The Making Of A 9/11 Republican

Cinnamon Stillwell - Thursday, February 24, 2005 - San Francisco Chronicle (sfgate.com)

Having been indoctrinated in the postcolonialist, self-loathing school of multiculturalism, I thought America was the root of all evil in the world. Its democratic form of government and capitalist economic system was nothing more than a machine in which citizens were forced to be cogs. I put aside the nagging question of why so many people all over the world risk their lives to come to the United States. Freedom of speech, religious freedom, women's rights, gay rights (yes, even without same-sex marriage), social and economic mobility, relative racial harmony and democracy itself were all taken for granted in my narrow, insulated world view.

So, what happened to change all that? In a nutshell, 9/11.

The process by which former advocates of the left make their way to the right is an interesting study in logic. As a former Jimmy Carter volunteer coordinator, I too went through a period in which I felt comfortable with philosophies on the left. My transformation was driven by the hideously high interest rates under Carter back in the 70s. While rethinking so many of my previously accepted world views, I ultimately wound up on the right (though closer to the center than some on the right would like!). From this experience I acquired a determined resistance to anything that smacks of socialism or government control.

This article sums up the logic for one of the newest groups to move to the right. From Christopher Hitchens to Cinnamon Stillwell we welcome the enlightenment of those on the left who were shaken by 9/11. As you go through the process of rethinking your world view, please understand that many of us have been through a similar experience. We know what you are going through and we welcome you with the Reagan belief that we don't have to agree on everything as long as we agree on the basics, love of country and freedom from government control.