I’ve never understood why certain positions automatically claims you in a political camp.  To me, this is very dogmatic.  Dogmatism just tells me that you’re not thinking about why you have the beliefs that you do, and that whenever someone inquires into why you have these certain beliefs, the answer is usually “Well, that’s how I was raised.”  Good thinking. 

To show what I mean, check out what is usually considered “right-wing” on these issues (I mean this on the American sense):

• Abortion: against it, although there may be some exceptions (mother’s health is in danger, rape or incest cases)
• Capital Punishment: for it
• War in Iraq: Usually for it
• Economics: Free trade/Free Market
• Euthanasia: Usually against it.
• Same-sex marriage: Against it.
• Legalizing drugs: wants to criminalize drugs
• Pornography: wants to restrict it.
• Environmental concerns: it’s not really a problem (although this is kind of tricky since there are many conservatives that endorse alternative fuels)
• Politics: Republican
• Attitude on the world: Conservative (although there are exceptions, conservative usually means “traditional”)
• Race Issues: there should be equality but it shouldn’t be forced (like affirmative action or reparations)
• Sex Education: none, or at the least, abstinence-only programs
• Immigration: they should get out (if illegal), or learn the language
• Health Care: it is up to the citizens and businesses to figure that out, government should stay out.

Now with the list above, is there some rule that says if you believe in two or three of those, then you must believe in all of them?  I don’t see why all of those issues must be consistent with one another.  On the opposite view, here’s the list from the “left-wing” perspective (again in America):

• Abortion: considers it terrible, but makes sure it’s available to women (up to a certain point which is usually the end of the second trimester)
• Capital Punishment: against it
• War in Iraq: Usually against it
• Economics: Fair trade/Fair Market
• Euthanasia: Usually has no problem with it.
• Same-sex marriage: Has no problem with it.
• Legalizing drugs: Usually wants to  decriminalize drugs
• Pornography: since it’s part of free speech, it must be allowed.
• Environmental concerns: since it’s man-made, we must find a solution
• Politics: Democrat
• Attitude on the world: Progressive (although there are exceptions, progressive usually means “against tradition so that we can move forward”)
• Race Issues: there should be equality and the only way to do that is to have some form of affirmative action
• Sex Education: there must be a full-fledged sex education, or at least provide abstinence a choice
• Immigration: they should take the test to become citizens, language is irrelevant.
• Health Care: since health is considered a (positive) right, it’s up to the government to provide it for each citizen.

Of course, I’m sure you can think of other issues that can go with both of these lists.  Now to show why these are dogmatic positions, imagine some guy.  Let’s call him Joe.  Suppose he held on to these issues:

• Abortion: considers it terrible, but makes sure it’s available to women (up to a certain point which is usually the end of the second trimester)
• Capital Punishment: for it
• War in Iraq: Usually against it
• Economics: Free trade/Free Market
• Euthanasia: Usually has no problem with it.
• Same-sex marriage: Against it
• Legalizing drugs: Usually wants to  decriminalize drugs
• Pornography: wants it to be restricted.
• Environmental concerns: since it’s man-made, we must find a solution
• Politics: Republican
• Attitude on the world: Progressive (although there are exceptions, progressive usually means “against tradition so that we can move forward”)
• Race Issues: there should be equality but this shouldn’t be forced (like affirmative action)
• Sex Education: there must be a full-fledged sex education, or at least provide abstinence a choice
• Immigration: they should get out (if illegal), or learn the language
• Health Care: since health is considered a (positive) right, it’s up to the government to provide it for each citizen.

All I did was pick an opposite issue every other point.  Now Joe believes this.  Is there anything inconsistent with his views?  I can’t think of any.  It seems that one can hold on to this without contradiction.  So then why do so many people have such a dogmatic view about these issues?  It’s as if to say, if you’re a Republican, then you must be against sex education?  Or if you’re a Democrat, then you must be for affirmative action?  These dogmatic ideas, I think, are part of the problem on why people don’t think, or even want to think.  They have this attitude of “I already know what I believe in.”  Yes, but my reply is always why do you believe that?  The answer is usually not satisfactory.  What would I like to see?  I would like to see more Joes in the world.  Not in the sense of people having these different beliefs and not know why, but people having a variety of beliefs because they don’t fall into dogmatism.