Redneck Liberals

Eric Schuck, an assistant professor at Colorado State University, had a very entertaining column in today's Denver Post. From the column:

I'm a redneck liberal. I have a profound belief in social justice, union wages, the benefits of publicly funded education, the nobility of civil service, conservation of natural resources and a whole host of things typically associated with classical, early-20th century progressive politics. But there's one thing that I've kept from that early-20th century idealism that most of the folks in Boulder did not: I am perfectly willing to turn some tin-pot despot's country into a parking lot before breakfast if I think the rodent poses a threat to my kids' future.

Finally, somebody who thinks like I do! Like it says at the top of the page, I live in Highlands Ranch, which has a surplus of rednecks but a significant shortage of liberals.

I, too, am a redneck liberal. Having grown up on a farm in Iowa, I am no stranger to the working end of a pitchfork, and I have actually fired a gun (several, in fact). I work for a major defense contractor in Aurora, and I ran for the state legislature as a Democrat in 2004.

I don't agree with Schuck that all Democrats have become borderline pacifists. Unfortunately, though, it's a sad fact that we have allowed ourselves to be painted as such. Most Democrats probably have political views that are much closer to Theodore Roosevelt than to Noam Chomsky, but you won't ever hear that from Dick Cheney or the so-called liberal media. In fact, my favorite president is Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican. He always fought hard for what he believed in, and he was proud of America and the ideals she represents. He understood that we are stewards of our land and resources. He also recognized that prosperity is dependent on a social contract between American business and the American people -- a contract that no longer seems to exist.