Young Republicans
I can not help but be puzzled by the phenomenon of the Young Republicans. Having a son who is bright, curious, intelligent, open minded and talented I do what most parents probably do, assume he is basically the average or "the norm". That means that other children his own age should more or less share many of his abilitites, strengths and weaknesses, while of course having many deviations from what I (admitted bias) consider "the norm" for his generation. So naturally I consider him a worthwhile addition to the electorate - and it's NOT because he echoes my bias and beliefs but because he has his OWN. His biases and beliefs also give me confidence in his ability to make informed choices that are positive for himself and the future of a country he represents.
There's more than one path to the right destination. My son seems to have found his own and as far as I can tell it's taking him where I wouldn't mind going myself, and eventually to the same place I strive to be. A better place. A place that corrects the ills of our society and it's biases and bigotry. A place that represents a better future for all of mankind - not just Americans, citizens of the USA.
Some young people didn't get his gifts. Some parents give their children different gifts.
Raising children is not easy. We don't have a manual for it and the "classes" and "orientations" that are legislated in some communities to instruct young adults in basic matters of human life I find insulting in the extreme. Given there is no structure (and probably should never be) in the raising of the country's young'ns it is naturally and rightly so a parent's task, asked for or not, like it or not. If the parent isn't up to the task someone else will step in or be drafted. That much is guaranteed.
Most young people find positive role models. Even with the faults all humans display most children will find a patina of virtue, of right (no matter how thin it may be on any given person) and will recognize it as a beacon.
Pirates long ago, and probably still today when it is possilbe, would sometimes fire a rudely constructed beacon of pitch and logs and other material in order to fool a passing ship onto rocks or a sandbar. Then of course they could begin the looting. Young Republicans seem to have been given this type of moral beacon, and they have been plundered.
Aside from a tiny abberant few that would be present in any large population, I refuse to believe that most children would willingly follow an evil message of domination, intimidation, prejudice and hate without some form of inner rebellion. But, as is clearly evidenced from the existence of Young Republicans, this inner sense of "what is truly right" can be missing or can been silenced.
Some Young Republicans followed the false beacon. Maybe, and most likely, it was the only one they could see in the long night. Once helpless and beached they've had their souls and inner mental workings looted. Someone - a parent, a relative, and influencial person of note - with dark designs for the future of their interaction with other members of the human race has taken advantage of the found riches. These people have stolen the treasure. Instead of a creating a person who can add to the future of mankind, when they create Young Republicans, they extend a tradition of vicious intimidation, violent domination, Talibanish religious views and a desire to protect themselves at any cost. And there is the fear, the blanket of fear laid down like a sticky goo all over their belief system. Fear of theft, of attack, of change itself. It's everywhere and motivates them beyond reason.
What would the world be like without the Young Republicans? I'm not sure it would really be that much different. Without groups like the Young Republicans to indoctrinate future party members life would probably be much the same. The males would still follow the traditional activities of Republican party members - closet homosexuality, a desire to assault anyone who appears different or weak, date rape, pedophilia, prejudice toward non-whites and non-christians (and non-wealthy), resentment toward intelligent women, among other "conservative family value" pastimes.
The Young Republicans are not a mythical society, much to ourr shame. It is an organization comitted to constant reinforcement of the Republican family values - closet homosexuality, public hatred for the LGBT community, a desire to assault and punish anyone who appears different or weak, very closet pedophilia, hating non-whites, hating immigrants, hating liberals, not understanding definitions of commonly used words, jingoism, resentment toward intelligent women, hating everything non-American, foot tapping, wife cheating, etc., etc., - and of course all the stuff documented HERE (if you don't believe me).