This was most likely the proverbial straw

Although I didn't technically leave the Democratic party until 2000 when I voted for Bush (about whom I knew little) instead of Gore (whom I actually liked at that time), today I accidentally came across a straw--don't know if it was the "last straw"-- that I think mattered to me more than Clinton's deplorable behavior in office. The Rwanda genocide in 1994 and the United States' nonresponse (except for hand wringing). The USA didn't mind smacking other governments around if we needed their natural resources, but killing a million people in a matter of months? Black people? No big deal. Not even black Democrats cared much--their leverage was with the wrongs of the 18th and 19th century. And the United Nations? What a piece of worthlessness!

My disaffection with liberalism had a long history--we hadn't been a good match for a number of years dating back to the mid-1970s. I had always been pro-life and since I enjoyed reading history the humanism base of liberalism was pretty hard to swallow. It seemed pretty obvious just from the genocidal and "death by government decree" (USSR, Maoist China) and action in the 20th century, that humans were not perfectable no matter how much money you threw at them through government programs, and that there would be no perfect kum-by-ya harmony in any government's plan. And then in 1994 when we became a "small business" the barn door was left unlocked and all the horses upon which I'd ridden for years began to escape.

So it was personal, spiritual and political, but I left and have never been sorry. Conservatives turn into Republicans who turn into RINOs, but at least conservatives seem to understand that human beings are not perfectable, which all of history, common sense, and trillions of debt confirms. I don't know, maybe liberals don't really believe it either--but I know I did despite all evidence to the contrary, my own behavior, and the church's teachings.

Led by Faith

Immaculee Ilbagiza has an amazing story. I've been watching her today on book TV. Her website. Her story of neighbor killing neighbor and friend murdering friend is chilling. She and 7 other women lived in the bathroom of a pastor for 91 days, hiding from the Hutus. But her story of forgiveness which she knew she had to do to survive is inspiring. It looks like she will be in Columbus in February; Clearwater, FL this coming week-end.