IT'S FRIDAY, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

There are times when I let my righteous indignation get the better of me.

Over the past few weeks, I have noticed that my responses to certain individuals and certain situations have not been completely indicative of my true feelings. I have noted an increase in my basic conservatism, to the point that I find I have been less than forgiving of those who are the of the liberal stripe. Whatever the reasons, I do not find that I wish to continue this trend.

I am a conservative, in thought and deed. But I am not an extreme conservative. I hold more moderate views, and, in fact, agree with the liberal view in many respects. Yet I have seen my reaction to the extreme liberals to be a 9-9 push toward the far right. My normal laid back style has been corrupted. And I will change that.

I am an intelligent person. Therefore I should have realized that the posters of the far left have been inciting me to my responses. But I fell into their trap, and responded as they wanted me to. No more. I am on to their baiting.

I am a forgiving person, probably too forgiving, at times. But, nevertheless, I do tend to get my points across, at times in a most acerbic way. At other times, I get my points across in a straightforward manner. I much prefer the latter method.

I am not a lurker. When I see something with which I disagree, I do not stand back, I jump right in and let the writer know that I disagree. I do not do this for every item, as I do not have that much time. But if I feel it is important, I do let the writer know that I feel they are wrong and give reasons why I feel that way. But, of late, I have found that I have been going on gut reaction, rather than reasoned argument.

So, what do I do now? Where do I go?

For the most part, there will be little change. There will be less confrontational responses from me. There will be more reasoned responses from me. And, there will be fewer responses from me. I found myself jumping into discussions where all I was doing was adding heat. And my normal moderate views do not support that activity.

I became embroiled in the Clinton/Obama cesspool. And for no good reasons. That is a problem the Democrat party will have to sort out. I don't really have a horse running in that race, it is too comical to really matter, and the mudslinging of those two can only add to the Republican coffers of tools to be used when the real race starts. So why should I get involved and try to correct their errors? I shouldn't. And won't. Unless the participants try to drag the conservatives into the slime along with them. So my political comments will become very few for the time being. At least on the national scale.

Local politics, however, will probably receive a larger share of my attention. As will local social issues, and statewide politics. I do have dogs in those races. And expect to participate in discussions of them.

Contrary to the diatribes issued by the liberal faction, I find that the conservatives like myself have a more idealistic view than the hard-line conservatives and the liberals as a group. I do not find that to be a problem for me. I have always been rather idealistic. But I tend to be somewhat of a pragmatist, too. Ideals do not feed the hungry nor clothe them nor shelter them. That takes pragmatic action. But even the most pragmatic person must have goals and ideals toward which they want to steer governmental and societal actions. And this must not be read as any religious bent, for it is not.

I am constantly disappointed by those who tout their idealistic notions and then fail to act upon them. I attempt, always, to move my life toward my ideals. Many successes and more failures. But the attempt must be made in every action that a person takes. Failure to reach the goal or the ideal is not a moral issue. Failure to attempt to do so is a moral issue.