Red Broward made an off-hand remark regarding “true conservatives”.  Someone asked, rightly so, for our definition of a “true conservative”.  We will give it the ol’ college try, but a conservative knows he doesn’t have all the answers.

A Conservative studies an issue. He looks at history, law, and religion for guidance. He makes informed decisions, but always hungers for more answers. A conservative seeks more information in hopes of making better choices.

A conservative does not bully those with whom he disagrees. He may argue and point out flaws in a counter-argument, but he doesn’t want to beat his opponent senseless. No, a conservative hopes to change minds with logic and ideas, not with name-calling and slimy tactics. A conservative has faith; Faith that his ideas will win the day. That same faith tells him he cannot convince someone who is not ready to listen.  The conservative hopes to win converts, not make perpetual enemies.

Don’t think conservatives are stoic ideologues. We are not logic-bound versions of Mr. Spock. Conservatives use humor to make their points. Humor engages those who need to listen, but the self-deprecating conservative humor is borne out of the realization that it’s not all about “me”.

Conservatives don’t adopt the tactics of the progressive left. We don’t smear. We don’t level false accusations. We don’t evoke fascist imagery. We don’t label others simply to gain the upper hand.  To be sure, some conservatives have done these things; but look at them, what have they gained? Are they the leaders of men and women? or just sad examples of what happens when values are abandoned?

Conservatives are not perfect. We do not aspire to perfection. We hope we do our best with the time we are given. We hope to make this a better place for our families, our friends, our children and even liberals. We are not afraid to admit when we are wrong. We learn from our mistakes.

We have learned from our mistakes in Broward. We realize we have remained silent for too long. We allowed corruption to grow and spread throughout the county. We are determined to have our voices heard. Our voices won’t be shouting insults at Democrats. We won’t limit our voices to posting accusations on Facebook.

We will speak up when it is time to be heard. We will attend meetings. We will grab the microphone. We won’t hide from the crowd. We won’t worry about press coverage and invites to hip parties in town. We will work silently when necessary, but we will be working.

We will seek ideas to create jobs and lower taxes and maintain necessary programs for the most needy. We will work for charities that do the hard work for so many. We will work to expose corruption and the “good old boy network”. We will work to challenge the status quo.

Rest assured, our voices will not be limited to Facebook, or talk radio or street corners waving signs.