A Virgin No More

I have been exposed to various sides of blogging for years. Mostly as a second-party consumer, sometimes as a third-party observer. Never as an active participant.

To be honest, just the word "blog" makes me want to throw a shoe at someone.

However, I have realized something over the years that compells me to start speaking up. That fact is this: I have a system of thought that is largely unrepresented. I am a morally conservative agnostic socialist-libertarian. My views regarding family, politics, work, leisure, etc., are not in synch with the average anybody. While some groups speak my views on some issues quite eloquently, I find that those same groups often like to relieve themselves on other views that I hold quite dear. Examples:

• I believe in morals, marriage, and the importance of the family unit. I also beleive that religion does not have a monopoly on these beliefs and that people from all walks of life are free to decide for themselves what these things mean to them, and how they choose to participate.
• I believe strongly in the right to bear arms. I also believe strongly in my right to not exercise that right, and find some gun control laws perfectly reasonable.
• I believe in fiscal conservatism in governments. I also think that taxes are far too low in this country for the amount of things that we the people expect our government to do. In reference to this point, if public education is considered service whose benefits far outweigh the costs (which I most certainly do), then I think it's pretty silly to believe that medical care is not.
• I believe in the decriminalization of all consensual crimes, ie. drug-use, prostitution, gambling, pornography, etc. I also think that if you take drugs you're an idiot, if you lose your house in a poker game, you deserve to be homeless, and if your spouse catches you engaging in prostitution, he/she has a right to take you for everything you're worth in the divorce.
• I believe in respecting others and approaching everything in a sound, rational manner. I also believe that real change only occurs through chaos. My greatest respect and admiration goes to those who, in a non-violent way, integrate a little chaos into the system to get people to show you their true colors.

So, as I duck the onslaught of incoming Nikes, Reeboks, and Dr. Martens currently in crash-course trajectory to my head, I embark into the unknown: active participation in the worldy debate on, whatever. May we all learn something, especially me.