Intro
So, I have to start a blog for my RTF344M class. We had to pick a social issue to create media about throughout the semester.Now, a lot of you who know me will realize that this is hard for me. Not to be politically minded, which I am (right Will???). But in the creation of media, especially in my narrative work, I try to keep politics out of it. I believe in film being an escape and don't want to turn off a section of the audience.
So, I had to search for an issue. I am generally speaking, an open minded guy and can see both sides of an issue. This can’t be said of most people. So, I decided that one issue isn’t enough, but instead, I would explore my general world view.
This lead me to discussing my political party of choice. I am a former Republican, but currently a registered Libertarian.
Now, the question begs be asked ‘why associate yourself with a party that will never win.’ People have asked me. By best friend is a staunch GOP guy (although not a radical right type of guy) and my brother in law is a Texas Democrat…maybe THE Texas Democrat. The see politics as a game and being a Libertarian is like being an Aggie. The chances of winning are slim to none.
So, why? Because I believe that ‘you’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.’ So, even if you lose, you shouldn’t compromise your beliefs. And neither of the two major parties fit my beliefs very well.
Republican ideas of small government and letting the people do their thing appeal to me. But, they counter themselves by wanting to dictate morality and some of the civil liberty issues.
Democrats are way off…they want the government to provide EVERYTHING and they want to take all my money to do it.
So, I took my beliefs of small government, strong national defense, pro-choice and pro-gay marriage and shopped around. I came up with Libertarians. I don’t agree with everything they stand for, but at least they are TRULY tolerant of other ideas.
More to follow….
posted by James Christopher at 12:59 PM
5 Comments:
Jim, your question "why associate yourself with a party that will never win?" is pretty relevant to the alternative media class. Of course, the question in here, is "why bother making media few people will see or will influence few people?" We'll explore this through the semester, but I will say that one reason is that it forces you to think about what you believe and why you believe it. (Unless, of course, you're just parroting someone else.) I can tell you're doing some serious thought about alternative media and political engagement, and I thank you for it.
Jim,
I look forward to your blog. I too like many of the Libertarian ideals. Small government (just large enough to handle the big issues) and INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM are founding principles of the United States. Government has gotten so large and like virtually all large organizations and bureaucracies, people feel they have to keep doing "something", "anything" to keep their job. Today government has gotten so large they are into micro-management. Unfortunately that translates into mico-managing our lives and "control" over people, situations, and even thought. The Republican party of today has become the world's largest micro-manager, which flys in the face of their "fundamental idealogical beliefs". I actually have talked to a number of Republicans/independents recently that are disgusted with the where we have gone under Republican control at both the national and state levels. They don't get any solace from Democrats either. The Democrats don't seem to be able to find a voice for real change and improvement. It is surprising to me to see the number of people that are actually talking about voting third party, especially in the Texas governor's race.
Good luck with your blog. I look forward to updates.
Larry
Well, you may remember the strongly libertarian streak in my western civ class (the state as constituted by popular sovereignty is the source of many modern problems), but it seems to me (having taught the course twice more since you were in it) that the logical outcome of my position is some kind of anarchist political position. I agree with you that the Libertarians are more tolerant than the other US parties, but I am not sure that they are innerly consistent (i.e., how can you have small government *and* strong national defense).
Anyway I look forward to reading more about libertarianism on your blog since I don't know much about it. Also I'd like to underline the positive aspects of creating media for a small audience. (It's a little bit like designing a college course--only a minority of the enrolled students really take advantage of it. But if even one student takes advantage of any of it, that is a victory for the professor).
BTW Jim I am in Germany for the next two years.
Susan B
Hi Jim,
It's encouraging to see you engaging with political discourse, if only through a mandatory class assignment. As I hope I conveyed in my own class, much of the creative process in narrative storytelling through audio/visual media involves finding and demonstrating your voice through a set of agreed upon formal techniques. Those techniques amount to tools enabling the expression of your worldviews, ideologies, characters, etc. As you seek out information on libertarians, third-party histories, and the efficacy of political dissonance, I encourage you to think about the choices you make or will make in the creation of your own "mainstream" media and how those choices connote a political worldview.
Jim,
Believing in small government, strong national defense,pro-choice, pro-gay marriage and tolorance for diversity is a good thing to stand for. If enough of us associate ourselves with a party that never wins. We just might surprise everyone and come out the Winner one day.
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