I didn't change -- the paradigm shifted

ב"ה

Just so you all should know, if someone had told me 10 years ago or even 5 years ago or even at the most recent presidential election that by 2020 I'd be a conservative I'd have told them they were crazy and been horrified. But it turns out that the world passed me by. It's not so much that I've changed my opinions, though, on some issues, I have re-evaluated things.

The change began when Mr. Trump became president. I was so totally shocked that he won. But I wasn't a fan of Ms. Clinton either. So I figured I'd do what my Mom always told me to do when the person I voted for didn't win -- give the person who did win a chance to show me how the next 4 (or 8) years will unfold. So I did.

The first thing that impressed me was moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Tel Aviv has never been Israel's capital and what other country has other countries tell it where they will have their embassies.

Soon after that, I started listening to my best friend (who's a news hound, something I am not), who had voted for Mr. Trump. I started getting a different perspective and it answered a lot of my questions as to why the world had turned about Israel, why people were getting so upset over politics and many other things. So I did more research.

I discovered Prager University (I had heard of Dennis Prager because he and his friend Joseph Telushkin had written some books that were on the list of books I had gotten for my ex-boyfriend that were recommended for potential converts to Judaism). Dennis Prager has videos on his site that, in very calm language, explain logically, with the help of experts in the field, about different topics (like why Stephen Harper, former PM of Canada, supports Israel and Dennis Prager explaining the difference between leftist and liberals and Larry Elder talking about the biggest problem in the African American community -- not racism, but absent fathers). I listened to them and, while there are a few things I disagree with, most of the videos are not only enjoyable to watch but quite informative. One needs to listen to things like that with an open mind.

I have been a searcher for truth all my life. And finding out I had been lied to when it comes to so much in life hit me hard. But listening to these videos helped me realize that I certainly wasn't a leftist.

Eventually, a long time friend, whom I verbally jousted with over the 30 or so years we've known each other, told me I should join a Conservative Vegetarian Facebook group (he gave me a link to a quiz that told you whether you were a liberal or a conservative and I came out slightly conservative, though I have since probably gone more off the "deep end" in the minds of my liberal friends and family).

I also found that the Conservative Vegetarians (I'm a vegan) are more likely to be in my medical camp -- pro-natural health, against drugs (medication), against vaccinations (I had my last -- I hope it remains my "last" -- shot -- about 30 years ago. Considering that I've gotten some major flack from people about my position in this area, it's nice to "meet" people who agree with me. I've gotten a lot of outrage and resentment when I try to tell people that the Corona "crisis" has been grossly exaggerated. So it was nice (really nice) to listen to Dennis Prager's "Fireside Chats" (about 30-40 minutes a "pop") and listen to his comments on the lock down (he has said just about everything I've said over the weeks of the lock down).

In any case, I'm finding the liberals are cowed by leftists. It's a shame and it's a shame that liberals don't realize that leftists are the enemies of liberals as well as conservatives. The Nazis were leftists (not right wing as we've been taught), the Fascists (and anti-fa) are leftists. Socialists and Communists are leftists.

When non-leftist Americans learn these things, it will be better for the United States and all our allies. Time to realize that America is, as Lincoln said, the last best hope for the world. The United States is the least racist, most free and has the best equality of opportunity not only now, but more than any other country in the past. This country incorporates Torah (Jewish biblical) law making it the most just system outside of Israel (current and ancient), which is based on the Torah.

Appreciate this. Appreciate living in a free land. Because if you and I don't appreciate it and don't fight for it, we will lose it.