So what, may I ask, makes you think that you can offer your opinions on various social issues?
Well, I'm not in a position of authority or celebrity. The only weight that my opinions might carry come from the substance of the opinions themselves. I'm not famous, and I have no clout with regard to governance. Any influence that I have would only come from my ideas and how I express them.
You hold a degree in political science, though. Would you ever use that as leverage?
I don't think so. I have the degree because I'm a very politically oriented person. I didn't go for the degree so I could tell people how to feel when it comes to politics.
Speaking of which, how much a role do you think that feelings play with how a lot of people think when it comes to politics?
I think that there are too many people who use their feelings to make judgements. They cast logic aside and opt for knee-jerk reactions that make them feel good. That's evident in so many issues today - from the constant gun control debate up to the recent opposition to war with Iraq. I mean, come on, no one wants war, but Saddam Hussein doesn't do diplomacy. Still you have people who want the U.S. to "talk to him" and work things out. We're talking about a man who kidnaps 5 year-olds to make them soldiers, and uses women as human shields to protect him from being shot.
And the gun control debate?
Anyone who thinks that you can ban guns out of existence will probably buy ocean-front property in Wyoming if you make the deal sound sweet enough. The Second Amendment notwithstanding, even if you ban guns, criminals will still have them. They'll just resort to black market sales. Then you have law-abiding citizens turning their guns in, while the criminals will still have them. It's funny how so many people think that a "ban" will simply make the guns go away. Bans worked really well on alcohol during the 1920s, didn't they? But to many people, paradise can be attained by just banning all the bad things out of existence...even if it's not realistic. I suppose that's what happens when you look at things through rose-colored glasses.
When you were in high school, how did your attitude sit with classmates or teachers?
I always got along with most of my teachers, just because they had a bit more intelligence than my classmates. I had a few close friends, but the majority of my classmates were more like "associates". I associated with them because most of the time it became a neccessity, simply because it was part of my daily routine.
So you're not looking forward to your class reunion?
Hardly. I spent four years in high school and it's in the past. There are a few people who I still enjoy saying "hi" to if I see them, but I'm not in any hurry to see anyone in particular. Really, of my close friends from school, two have moved out of the area and the other guy I saw about a year ago, and he's doing well. So any reunion would just end up being a big study hall with cheap beer.
Cheap beer?
Yeah. I don't see anyone bringing Guiness to a class reunion.
If you don't like the past much, however, why are you still living in your home town?
Let me put it this way: I have nothing against the town geographically. I love my home town for that reason. It has warm summers, snow during the winter, and I can do all kinds of things outdoors because there are huge areas of woodlands, streams, trails, waterfalls, and the like. The only thing that gets to me is the social atmosphere. The majority of people in this area make me want to find a change of scenery. There seems to be this widespread mentality of where people don't really do anything other than going to work and vegetating. That's it. There really isn't any creativity here, there aren't many goal-oriented people, there aren't many people who try to break out of the mold. The widely adopted mentality around here is to just get through each day, only existing - not living, and make it to the weekend where you can spend Saturday and most of Sunday in a drunk, drug-induced stupor. Too many people around here are complacent, content, and don't want anything more.
What more would you want?
I like to see creativity flourish. I think it's cool to see musicians, artists, and writers develop. It's also cool to see people doing things that are just...well..."different". I play in a softball league during the summer, and it's great to see people playing in that - because it's different. It's something other than just sitting at home watching television. It's cool to see people who have goals trying to accomplish things - from hobbies to starting your own business. Those people are the ones who usually end up becoming leaders. And when you think about it, we need more shepherds and fewer sheep.
What do you suppose will happen to all those sheep?
They'll probably end up garnering the attention and admiration of my ex-girlfriend.