Socially Conservative Democrats Unite!

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

People here get really hung up over labels, huh?

[Derpist]

People here get really hung up over labels, huh?

In a sense, I have to admit it is a little hypocritical for us to make fun of Tumblr's 96 gender identities.

[DINGO Joe]

I'm fine with gays getting married (or mixed race marriage for that matter)
I'm pro-choice
I think teen pregnancy is one of the great albatrosses in modern society, so I'm all for free birth control.

So, while I guess I live a rather pedestrian white male married, teen baby-free hetero life, I guess I'll have to opt out.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I'm not sure if I count as either 'socially conservative' or a 'Democrat', but I support this.

[beaver2.0]

People here get really hung up over labels, huh?

Now we need our own state images!

[Thunderbird is the word]

As a registered Democrat I have differences with Democrats on social issues, namely that I hate nanny statism and think you should be able to smoke in bars. I would consider that to make me socially to the left of most liberals in that I equate social liberalism with an absence of social control.

[Young Conservative]

I'm conservative socially but I think y'all already knew that.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

I'm conservative socially but I think y'all already knew that.

Congrats, you're my polar opposite socially in regards to viewpoint lol.

[RINO Tom]

I'm conservative socially but I think y'all already knew that.

Well, you're not a Democrat, so unless you're going to renounce your economic views, I don't think they're inviting you to the gathering.

[Mr. Smith]

Truth be told, to call my views socially conservative would be like calling libertarians socially liberal. It's not quite accurate.

[RINO Tom]

Truth be told, to call my views socially conservative would be like calling libertarians socially liberal. It's not quite accurate.

And you're developing more of an "us vs. them" attitude as politics becomes even more polarized, pretty much leaving your social conservatism in the dust for the sake of your disdain for Republicans ... if I do say so myself.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Truth be told, to call my views socially conservative would be like calling libertarians socially liberal. It's not quite accurate.

And you're developing more of an "us vs. them" attitude as politics becomes even more polarized, pretty much leaving your social conservatism in the dust for the sake of your disdain for Republicans ... if I do say so myself.

Many social conservatives have very valid reasons to disdain the GOP.

(really, any decent person should detest the GOP - I know there are many decent people who don't, but the point is they should)

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Really 'socially conservative' is a very unwieldy and silly term. I mean the 'socially' descriptor is better than its evil cousin, my bête noir, but it's still a flabby term. Does it mean 'of the religious right'? Does it mean somebody who expouses law and order policies? The role of libertarianism (who may be social conservatives - there is no contradiction between JCL and his avatar, for instance - further murkies the waters.

[White Trash]

Really 'socially conservative' is a very unwieldy and silly term. I mean the 'socially' descriptor is better than its evil cousin, my bête noir, but it's still a flabby term. Does it mean 'of the religious right'? Does it mean somebody who expouses law and order policies? The role of libertarianism (who may be social conservatives - there is no contradiction between JCL and his avatar, for instance - further murkies the waters.

My definition (I must emphasize that this is simply my personal opinion), is that it means an emphasis on traditional values and society.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Really 'socially conservative' is a very unwieldy and silly term. I mean the 'socially' descriptor is better than its evil cousin, my bête noir, but it's still a flabby term. Does it mean 'of the religious right'? Does it mean somebody who expouses law and order policies? The role of libertarianism (who may be social conservatives - there is no contradiction between JCL and his avatar, for instance - further murkies the waters.

This is why I have no idea whether or not I count.

[Antonio the Sixth]

For the record (not that my opinion is really relevant here, but since I provided the inspiration for this thread I might as well weigh in), what I had in mind with "socon" (which probably wasn't the best word for it, but anyhow) was people who don't subscribe to the "live and let live" paradigm that defines modern liberalism and believe that the State has a legitimate role in promoting moral behavior.

I certainly don't think it should mean hating gays (sorry Hifly!), being a MRA, or having Drumpf's views on Islam.

[White Trash]

For the record (not that my opinion is really relevant here, but since I provided the inspiration for this thread I might as well weigh in), what I had in mind with "socon" (which probably wasn't the best word for it, but anyhow) was people who don't subscribe to the "live and let live" paradigm that defines modern liberalism and believe that the State has a legitimate role in promoting moral behavior.

I certainly don't think it should mean hating gays (sorry Hifly!), being a MRA, or having Drumpf's views on Islam.

Of course! I'm totally in support of gay marriage, think the MRAs and Trump are terrible. I just think that the government should be promoting a sense of community is all.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

For the record (not that my opinion is really relevant here, but since I provided the inspiration for this thread I might as well weigh in), what I had in mind with "socon" (which probably wasn't the best word for it, but anyhow) was people who don't subscribe to the "live and let live" paradigm that defines modern liberalism and believe that the State has a legitimate role in promoting moral behavior.

I certainly don't think it should mean hating gays (sorry Hifly!), being a MRA, or having Drumpf's views on Islam.

Yeah, we have a few really, really dumb and regressive red avatars on here oddly (that are not from the south shockingly), but I think most core members of this movement who were not already known as complete bigots could agree on these points.

Traditional values is probably the best way of putting it because I'm not sure there is an actually debated social issue where I take the right wing stance outside of abortion and very mild and cautious support of guns (certainly no fan, want serious regulations). Trying to get rid of drugs without prosecuting/criminalizing users/addicts. Those are probably the core pieces and even those shouldn't be necessary to define oneself as a social conservative. My authoritarian leanings on non-policy matters might make me more 'socially right-wing' than some in the group, but I don't think they are by any means a necessity.

[Fight for Trump]

I certainly don't think it should mean hating gays (sorry Hifly!), being a MRA, or having Drumpf's views on Islam.

It is possible to oppose, or only lukewarmly support same-sex marriage without hating gays. In my opinion, this is the position of the majority of Republicans and even many Democrats. Marriage is an important part of all religions, which is why I prefer the term "civil union" for same-sex or other civil marriages. If some religious denominations want to conduct same-sex marriages, that is a debate which can happen in the religious arena, which is where it belongs. Civil unions take away no rights from same-sex couples while respecting religious institutions. In fact, civil unions are an expansion of gay liberties because nobody has the inherent right to get married at all, as far as the government is concerned. Personally, I'm fine with the status quo regarding same-sex marriage, but the attitude by some on the left to describe any reservations about same-sex marriage as being anti-gay is disrespectful.

Nowadays, almost anything can get you labelled as a racist, homophobe, sexist, etc. It doesn't feel good to be called those things when you are not a hateful person. In fact, calling people such things only incites hatred. The rise of Trump is not only because of his supporters being neglected by the GOP. Liberal Democrats have been attacking these people - the weak, the voiceless, the natural constituency of the Democratic Party - and making them feel like outsiders in their own country.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I certainly don't think it should mean hating gays (sorry Hifly!), being a MRA, or having Drumpf's views on Islam.

It is possible to oppose, or only lukewarmly support same-sex marriage without hating gays. In my opinion, this is the position of the majority of Republicans and even many Democrats. Marriage is an important part of all religions, which is why I prefer the term "civil union" for same-sex or other civil marriages. If some religious denominations want to conduct same-sex marriages, that is a debate which can happen in the religious arena, which is where it belongs. Civil unions take away no rights from same-sex couples while respecting religious institutions. In fact, civil unions are an expansion of gay liberties because nobody has the inherent right to get married at all, as far as the government is concerned. Personally, I'm fine with the status quo regarding same-sex marriage, but the attitude by some on the left to describe any reservations about same-sex marriage as being anti-gay is disrespectful.

Nowadays, almost anything can get you labelled as a racist, homophobe, sexist, etc. It doesn't feel good to be called those things when you are not a hateful person. In fact, calling people such things only incites hatred. The rise of Trump is not only because of his supporters being neglected by the GOP. Liberal Democrats have been attacking these people - the weak, the voiceless, the natural constituency of the Democratic Party - and making them feel like outsiders in their own country.

Darn it, just great...really great... I don't disagree with lots of this and there are some great points, but man, you fulfilled BRTD's prophecy. You realize he will never shut up about this now.