I got the opportunity today to go to a local tea party, the “Common Sense Tea Party” in Kenton Ohio. I got to talking to a man who described himself as a conservative. I previously overheard him complaining about the tea party. He was complaining about Bush, and I did agree with him, that Bush had made some gross overspending and wasn’t really a fiscal conservative. He continued to complain about why all this protesting was going on now. I made the mistake of mentioning ACORN, and he launched into a diatribe about how insignificant ACORN was up for billions of dollars of stimulus money, which he refused to believe. He then redirected the conversation to Haliburton and Cheney’s “assassin squad” and accused me of supporting torture. I said sarcastically, “sure” and then when on to say that no right-thinking person embraces torture. (The Iranians and Al Quaeda and other must have been rolling on the floor laughing when the “torture memos” were released and circulated by the ACLU).

I then asked him what he meant when he said he was “conservative,” and what beliefs he had (I suggested a few: low tax, smaller government, pro-life, etc). His only response was that he believed “everything should be made to be recycled.” I said, oh, you mean conservationism, and said that I agreed that recycling is good. So not getting anywhere beyond that, I asked him, well, what politicians in Washington are most in line with your views. He said, “Al Franken.”

Some other beliefs proudly proclaimed by this “conservative”

• Obama should thrust through healthcare
• “public ownership” of 40% GM is not nationalization.
• Cuba has the world’s best healthcare system. QUOTE: “there’s a doctor on every corner”
• “There’s no Acorn in this town” I said: Good. He said, “There should be.”
• “Don’t you want poor people to have housing loans” Another quote defending ACORN, as if the destruction of ACORN would be the end of care and provision for the poor. (If we need a corrupt criminal enterprise to take care of the poor we’re in bad shape.. HELLO CHURCH, that’s our job)
• All the people in the 9/12 rally were “stupid”

He was only here because there had been a statement released that people would be allowed to address the crowd. He left shortly after they called anyone who had emailed them to get ready to speak.

It is important that we not be deceptive when we use words. This man called himself a conservative and claimed to be fed up with both parties, yet was constantly touting Obama’s agenda, and pushing him to move faster and go farther. He slammed the participants and adamantly defended ACORN, and its lawsuit against the young couple that has almost single-handedly brought to light their whole criminal enterprise.

Whatever your values are, whatever beliefs you hold, always be open and honest, and strive to use truthful language. Deceptive language only causes confusion and loss of credibility. One other thing I  learned quite a while back is that labels are inadequate. McCain was called “right wing” and “conservative” but in reality he was neither of those things: he was a centrist, not subscribing to many of the tenants of American conservatism (small government, global warming is a hoax, low taxes, gun rights, free speech- see the McCain-Feingold Act).

Anyone can use a label. Before you accept it at face value, dig deeper.

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
(2 Timothy 2:15-16)