Why is there such a huge distinction between Liberals and Conservatives in the older generation?I?

Question

I don't get it. It seems like the older generation seem not get alont because of their political views.

I have friends in Army ROTC and Navy ROTC, who are conservative christian, I am a liberal, same road they are in, joining the military (air force) when we all graduate, but i never seemed to notice this in our generation.

I think my friends ever think of me as a "liberal terrorist", more a brother to them. I mean we make fun of each other and all, but all in fun and games.

So why the hugh distinction amongst older people?

Answer 1

My experience with my older generation is that older,blue collar middle class Conservatives are either super religious or very unintellectual...but they all seem unwilling to have things be any other way than their own reality. They are more close minded and un-accepting of other views as they age...my own moderately liberal views are becoming more ingrained as well. They don't like me because i accept change and think outside religious terms. I don't like them because they want everyone to be like them...I can't change the fact that I do not want religion controlling my or other unwilling people or that I can not bring myself to say what another can do. As you age, some people forget the whys and it becomes mantra and because they surround themselves with like minded people, they begin to believe that their view is the only view....mostly stubbornness

Answer 2

We older folks have the knowledge and experience that you don't have yet. I was born in 1940 and lived on a farm. I have seen the world change before my eyes. Politically, I was an independent until President Carter's tenure. After Carter, President Reagan was my hero and I've been a Republican since then. I have worked hard since I was 14, and I am still working because I choose to. Please study the goals of both parties, and you will see that Democrats want a small military and a big government with total control over the people, and excessive "giveaway" programs for the welfare freeloaders. Republicans want a strong military but a small government with State Governments controlling the majority of things occurring within their States and less restriction on the people.

I also have a military background. I served in the Army for 20 years and then as a DA civilian for another 20. I served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne and earned a Green Beret when I returned in 1968. I worked as a Force Protection Specialist before, during, and after 9/11. Now I am an old man, but I still have the warrior attitude, mentality, and the knowledge I have accrued throughout my life. There will always be those that want what we have or just want to kill us for what we are. We must have the guts, strength and balls to stop that from ever happening. Please take time to read the following...
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About the time our original 13 states adopted their new constitution, in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior:
"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."
"The average age of the worlds greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:
1. From bondage to spiritual faith;
2. From spiritual faith to great courage;
3. From courage to liberty;
4. From liberty to abundance;
5. From abundance to complacency;
6. From complacency to apathy; (We are here!)
7. From apathy to dependence;
8. From dependence back into bondage
Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the 2000 Presidential election:
Population of counties won by: Gore: 127 million;
Bush: 143 million;
Square miles of land won by: Gore: 580,000; Bush:
2,427,000
States won by: Gore: 19 Bush: 29
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Gore: 13.2 Bush: 2.1
Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory Bush won was mostly the land owned by the tax-paying citizens of this great country. Gore's territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off government welfare..."
Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the "complacency and apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some 40 percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase.
Pass this along to help everyone realize just how much is at stake, knowing that apathy is the greatest danger.

Answer 3

Because us "old folk" have been there, done it and got a T-shirt to prove it! When you get closer to the end, you really get to start thinking about the after life. Just like when I was in the military and getting shot at by people I never met and by what they did to there own people...I don't want to meet them. War stinks. Really. Try going to a autopsy. Better yet, go to E.R. at a hospital that get a lot of shot up people. Watch, listen and most importantly, smell what happens when they die. When you die, everything lets loose... everything! Whew! Nasty. All these labellings are a joke and you guys should make fun of it, now. If your in the military, you might get a different view. Check out the even older folks at the nursing homes who went thru the great depression. Oh yeah, this generation is more into the "ME, ME" thing. You wouldn't be caught dead in a nursing home... it smells! LOL!
Oh yeah, this is for Ford. My father retired after 30 years in the military and went to college. He had to quit school (9th grade) to work in a steel mill in Pittsburg, until the war broke out. He got his Associates Degree so that he could practice as a medic (Registered Nurse) in a civilian hospital. He had only been doing it for 30 years. And us old folk use our G.I. Bill to go to college to get our degree in Sociology...like me! Besides with age comes common sense, which you "kids" don't have. LOL!

Answer 4

You have told us about you, but then made a stereotype about "older Americans" and you didn't back that up with any evidence.

It is simply not any different. I have friends all over the political map. Even around here. And yes, opposing parties in real life go to lunch together.

But this site is unrepresentative of the real world in most respects. Our political views either unite us here, or divide us here. And what else do we really know about each other?

For the most part, "older Americans" are very busy with their jobs and families, and their friendships come from those places.

Answer 5

I personally have friends and relatives who are both, Democrat or Republican.
Many are older, none of them use Conservative or liberal to define themselves. It is always by party.
Some do not understand voting on issues and merits of an individual candidate, regardless of party.
I agree that this is mostly true with my older friends/family, this was a product of their environment growing up. My land owning(farmers, no veterans) family tend to lean more Republican, the union, teachers,medical, law enforcement(all veterans) lean Democrat.
It seems to be swinging towards extremes again with younger people. This bothers me, and should cause you pause as well.

Be as liberal or conservative as you like, but always vote for the candidate who you feel will best serve you and your communities/state/country's best interests.
This is a great country, you and your friends are giving a great service by enlisting in the USAF, make it stronger and prouder.

EDIT-----don_vvvvito

The Churchill quote is false!
Churchill was never quoted or heard saying that, the truth is quite the opposite in fact. Read a little history.

Answer 6

I get along with plenty of my Republican friends because we rarely talk about politics. Yea, we joke around and all, but it's in good fun.

If I were you...follow your dreams of joining the USAF, and have fun serving your country with pride.

Answer 7

Because you have not been majorly affected by the end result of either parties belief's, yet. You have yet to experience a real life of your own to understand the consequences of political decisions. It's kind of like being in love. Until you've actually experienced it, you can only guess what it truly feels like.

Answer 8

terrorist= liberals? not. when the people with money feel threatened they will say anything against the libs. after all, the libs want to distribute the money among everyone. the repubs want to keep it to themselves . i think you are naive if you think it is all "fun and games". people are tired of being poor while the rich get richer and the repubs ought to be afraid--witness the last halfway elections. bush will definately be out ---not only because he lawfully cant run again but because the majority of americans are rising up against the republican "greediness" , ignorance and selfishness.............

Answer 9

I think the reason is because older people actually think for several minutes per day, unlike the younger people.

Answer 10

was'nt it churchill who said "if your not a liberal at 20 you have no heart,but if your not a consevative by 40 you have no brain".