Conservatives Need Safe Spaces Too!
By Sharon Begosh
About 15 years ago, I started noticing a change in the world around me. It started out very subtly: a movie with an obvious liberal slant – the media, schools, government and even churches pushing social justice themes whenever they could slip them in without ruffling too many feathers. But this insidious march toward an unremitting takeover of our social fabric and American culture was never obstructed or even mildly opposed.
As with most things in life, the reasons for the success of this situation were multi-faceted. Conservatives by nature are respectful of individuality and others’ opinions. We are the true advocates of “coexist.” Therefore, even after this gradual takeover had taken root, we didn’t feel it was our place to marginalize their personal expression. Also, since the newly emerging culture started interpreting anything that could even be marginally critical of minorities as racist, it slowly became the law of the land. This put an almost total halt to any resistance to the takeover of our culture.
Now fast forward to the present.
Today, I realize there is virtually no safe place for me to go where my convictions, beliefs and guiding principles are not publicly assailed and where there is an unspoken dare to oppose my beliefs. I no longer go to movies, as I’ve found them all to be a platform for the promotion of some liberal agenda, where white conservatives will be the butt of every joke and the evil presence that needs to be eradicated.
Television shows are the same, along with the commercials. I can no longer attend plays at the Olney Theater (where I was an avid patron) for the same reasons. I even met with the artistic director of the theater to voice my concerns about the constant performance of plays with social justice themes and anti-conservative messages. His answer in a nutshell was “Get used to it.”
I won’t go to live concerts or comedy shows anymore because I am afraid of being offended and ridiculed for my beliefs. Sports are also out, both live and on television, after the National Anthem sacrilege. And although baseball was much better about showcasing patriotism, the media’s promotion of some fans booing the president at the World Series game in D.C. and chanting “lock him up” caused me to become an instant Astros fan who turned off the rest of the series.
I need not expand on the attacks we suffer daily from newspapers, magazines, and “news” segments on both local and national levels. And, most shamefully, I discovered that I could no longer attend my church after attacks were made during weekly sermons (lectures) about the evil prejudices of conservatives.
As I hear the cries from liberal college students who need counseling and actual physical safe spaces after a conservative speaker is allowed on their campus (usually under threat of a lawsuit to the institution) and the liberals’ lament of being psychologically damaged by either President Trump or the conservative message when one actually does get through, a thought has occurred to me.
Where in the world is our safe place? Where in this liberally manufactured society can we go where we can feel safe? Where can we sit back, relax and enjoy a sweet distraction from our many worries and responsibilities that we carry as we provide for ourselves and our families?
I think it’s time that we all start to find and even create an answer to that question.
Sharon Begosh has worked in the field of public safety for 30 years, including such positions as a Parole and Probation Officer, Division Chief of Pre-Trial Services for Montgomery County and Parole Commissioner for the State of Maryland.