i am a crunchy con

What is a crunchy con? you ask. I asked it too, when I first saw the term while reading the paper on Sunday. The headline caught my eye: “‘Crunchy conservatism’ a sensibility that crosses into the left’s territory.” Apparently, a crunchy conservative is a someone whose conservatism flows from their Christian faith and cultural tradition (read Western Civilization tradition), not from big business or political party loyalty (i.e., traditional Republicans). I always wondered why some Republicans in the national spotlight are so susceptible to the RINO syndrome; so quick to compromise on abortion or defending traditional marriage. Apparently there is a Republicanism that flows from a faith in capitalism, profit, and power, and that Republicanism tends to capitulate when the social and moral — foundational — issues so important to me are on the line.

Anyway, where does the crunchy come in? That is the granola- eating, organic vegetable- growing, birkenstock- wearing side of the conservative. The side the media portrays as only applying to lefty hippies. My name is Christine, and I am crunchy. I do not have birkenstocks, though (although I would if I could afford them), but I do have crocs. Darn comfortable shoes when you have to be on your feet all day.

I have had an organic garden for ten years, and have been buying organic groceries at Wild Oats for six months. Why organic gardening? Why organic meat, milk, and produce? Why not industrialized, institutionalized mega farming? To me, it is common sense. Why put poison on your food? The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore, it is to be respected, it is to be cared for as our families are to be cared for, as our animals are to be cared for, and as the natural order is to be cared for. Not because nature is equal to or greater than humans, as many atheists or pagans believe, but because humans have been given authority and stewardship, and provision and protection is the responsibility of authority.

We believe in nutrition, not necessarily prescriptions, to combat disease and to stay healthy. There goes the “all Republicans support the evil drug companies” fallacy. Actually, I do not believe drug companies are evil. When I had a tooth pulled recently, I was thankful that someone produced novocaine and Advil. I just believe that the drug companies operate on the foundational worldview belief that in industrialized, sterilized science lies our salvation. I do not share that belief, but that does not make me ungrateful for science. It just helps me put science in its proper place as man’s servant, not man’s savior. (Besides, nutrition is science, too; just often not recognized as “pure” science by the powers- that- be.)

That puts us in with the alternative medicine folks. Just as homeschoolers are doing with education, the alternative medicine folks are doing with health: outside the mainstream, pooh poohed by the professionals, they are slowly discovering what works, free of the received dogma.

One of the goals of my dh and I is to eventually produce our own power to power our little homestead. That means, for our area of the country, a combination of wind and solar power. There goes the “all Republicans support the evil oil companies” fallacy. Actually, I do not believe the oil companies are evil. I am thankful for the power, supplied by said companies, which is heating my home right now while the snow is falling outside (predicted high: 30 degrees today). And so are the lefties who rail at the big oil companies. They use plenty of oil too. The oil companies are supplying a demand, and they are not evil for doing so. If the demand ceased, they would go the way of the Edsel.

I was at Wild Oats just yesterday, and was perusing the magazines while standing in line. The magazines they carry assume no Christian or no Republican or no conservative would ever be standing in line looking at them. Typical liberal mush informed by emotionalism rather than the reason, logic, and truth which is so integral to Christianity spewed out from the headlines. “I wonder if the execs at Wild Oats would be open to a letter informing them that other people than blind Cindy Sheehan supporters shop here?” I thought.

Probably not. The stereotypes run both ways.