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Zachary Davis
February 22, 2016
Ms. Volpe
Personal Narrative
The Misfit Conservative
Children, while they are our future, grow up without formulating their own
opinions. Their ideas are repressed, only to be inveigled into the ideas of their older
and wiser peers. Parents entice and lure their children with their ideas and beliefs,
leaving them unprepared to make their decisions on their own merit. I, however, trailed
off on my own path (much to my mother's disdain).
Where did I go wrong?, My mother would say following a particularly acrimonious
encounter.
Calm down, Mom. There are a lot of worse things I could be than a conservative, I
said with an eye roll.
I seriously disagree with that, Zachy! She said jokingly.
I was an uneducated, unexposed, and confused teen, living in a community with
very little diversity. I can say without a doubt, my family is liberal, or democratic. At a
young age, I thought I would align myself with that as well, simply because it was my
upbringing. But as I got older and began thinking more independently, my morals and
views veered off in a different direction. Scared to be ridiculed and made fun of by some
friends and family, I held back my thoughts. This only made me more certain of my own
dogmas. Constantly I was hearing this term, Conservative. What was a conservative?
What was this new term that I was hearing as I began formulating my own morals?

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I thought switching schools would permit my ability to voice my different opinion. I

was totally incorrect about this. I was going to be attending a school which, like my
home-life, would have major liberal views. On my tour day, I even remember there being
an announcement about a SAFE club for the LGBT community. Was this the place
where I was going to be heard? No, probably not. However, I knew I was going to have
to adapt; this was going to be my education for my middle and high school years.
Lets fast forward to the end of middle school. I had dealt with suppressing my
conservative opinions for too long, and it was time for me to be more vocal and outward
with them. My mother quickly noticed my changing opinions. We got into arguments
about controversial issues, which ended in both of us angered...
Mom, I say this in the most respectful way possible. White privilege to me, is more like
a minorities disadvantage! A privilege is something that is earned. You cant earn the
privilege to be white. You can be disadvantaged at birth to be a minority, and thats
where I disagree with the term. Of course the aspects of the term are prevalent in our
society, but its not about the white people being privileged. Its the minorities being
oppressed.
Quickly, I realized I was smart for holding back some of my ideologies, they
would only end poorly for me. Nonetheless, the cat was out of the bag, and I couldnt go
back on my ideas now, I needed to support them! I wasnt terribly knowledgeable about
a lot of topics. Contrary to popular belief, teenagers do not in fact, know everything. I
needed to become educated, not only about my side, but also the opposing view. What
better a place to do it than my school, Watkinson?

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Being an openly heterosexual male, and growing up in community that lacked

diversity, I was unsure and confused about my place at Watkinson. While I, and
hopefully many others can agree, I am in no sense a racist or bigot. This is a huge and
common misconception when you tell someone you are conservative. I also would like
to think of myself as an open-minded person. While entering Watkinson was confusing, I
didnt find it difficult to adapt. I grew more and more accepting of differences, as well as
becoming more certain and knowledgeable of myself in regard to my beliefs. I truly
shocked myself with how much I learned. Although I rarely had problems with meeting
new people who had different political ideologies, that never changed my conservative
opinions. I really began to grow into a young conservative when I started paying
attention to politics, and modern news. I was always intrigued by history classes, and
learning about as much history as possible which would prove valuable to my ability to
develop my arguments supporting my opinion. I found that as I read more about
controversial topics, I tended to align myself with the more conservative viewpoints. As
I learned more about the lifestyle of conservatives, I realized that my beliefs aligned
more and more with conservative beliefs. With this growing knowledge, I needed to
learn about the opposing side. This would mean conflict at home.
Although my father is a moderate liberal socially, he is also, without a doubt,
more fiscally conservative, which means that he was able to relate to me on some
levels. However, he would typically remove himself from this arena, where my mother
and I would have all out warfare. She was a hardcore press left side liberal nut, which
is probably what Ive called her while in a heated argument. I love my mother, but I
cannot stand to adhere to her morals and views.

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Mom, I really dont understand how gender could be fluid. Its on a spectrum of male or
female. Im not saying that people dont feel like they were born into the wrong gender
or body, but how could you feel this way at birth? If you look at the neuroscience of a
heterosexual male and a transgender pansexual female, they are the same on the
inside. I cant truly understand how it could be fluid if its one or the other.
Its the gender youre assigned at birth.. She spits back as I interrupt her,
Its not an assignment mom. Its science! It just doesnt make sense to me!
Nonetheless, you have to be respectful and accepting of all opinions and lifestyles,
especially those that offend you and you disagree with. Youll come across people who
are largely different from you, and you never know, one of those people could be part of
your future, and if youre respectful and kind with your expression, they will hopefully
reciprocate.
Youre so delicate mom. I guess that goes along with being a hardcore press left side
liberal nut!
How was I supposed to work on expanding my knowledge of my views, while not
offending anyone? Truthfully, I thought it was impossible, especially at a place that
exemplified and idolized the liberal agenda so much. I was going to have to work at it.
Sophomore year was around the corner and I had decided to embrace the role of
a conservative publicly. I had truly come into my conservative figure. I had expanded my
knowledge to have a wide range of education about politics and social issues regarding
my conservative side. I read, watched news, and stayed connected with the
conservative views. This year, I truly could tell that I was beginning to become true to
who I was. I was able to express my opinion clearly and well, while not offending

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anyone, except for my mother. I along with some of the other students who had similar
views, decided to start a Watkinson Young Conservative club, to see if we couldnt
balance the outweighing liberal views present at Watkinson. My mother began to notice
a difference in the talks we had!
Zach, youre definitely beginning to use more factual based arguments. Instead of just
spewing out whatever most conservative thing you hear first. My mother said with a
glad and proud look.
Im very proud of the strides I was able to make. I went from being a confused,
unsure, and secluded young teenage boy, to becoming an accepting, educated,
knowledgeable conservative. The best part of it, of course, was that I was conservative
and not offending people. I was able to learn to be outward with my opinions, but to
phrase them in such a way that left no bad taste in the mouth, for me, or for those to
whom I was conveying my opinions.
From the day we are born, it is input in our minds that we have to follow the
lifestyle of our elders, but that is in no sense true. We must find our own path, and find
what is true for us. We must not try to please those around us with artificial and untrue
feelings. That is what being a conservative in a liberal family is truly all about.

To quote Cat Stevens:

From the moment I could talk
I was ordered to listen
Now there's a way
And I know that I have to go away

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I know I have to go.