I Was Conservative When Conservatism Wasn’t Cool

It doesn’t seem so long ago that progressives seemed to have a stranglehold on America.  And to some extent, they still do.  They still have Hollywood, the music industry except for country, the educational system, and the media.  But the cracks in the left-wing dominance of the political scene are widening – and fast.

You might call it the “Charlie Kirk Effect.” 

In life, Charlie was massively successful in pointing out the insanity of liberalism.  In death, he’s become an icon.  On campuses, where conservatives are typically shouted down, it’s now cool to be a conservative.

I’ve been one through thick and thin, even when it wasn’t popular.  It is now.  It’s even okay to go to church again.  That’s the legacy of Charlie Kirk.  Stodgy old professors can cling to their democratic-socialist ideology.  But their students probably aren’t going to.

AUDIO:  Random Samplings of a Logical Mind

Conservative optimism is in the air.

My radio partner, Jim Cardle, and I attended a three-day celebration of all things conservative in Arlington, Texas, and you could feel the optimism in the air. It was palpable.  Attendees were happy.

Only days prior, the founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, had been assassinated while engaging in civil debate on a college campus.  We all talked about him, and mourned his passing, and celebrated the grace of his widow, Erika.  We all knew that Charlie Kirk had made a difference, and that killing him was not going to stop his movement.

Program cover: 2025 Strategy Forum by Heritage

There were some big names in attendance at the event, sponsored by the Heritage Foundation. Sage Steele, late of ESPN, and host of the Sage Steele Show was on hand as was Will Cain of Fox News.  Jim and I had a chance to speak with Will about his Fox show that originates in Dallas and has a decidedly Texas flavor.

Both Sage and Will were convinced that the times are a-changing.  Kevin Roberts, the head of the Heritage Foundation, is absolutely certain that America is turning away from the lunacy of the Left and going back to the values that one made America great.

I feel blessed to actually know Dr. Kevin Roberts. 

At this conference, and in the many interviews that Jim Cardle and I have done with him, I’ve found little to nothing to disagree with.  He’s conservative to the bone.  And logical.  And logic is what makes conservatism work.

RELATED:  Assassinations in America 

We suffered through 8 years of Barack Obama and four more of Joe Biden.  Enough is enough.

I’ve written many columns about the illogical and violent Left and what it stands for.  I’ve mentioned that Chuck Schumer is the leader of the Senate Democrats and how I can’t think of anything I agree with him on.  Democrats are consumed with illogical obsessions like race, skin color, abortion on demand, climate change, LGBTQ propaganda, and how evil America is.  The party has too many adherents that lean toward socialism or even Communism.

Video:  The timeless grace of Erika Kirk:  “I forgive him.”

How refreshing to see thousands, maybe millions, of people from students to older folks who can define what a woman is, and who believe in the sanctity of life, and want government to live within its means.  Those things make sense, and (trust me on this) embracing them provides an inner joy that you can’t get from liberalism.

Liberals are always pissed off about something, or hating someone, or shooting at someone.  It’s no wonder since their ideology makes no sense.

That’s why, even when conservatives seemed down and out in the Obama years, I never wavered.  Conservatism is a way of life with me because it makes sense while liberalism creates misery.

Three of a kind.

Things do come in threes.  When I was a teenager, there were three men who were giants in the conservative movement:  Barry Goldwater, William F. Buckley, and Ronald Reagan.  In the dark days of the Cold War, we had three great leaders emerge:  Ronald Reagan (of course), British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II.

In modern times, we’ve had Rush Limbaugh who brought millions in to our movement.  Donald Trump, whether you like his style or not, introduced the MAGA movement to try to restore America to what its potential could be, after President Obama presided over America’s decline.

RELATED: Rise of the Churchoids 

And there’s Charlie Kirk.  Charlie Kirk did what so many politicians blab about, but never get down in the trenches to do:  he went to the source of the left-wing ideology that is ruining the country, which is unbridled liberalism on college campuses.  If we’re going to cut off the head of the snake, that’s where we have to go, and that’s what Turning Point USA was about.

There were times I thought our movement was over.  But I could never embrace the lunacy of liberalism.

President Bill Clinton was a “third-way” guy, but Obama and Biden were not.  They were liberal to the core.  Obama could have fixed south Chicago, but he didn’t.  Biden was nominated to be a grandfather-type who could unite us.  He did anything but that.

Under Biden radical transgender ideology flourished with full Democratic party support.  Under these presidents, hatred for America flourished, egged on by the “1619 Project” and radical Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion indoctrination in schools.

Through it all, I stayed conservative for a reason. 

America needs conservative ideology if it is to survive.  The Left is too consumed with race, gender ideology, open borders to create a government-dependent underclass – power, in general.  That’s not the way to run a country.

Our side – the Conservative Movement – believes that all Americans are Americans without a modifier.  We believe in the traditional family as the backbone of society.  We’re not known for trying to assassinate our political opponents.  We relish free speech and honest debate.  We revere life, in the womb and after birth.  We could not care less about the color of your skin.

We understand that printing money to enable massive government spending is unsustainable.  We want boys to be boys and girls to be girls as God intended.  And we think going to a faith-based, traditional church is good for your soul.

Hanging out with Kevin Roberts and a few hundred like-minded conservatives is a great way to recharge your batteries.

Yes, I was a conservative when conservatism wasn’t cool, but it is now. 

Thanks to Charlie Kirk, it’s okay to be a conservative on a liberal college campus.  It’s even okay to be a conservative in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, New York, or Austin.  But you have to watch your back, because the other side doesn’t share your reverence for life.

RELATED:  Forget January 6th – Democrats are the Party of Violence 

We all should have a bit of Charlie Kirk in us. 

Don’t be afraid to take on the radical ideas of the Democratic Socialists that are ruining our big cities.  But do it like Charlie did.  Be happy, upbeat, and make them prove that you are wrong.  They can’t do that, because truth is on our side.

And remember, the country is changing and becoming more conservative.  That’s the side of history you want to be on.  Besides, thanks to Charlie, and Rush, and people like Kevin Roberts, being a conservative is really cool!

Lynn Woolley is a Texas-based author, broadcaster, and songwriter.  Follow his podcast at https://www.PlanetLogic.us.  Check out his author’s page at https://www.Amazon.com/author/lynnwoolley. 

Order books direct from Lynn at https://PlanetLogicPress.Square.Site. 

Email Lynn at lwoolley9189@gmail.com.

Is this a political book?  No.  Does it contain conservative points of view?  Oh, yes!