In my high school, there was apathy and a great dearth of knowledge about politics, but after coming to college, it was like people took a turnabout. All of the sudden, everyone knows everything about their parties, the issues, economics, etc. Maybe because the upcoming 2004 election is a big deal. Perhaps it’s a logical step to becoming an independent adult. No matter the reason, politics is a major issue everywhere on campus; the unversity newspapers, college preachers, and dining room talk at dinner.

Everyone knows that college is the time for experimentation, whether it be sex, drugs, and/or alcohol (note: I’m too much of a coward to try any of the above). Before coming to the University of Kentucky, I didn’t know that politics too was something students liked to fool around with. Fellow columnist Michael Benton was my English 101 and 102 professor and he is responsible for molding me to the political activist I am. Because of that, I started taking politics and how they affected me very seriously. Everything from media-biasedness to human rights was a common discourse with my friends because I was searching for truth and enlightenment. What was the way for me? Within two months of registering on my 18th birthday, I went from Democrat to Independent. The Democrats weren’t doing it for me. It was a party of no ideas and passive leaders.

I’ve always been a left-leaning citizen from my democratic backround at home and the imporatance of equal rights for gays since my late teens. However I got more liberal with each semester and Air America Radio broadcast making me lose hope in our American government. Less than three months from being an Independent, I became a full-fledged Socialist. I did this for several reasons:

1. The two-party system seemed very tainted.
2. I believed the “corporations are the spawn of Satan” hyperbole.
3. Sharing everything seemed swell.
4. Saying you are part of a communist/socialist party sounds “deck” in the hipster world.

Despite getting the odd stares from people when mentioning this at dinner parties, something still didn’t feel right. Sure, the whole concept of it is very naive, but it seemed perfect for a utopian society and that was the problem. There is no such thing and there never will be.

I used to share my socialist rhetoric with my fellow pro-wrestling fans in political threads on our forums. While many folks would believe wrestling fans are fastidious far-right conservatives without a high school diploma, well, that wasn’t the case here. Many are very intelligent (and write columns on their passion too!) and brought me to a more common sense side of the political world. An overwheling number of them that countered my rhetoric introduced me to their party, the Libertarian party. (They also made fun of socialists because SOCIALISM WORKS! [wonderful sarcasm]).

I was intrigued by this dark horse of a party. NAMyth (North American Myth) says this: “Everyone owns their own lives, no one owns someone else, that’s the foundation of Liberty.” Libertarians believe that the government should be severly reduced in size and power (which the Republican party has failed to do). The Government is the servent to the individual, and things like socialized health care (looking at you, Mr. Kerry) and using Congress to make unncessary amendments that infringe on the rights of others (I’m talking to you, Bush, Jr.) is ridiculous and unethical. They have some incredible stances on certain issues that I agree with:

— The War on Drugs is a joke and an unspeakable failure. The Party (www.lp.org) says: Each individual has the right to control his or her own body, action, speech, and property. Government’s only role is to help individuals defend themselves from force and fraud.
— Social Security isn’t working; we should as individuals work on out own retirement plans. It needs to be privatized.
— Welfare. More of a failure. Get rid of it.
— Immigration: Everyone should come in if you believe your country sucks. Just don’t expect any handouts.

Let’s just say I registered as a Libertarian a few weeks ago.
I might be the political nomad I’ve been in the past year, I don’t know. However, this all seems like common sense to me. Focusing on the individual (instead of the government) and their rights and responsibilites as an American citizen sounds like the kind of government we are supposed to have. I urge you all to at least look up this party (the largest 3rd candidate party in the U.S.) and get an opinion for yourself. You might like what you read, or comment me for how silly I am. Either way you might get a different perspective on how a government should operate.

AirplaneRadio