When I first came to D.C., back in 2008, if you told me I would one day depart from all my friends and relatives who were diehard Democrats, and become a black conservative, I would have look at you as if you were insane.
Once upon a time, I considered the idea of a “black conservative” to be similar to a chicken that supported meat cleavers and frying pans. While conservatives have warned about the inherent dangers of big government, I considered them alarmist or just callous and heartless. I didn’t know the unintended consequences of elevating material need over liberty.
Socialism sounded like paradise. Who could be against wonderful sounding phrases such as Housing Is A Human Right, Universal Healthcare, or Save Planet Earth. As a progressive, I failed to understand is that nothing comes without a price.
My views about the Democratic Party started to change around 2009, when I hit rock bottom.
I was homeless, addicted to drugs, and stayed in a shelter. In D.C., there are several organizations and legal services for the poor and homeless. While there are many good organizations that help the homeless, I discovered that many promoted the idea that society is to blame. They refused to state the obvious: personal failings contribute to people failing.
I was homeless, but I wasn’t helpless. What I wanted was an opportunity to get out of homelessness and poverty. I didn’t want to be put on a waiting list or pin the blame on the white man or the rich.
Instead of a path out of homelessness, I was encouraged to apply for food stamps, Medicaid, etc. These programs were generous, but they also functioned as a trap. I became disheartened when I found a part-time job and saw some of my entitlements cut. This didn’t sit right with me; I thought I was doing the right thing by finding work, and I was being penalized by the government. Meanwhile, I knew there were people capable of working but refusing it because they would lose their government-funded benefits. I really didn’t blame these people, because welfare was way more generous than working a minimum-wage job.
I remember discussing my experience with welfare to some of my progressive buddies. I was shocked by their attitudes. I wasn’t anti-poor, but I saw that welfare leads to dependency, and it keeps people from becoming self-sufficient.
What changed me was work. My part-time job became an opportunity to give me a work ethic. It didn’t pay a lot, but it allowed me to gain valuable skills to climb up the economic ladder.
In addition to learning a work ethic, I learned a political and economic lesson about liberalism. It isn’t compassionate to make people dependent rather then tap into people’s potential and ability. While homelessness was bad, it indirectly taught me about entrepreneurship and capitalism.
Today, when I face adversity, I no longer blame society. Instead, I use my critical thinking skills to get me out of my situation. I truly believe the best way to help the poor and oppressed isn’t more public assistance but by making efforts to teach people how to be self-sufficient and free.
