Sherry Darling
New Yorker
So FYM--what and who shaped you to believe what you believe? Tell us your story!
My parents both were pretty conservative as I grew up, or rather my father, 26 years career US Army (Beat Navy! ), was conservative and my mother raised my sister and I and didn't offer her opinion all that much. (Would it surprise anyone to learn they're divorced now? ) I thus thought I was republican through high school, though I remember moments of instinct even then that said it wasn't right for me.
I spent most of college fairly apolitical, surrounded with pretty conservative, intelligent and thoughtful Christian friends. It didn't take me long to figure out I didn't agree with them on all the issues. I didn't think being gay was a sin, and I didn't like abortion but maintain and still maintain that supporting women (and girls) who don't want to have one is a better way of "fighting" it than screaming "babykiller" outside of a clinic. I did some local community service, but no real activism. I hated Clinton and was alternately amused by him, but agreed with some decisions he made. I have to honestly tell you, I don't think I even voted in 1996 (was too young in 1992). I listen a lot to a conservative Christian talk show, Janet Parshall, who I can tell you was a lot more reasoned and moderate then than she is now, after 9/11. I can't even listen to her anymore.
Then I became a teacher and my own politics began to solidify, rather than those mimicing friends and family. It didn't take me long to see that many republicans--especially in the counties where I taught--didn't want to fund schools adequately. My sense of history grew from teaching literature as well, and I devoured guys like Mark Twain, Emerson, Thoreau. They preeched self-reliance and small government, things I had learned to associate with the republicans. But I just couldn't sit right with the issues of the Right as they stood in 2000. I wanted progess on racial unity and poverty and peace and fighting corporate corruption. I researched and held my breath and voted for Nader, liking his stance on education best and I'm still impressed that he was screaming about Wall St and corporate corruption long before Enron. He supported more funding, treating teachers like professionals and reducing standardized testing (NOT to be confused with reducing standards).
The Peace Corp was also a huge influence. I served in Africa, teaching English, and there I finally learned to connect the dots between what my gut had been telling me about US foreign policy and human rights and poverty, and I began to wonder why I had ever considered myself conservative. The Peace Corps was my edcation about the fact that poverty does not just happen--it exists in a system that can and must change. I joined Amnesty Int'l when I returne home, and began supporting the Drop the Debt movement (thanks Bono! ). I'd done so ever since, and love being a part of the social justice community. Sept. 11 was also a huge influence--I felt like I had to get involved with the world again, as much as I had been in the Peace Corps. Writing letters for Amnesty and signing a check for the Christian Children's Fund suddenly wasn't enough. I wanted it to be my full time life again. Sept 11 may be why I left teaching English for peace work. It's funny, I never liked Bush much, but felt protective of him after those days. I even quit calling him Shrub for a few weeks. I agree with him that evil exists, and that it must be fought, but don't like how he's fighting it. I didn't protest the war in Afghanistan, but hated the war in Iraq (though I sure don't miss Saddam). And to bring us to right now, I'm working on my PhD now at ICAR, which teaching international conflict resolution. I plann to work for the UN or a peace building/economic justice NGO once I'm done. And there we are.
My parents both were pretty conservative as I grew up, or rather my father, 26 years career US Army (Beat Navy! ), was conservative and my mother raised my sister and I and didn't offer her opinion all that much. (Would it surprise anyone to learn they're divorced now? ) I thus thought I was republican through high school, though I remember moments of instinct even then that said it wasn't right for me.
I spent most of college fairly apolitical, surrounded with pretty conservative, intelligent and thoughtful Christian friends. It didn't take me long to figure out I didn't agree with them on all the issues. I didn't think being gay was a sin, and I didn't like abortion but maintain and still maintain that supporting women (and girls) who don't want to have one is a better way of "fighting" it than screaming "babykiller" outside of a clinic. I did some local community service, but no real activism. I hated Clinton and was alternately amused by him, but agreed with some decisions he made. I have to honestly tell you, I don't think I even voted in 1996 (was too young in 1992). I listen a lot to a conservative Christian talk show, Janet Parshall, who I can tell you was a lot more reasoned and moderate then than she is now, after 9/11. I can't even listen to her anymore.
Then I became a teacher and my own politics began to solidify, rather than those mimicing friends and family. It didn't take me long to see that many republicans--especially in the counties where I taught--didn't want to fund schools adequately. My sense of history grew from teaching literature as well, and I devoured guys like Mark Twain, Emerson, Thoreau. They preeched self-reliance and small government, things I had learned to associate with the republicans. But I just couldn't sit right with the issues of the Right as they stood in 2000. I wanted progess on racial unity and poverty and peace and fighting corporate corruption. I researched and held my breath and voted for Nader, liking his stance on education best and I'm still impressed that he was screaming about Wall St and corporate corruption long before Enron. He supported more funding, treating teachers like professionals and reducing standardized testing (NOT to be confused with reducing standards).
The Peace Corp was also a huge influence. I served in Africa, teaching English, and there I finally learned to connect the dots between what my gut had been telling me about US foreign policy and human rights and poverty, and I began to wonder why I had ever considered myself conservative. The Peace Corps was my edcation about the fact that poverty does not just happen--it exists in a system that can and must change. I joined Amnesty Int'l when I returne home, and began supporting the Drop the Debt movement (thanks Bono! ). I'd done so ever since, and love being a part of the social justice community. Sept. 11 was also a huge influence--I felt like I had to get involved with the world again, as much as I had been in the Peace Corps. Writing letters for Amnesty and signing a check for the Christian Children's Fund suddenly wasn't enough. I wanted it to be my full time life again. Sept 11 may be why I left teaching English for peace work. It's funny, I never liked Bush much, but felt protective of him after those days. I even quit calling him Shrub for a few weeks. I agree with him that evil exists, and that it must be fought, but don't like how he's fighting it. I didn't protest the war in Afghanistan, but hated the war in Iraq (though I sure don't miss Saddam). And to bring us to right now, I'm working on my PhD now at ICAR, which teaching international conflict resolution. I plann to work for the UN or a peace building/economic justice NGO once I'm done. And there we are.