A follow-up to Inside the mind of a Far-Lefter
Recently (or was it recently? Ah well), I wrote Inside the mind of a Far-Lefter, a little look into what I was like when I was an extremist. Due to the overwhelming response (okay, overwhelming is a little too strong a term, but it's still my top-rated article) and at Toblerone's suggestion, here is the story of how I became an extremist and how that part of me eventually, and at one point inevitably, collapsed.
Well, I haven't really been interested in politics that long. It all started shortly after Bush was elected. I was a little upset about his win, but not overall outraged about it. Then, the war in Iraq came. With little access to facts, and an unbelievably liberal aunt, that decision turned me decidedly against Bush, and, as a result, against Republicans. I started blasting his policies at every turn. My my, I was quite the 'Anyone but Bush' guy.
Well, for 4 years my politics were nothing but partisan. The mere mention of Bush brought forth an inflamed attitude from me. I really wouldn't like to delve too much into this time, as it brings back some memories I'm not particularly proud of. Let's just say I wasn't as clever at politics during this period as I was about other things.
Of course, my extremism didn't simply go away. It was for months in decline as I slowly but surely moved closer to the center. The decline started right around the time Kerry won the primaries. I didn't really like Kerry, the man, but I did like his policies. However, this slight dislike of Kerry caused me to really question my views, as it caused some insecurity as to whether I should support him. I started really looking at some of the issues and formed real, unbiased opininos, over a long period of time. So it was in a weakened state that my extremism led me to Joeuser.
If memory serves, Bush had just won the election when I joined Joeuser. And luck (or perhaps fate?) led me to an article that was some of the most hateful anti-bush vitriol that I had ever seen. I was so disgusted by this guy I even joined in the bash of him. Anyway, there was some article that I read next about Bush's policies that I said some pretty nasty stuff on. I read what I had put on, then checked back on the anti-bush one, and realized how much I sounded like him.
'Twas the final blow, the last nail in the coffin, if you will, to my extremism. I renounced my extremism on the spot, and I have been the me who wrote these articles ever since. In a way, you could say Bush drove me to extremism, and Kerry started its destruction. Ironic, isn't it, that the Republican drove me to the far left and the Democrat brought me back. But I digress.
Since that point I have considered myself a moderate Democrat. Feel free to disagree.
P.S. If whoever I put that nasty comment (comments?) on their article is here, please accept my apologies. I knew not what I wrote.
P.P.S. I must give credit where credit is due, The Fazz also helped me out of it with his reasonable moderate views.