One of the greatest paradoxes I see in America today is the stronghold that conservatism currently has on the military. During a moment of brevity in a mission brief, I once heard a commander utter the phrase, "I don’t think anyone wants us to lose, except the Democrats. Does everyone agree with that?" I sat alone in a corner and listened to the affirming chuckles around the room. It seems odd to me that those who love this government organization which pays everyone of the same rank equally regardless of job or performance, issues everyone everything they need in identical make and model, and provides socialized healthcare for every Service Member and his/her dependents still regularly refer to progressives in general, and on occasion myself specifically, as "commies".
Since I was a boy, there was one thing that I knew by instinct; that never had to be taught to me: if I had more of something than I needed, I should give my extra to someone who had none. This is a value I never had to live through conscious action. It was obvious and came natural. I shared my snacks at recess in elementary school. In junior high I made sure my mother gave my friends (whose parents were working nights) a ride to the dance. In high school, I gave rides home to the underclassmen. When a friend of mine told me he wanted to learn to play guitar after graduation, but didn’t have one to learn on, I told him he could have one of mine. He asked if I was sure, to which I replied, "I can only play one at a time." I don’t mention these things to brag, or to say I am morally superior to anyone. I never had much growing up, and I know I was probably the beneficiary of such actions more often than I was the benefactor. I describe these actions because I fail to understand how anyone could do anything else; how anyone among us can justify hoarding anything while others are needy.
I believe that no one should ever be told what to believe, or even to believe at all. I feel that there are many among us who should speak with the founders of this great nation so that they may hear what it is like to have a particular belief forced upon you, and to be persecuted when you refuse it.
I believe in a just and equal society, where no one gets a hand out, but everyone gets the same chance; where a young minority man or woman has the same chance of graduating from a quality institute of higher learning and obtaining quality employment, as the son of a wealthy business man. I believe that affirmative action is not equality, but I believe that until every man and woman has a fair chance, it is necessary.
I believe there is nothing in this world more important than hope.
I believe that it is foolish to think that we can use our machines to emit chemicals into our atmosphere in quantities never before seen on our planet with no consequences. I believe that if we ignore the science that proves this, it will have catastrophic consequences.
I believe that our great nation was founded by immigrants. To be quite honest, they were illegal immigrants. I believe it is hypocrisy to criticize others for this and that you should ever fault a person for trying to make a better life for themselves. I believe it is erroneous to argue our jobs are being stolen by immigrants, while we outsource jobs overseas. I believe our dependence on fossil fuels produced by regimes that oppress freedom and support terrorism is a far greater threat to national security than illegal immigration. I feel the way we ignore the oppression of freedom and support of terrorism by anyone who keeps the black gold flowing to our shores is obscene.
I believe that education not based in science and reason is a farce.
I believe that unions are necessary to care for out working poor and our middle class. I believe they are the last protection of the less fortunate from greedy individuals who want nothing more than to have more for themselves regardless of whether it is at someone else’s expense.
I believe that, from a historical prospective, anyone who as ever advocated for a stagnant society has been wrong, and progress is necessary to better human kind.
I believe that a government is subordinate to the will of the people, not the other way around. I believe that the roles have been reversed in our society. I believe that if anything, our people should be doing more to find out what our elected and appointed officials are saying when they think no one is listening, rather than our government placing wiretaps on our phones.
I believe that it is wrong for anyone to tell another who they cannot share consensual love. I believe that to do this is no different than the racist laws that were in place earlier in our nation’s history that prevented those of difference races from marrying.
I believe we can never stop trying to make our selves, those around us, and the world a better place.
I believe that no one should ever be sick without care. I believe that health should not be treated as a utility that you must be billed for every month.
I believe that essential to the success for our nation is a strong military. A strong military is a military in which all its members our taken care of. In which its lowest ranking members receive a livable wage, and do not have to rely on food stamps to feed their families. A strong military is a military in which its warriors who have been wounded in the line of duty receive the best standard of care possible, regardless of cost. I believe that a strong military would do this of its own accord, without oversight. I believe a strong military is a military that is used only when absolutely necessary to ensure the success of our democracy or to help others legitimately in need (not selfish aims of an aristocracy masked as need).
UPDATE: I forgot one thing that is very important--
I believe that doctors exist, amongst other purposes, to help and advise a woman in making decisions about her health, so that legislators and judges do not have to.