By Dave Mulligan
It happens to be my birthday today so I sit now and reflect on my life and consider the circuitous path that delivered me to this very spot. How in the hell did I get here?
Well, that story is far too long to include here, plus there are dirty parts that would be inappropriate. So I’ll focus on the politics of my shaping, as that’s certainly relevant, especially since my column is angled ‘From The Left.’
I sit here as a proud and enthusiastic Liberal. Being a Lefty is not a passive trait — at least with me — as I’m acutely aware of my position and I regularly feed the fire with a girthy log (usually by consuming news) to keep the embers aglow.
It seems that we on the Left must remain on defense, always on guard against conservative attacks on all things I equate with human decency. I’m talking about Equal Rights, in regard to race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and any other category where our conservative counterparts naturally tend to seek marginalization. I’m talking about a humane safety net for the needy among us. And affordable healthcare that’s designed to heal people, as opposed to making others obscenely wealthy. I’m talking about protecting our environment. And reasonable gun safety measures that are structured to protect average citizens from stray bullets emanating from the guns of fanatics. How can these issues still even be issues?
I sit here on my birthday comfortable with the knowledge that I, as a strong Liberal, am on the right side of each and every one of these issues.
These are all simple matters of right and wrong. I’ll even go so far as to say Good and Evil. I care deeply about my fellow man and woman. I also find it to be alarmingly ironic that our Republican counterparts are the party that publicly tries so hard to align itself with the church — with Jesus — even going so far as to blur the lines of separation between Church and State. Yet look back over that list of issues I included and ask yourself how you think He would vote on every one of them. See what I mean about the alarming irony?
Hey, you don’t have to wait for your birthday to reflect on these matters. Do it any day. Do it today. When you’re next faced with any of these issues and you’re contemplating your position, don’t base your stance on your party or on what your dad would have done. Just ask yourself what is right. And by Right, I obviously mean Left.
Dave Mulligan is a local Reno resident of over 25 years. He is a published author (Mulligan’s Wake), television producer and a left-leaning political activist. He lives happily on the Truckee River and is the married father of three (his most important role, according to Dave).
