The ides of January, 2006 -- The American Association of Retired Persons began as an organization dedicated to improving the lives of our elderly.  These days it  is being run by leftists.  When you become a member, part of your dues go to support their political agenda.

It was Winston Churchill who said (in other words) that liberalism is a natural state for the young, and conservatism a natural state for the same people, only a few decades farther down the road.  This is a true statement, as all population group surveys prove.  The reason for the evolution is time and experience.  Life drives out fairy tale philosophies in a statistically significant number of individuals.  Radical concepts about the efficacy of income redistribution give way to an understanding that if everybody works for the government, nothing gets done and people starve.  France is a mess, Cuba is a mess, North Korea is a mess, the old Soviet Union was a mess and the new Venezuela will shortly be a mess.  Liberalism produces exactly the reverse of what it promises, every time and every where it is tried.

If you have reached the age where decades of real life have shattered your foolish youthful illusions, and wish to leave your grandchildren hope instead of fantasy, do not support the AARP.  If you are a current member, resign.  Why?

Last week, the singer, Harry Belafonte, a flaming socialist, stood next to Venezuela's new communist president Chavez and said that G.W. Bush is the world's worst terrorist.  Mr. Belafonte was recently selected as a "man of the year" by AARP.  If you believe that the people running AARP are ignorant of Mr. Belafonte's political history, you deserve to lose your nation.

For a conservative alternative to the AARP, try the National Association for Senior Concerns.  Its founder is a man named, Jerry Barton.  At present, this operation does not offer all the AARP membership goodies, but then most of America's elderly aren't for sale.  Their country isn't either. 

(LL)

© 2006 Oregon Magazine