Hey guys,

Long time lurker, second time poster. My first was in 2004 as “mr disenfranchisement” (Ugh). That account is now deactivated (probably from lack of use, I’m assuming).

So, thedopefishlives’s story sounds very similar to my own. I was a full blood capital-C conservative in college when Bush was first elected and then reelected (my post back then was to join in on the gloating when Kerry lost). I had a similar deconversion after college when I moved back to my dying hometown in Indiana rather than away and then experienced the force of a slowly decomposing economy.

A combination of things led to my deconversion. In college I was safe, my dad paid the bills, I got to experience the thrill of having a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality without the work, and also I viewed conservatism as simply “default,” which I think is an idea a lot of Bush-era conservatives may understand. I wasn’t far right per se (although I bragged about being so), but I often was combative on behalf of Christians and anti-Muslims. My deconversion from Christianity was the first blow to my beliefs.

The final blow was the 2008 election. There was no longer a “default” position to take. No safe, ordinary aw-shucks-I’d-like-to-have-a-beer-with-him Bush, although I did like McCain, even though my dad and friend-on-radio Rush Limbaugh didn’t. I was in college once again, trying for another degree in biology, when Sarah Palin became a thing, and shortly after said something to the effect of: “fruit flies? I kid you not! We spend money on that!” That was said to a roar of approval and my face went slack on hearing that comment (still remember it). I was a lab assistant in class and bred nasonia, a similar option to the fruit fly, for genetics classes to use in lab experiments in studying genetics among generations, since it wasn’t cost-effective to breed human children to study genetics.

And then at that point I realized I couldn’t vote for McCain and his screaming appendage. I went for Obama, bought a nifty bumper sticker (yes bought. For $10. Got a button too), and faced all the ridicule from my family I knew would come from my dad and his then-wife, not only for voting the wrong way, but for being an atheist too.

It wasn’t easy, but since I still remained a straight white dude, he eventually accepted it. My dad and I are on good terms now, but we strictly avoid politics and religion (he does, anyway), and on the occasion where we’re in the car together I always change the channel from right wing talk radio to 50’s music.

But yeah, I digress. I was really surprised when I found that the Lizard king himself underwent a similar vision quest (and a pretty cool smack down with Glenn Beck of all people). And then once again I’m following LGF.