about the service in the restaurant we were in, but it was interesting that she suddenly became a part of our conversation, and started commenting to us on what we were saying.

I happen to live in a very blue community in a very blue state, and I have learned that it's best to keep your politics to yourself in day to day activities, because where I live, everyone assumes you are liberal. Even further, it is interesting to note that it is taken as a matter of course that of course you are a liberal, because if you are successful and project an aura of afflunece, you must be a liberal if you happen to live in this community.

It is also interesting to note that, in case you may not know this, I spent many years as a dedicated left-wing liberal. My background includes playing in left-wing punk bands and spouting talking points from the liberal hand-book. It wasn't until recently that I started examining the actual arguments I was espousing and realized that I could not defend many, if not any, of these liberal viewpoints that I was spreading like so much propaganda. The upshot of this is that my circle of friends, many whom I have known for years, if not decades, are overwhelmingly liberal in their political views. I don't hold it against them, as they are my friends, and as the saying goes, "friends should not talk religion or politics." Even further, I don't make value judgements about them, as they are my friends, and I believe they are sincere, even if I think they are misguided. They have a right to their opinions, even if I don't agree.

This puts me in a unique position, in that I don't make my views known to those who are my friends, at the risk of offending them or affecting our friendship, and I end up overhearing some pretty interesting statements. One of the most common statements that I have gleaned from liberal conversation is that "all Republicans are selfish." Now, I'm sure I may have said similar things in my many years of liberalism before I came out into the light, but hearing others say it, and realizing that if they only knew that they would be talking about me, was particularly telling. My friends know that I am not selfish, or at least they have said as much on many occasions. But a particular friend I was in band with, who did not know that I was conservative, made this statement about all Republicans and/or conservatives, and when I said "that's nonsense because I am a conservative who on many occasions votes Republican," it was an awkward moment. Of course this person did not realize that she may be talking about me, but it was said, and it was meant when it was said. Perhaps it wouldn't be said now, I don't know.

The point of this is that the liberal base, of which I was a member for many years, is subtly engaging in a hypocrisy of the worst form. In a liberal enclave, where everyone is speaking to their base, it is understood that all conservatives are "assholes," or "selfish." I have no doubt that in a conservative enclave, the same may be happening, but the conservatives don't necessarily to claim to hold a higher ground on this issue. The liberals, after all, are those who, by virtue of their emotional and elitist attitudes, are the ones who are right by virtue of their moralty. They claim to be the unselfish, the compassionate, the ones who are willing to turn the other cheek and help those who are less fortunate. After all, isn't that what being a liberal is all about? Affirmative Action, equal opportunity for all, a level playing field, etc.? Unless of course you happen to be conservative - then you are a "selfish asshole."

The irony of it all is that those who claim to be against bigotry, who claim to believe in equal opportunity, and who claim to disdain any type of favoritism, speak against those whom they do not agree with in such bigoted, elitist rhetoric. I, as a conservative, feel they are misguided, but unless they speak out against the country on foreign soil like Cindy Sheehan or Michael Moore, I still call them my friends, because many of them are, and I love them even though I may not agree with them. It's a pity that many liberals who wear such an elitist crown are so quick to pass judgement, so far that they would use such a derogatory term as "asshole" for someone whom they merely disagree with.