Member-only story
Memories of Being “Patriot” Shamed by the GOP
I’m old enough to remember when the right claimed the moral high ground
I was still a teen in the 1960s, but I was old enough to understand when the Republic Party liked to claim that it was made up of the “Moral Majority.” I remember trying to discuss issues like the Vietnam War with Republican family members and having them wave a finger at me and call me a “commie.”
They called those of us who questioned the government “anti-American.” They said that we must hate our country. We weren’t patriots, the conservatives yelled.
“America! Love it or leave it!!!!”
Yup.
I remember.
I was an adult when Bill Clinton was in office. For his first term, I kind of liked the guy. I like the fact that he let his wife take on an important role in his administration. I really liked the way that they pushed for healthcare reform. I voted for him that time.
But after the Monica scandal hit, and Clinton was impeached for lying to Congress and obstructing justice, my loyalty wavered.
I wasn’t happy with the guy, but I didn’t want to vote Republican. And I wasn’t about to pull the lever for Ross Perot.
