A recent year-end Facebook ad campaign produced by the Association of Mature American Citizens resulted in an “enormous number of Likes and Link Clicks. It also revealed how nasty and vitriolic some people can be, even at a time of the year set aside for good will,” AMAC president Dan Weber reported.

“AMAC is, indeed, an alternative for American seniors who identify themselves as political Conservatives. We have a Constitutional right to our views and we believe we have an obligation to provide a forum where like-minded individuals can express their own sentiments. In fact, we welcome dialogue not only with our members and supporters but also with those who have their own, different opinions. So, I have to ask myself why die-hard Liberals are so intolerant,” Weber said.

Some of the comments posted on Facebook in reaction to a very straightforward advertisement went beyond the pale, he added. “Disagree with us. Argue with us. But don’t resort to hurtful commentary. We are all Americans. Healthy debate is what we seek.”

One individual was compelled to write this comment: “So old white people have there [sic] own little group. How nice.” Another wrote: “Conservative help for seniors? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Conservatives help no one but the rich.” And yet another individual scribbled this online remark: “Conservatism is a sign of mental retardation”

This kind of “nasty banter” has no place in political debate, Weber said.

The Encyclopedia Britannica defines a political Conservative is one who “favors institutions and practices that have evolved gradually and are manifestations of continuity and stability. Government’s responsibility is to be the servant, not the master, of existing ways of life, and politicians must therefore resist the temptation to transform society and politics.”

Britannica describes a political Liberal as one who believes that “protecting and enhancing the freedom of the individual to be the central problem of politics. Liberals typically believe that government is necessary to protect individuals from being harmed by others.”

But, whether a voter is a Democrat or a Republican is not the issue, Weber noted. The issue, he said, is the Liberal influence that has made the nation dependent on the so-called largess of government in the form of indiscriminate hand-outs.

“It was a Democrat, John Kennedy, who said, ‘ask not what your country can do for you,’ and it was a Republican, Ronald Reagan who said, ‘the greatness of America doesn’t begin in Washington; it begins with each of you-in the mighty spirit of free people under God.’ We have an obligation to ourselves and to our children and our grandchildren that can only be fulfilled if we remain diligent and aware of the threats posed by those who would rewrite and distort history.”

The AMAC chief said that if we don’t preserve the legacies of our Founding Fathers, we cannot ensure the future for the next generations. “This country was born for the purpose of providing refuge for those who had no shelter, for offering opportunity for those with little or no hope for the future and for affording individuals, whoever they are and wherever they come from, a chance to live, speak and worship as they please. And, of course, America is all about helping each other to succeed so that we can promote growth and independence for ourselves and others.”

Weber said that AMAC is committed to preserving and promoting these notions and noted that “we must not take these freedoms for granted. We need to actively protect them by being responsible citizens who participate in the process by exercising our right to petition our lawmakers, by using our votes to elect those who will steer us clear of murky ideologies and, of course, by looking out for one another.”

He cautioned that “the progressive principles that have been espoused in recent years threaten our political independence and the authority of ‘we, the people’ that is guaranteed under our Constitution.”

Weber concluded that if you ask Americans what their preference might be, “the great majority would opt for describing themselves as political Conservatives. Polling has consistently shown that Conservatives outnumber Liberals in the U.S. And, that’s the key to winning back our country from progressive ideologies that would impose greater government intrusion into our personal lives. We must oppose the demagogues – the political elitists “who make use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power.”

Staff report