Right Wing Or Left Wing - Where Do I Fit In

It has been said by my offspring and most of my friends, that I am a right winger or more precisely a conservative. That's become a dirty word in this country. Some days I have to agree with him and others I'm not so sure. Maybe I'm a little of both depending on the day, maybe even the time of day.

I absolutely believe in personal responsibility for my life and have some disdain for the "cradle to grave" socialist system of the country in which I live. I also don't believe in legislation for every behaviour since most people could care less anyhow, they just go about their merry way doing or thinking their own thing in private. But I also believe in giving a hand up to those genuinely in need. Society is judged by it's compassion and just by being conservative doesn't mean I don't give a shit.

Nevertheless, maybe I'm just not liberal enough, so on that note maybe (with tongue firmly planted in cheek) I need to memorize these 10 Commandments to make sure I don't run afoul of the politically correct liberals. The article can be read in it's entirety in this newspaper opinion piece and the list is as follows;

1. Thou shalt have compassion for the poor, downtrodden and elderly, except no compassion shalt be spared for the poor, downtrodden and elderly who are sick and suffering on hospital waiting lists as this would endanger our most sacred of cows: socialized health care.

2. Thou shalt love peace and promote universal brotherhood, except it's OK for big union bosses to smite or otherwise intimidate workers who wish to cross a picket line.

3. Thou shalt support the notion that no one is above the law, except in the case of Mohawk "warriors" who have every right to defy our laws and shut down our major highways.

4. Thou shalt support official bilingualism, except in Quebec where thou shalt support the government's right to criminalize the English language.

5. Thou shalt oppose corporations that seek to increase profits, but thou shalt support governments which seek to increase taxes.

SCORN AMERICANS

6. Thou shalt oppose and denigrate anything associated with the United States and scorn all Americans, the exception being Al Gore and Michael Moore, whom ye shall worship and follow without question.

7. Thou shalt defend human rights, except for the human rights of gun owners, smokers, pit bull owners or any other unpopular or politically incorrect minority group.

8. Thou shalt not whip up public hysteria about terrorism, but thou shalt whip up public hysteria about global warming.

9. Thou shalt solve all the problems of the world, from climate change, to Third World poverty, to Bono's need for publicity, with over-hyped rock concerts.

10. Thou shalt extol religious tolerance, except when it comes to Christianity which thou shalt mock, ridicule and otherwise malign at every opportunity.

So there you go, I will commit these to memory and try to live by them...and thank you Gerry Nicholls for coming up with this list.