Personal Political Development

The factors that have helped be develop my political views are as wide and diverse as the world. Going back to my earliest memories of 1987, at the age 2 I begun recalling and memorizing things, I was able to grasp things in my memory and was learning to read. I suppose the fact that in some regards that I was an early bloomer attributed to my development however, at the time I remember watching glimpses of the news and seeing Bush Senior talking about Desert Storm. I didn't full grasp what was going on other than we were at war, but war at the time to me meant beating up bad guys, and so for me at that time President Bush was a hero. This I feel was the key point in developing the path of my political development as following that, I think

Trying to figure out how Clinton won and not the hero Bush. In fact I wasn't even sure if Bush was running for re-election, I just knew I did not like Clinton. It was around this time my parents own political affiliations really started to catch my interest and I began learning about and understanding politics, with the aid of School House Rock. It was then that my own notion of never trusting news, never trusting all information ever given to me at base value began, ever since I have always looked into matters on my own, researched and made judgement based not on parties, creeds, race, or otherwise, but by facts and often the facts long buried and hidden at that. So in essence my socialization came from the surrounding media followed closely by my parents, before I myself choose to step past that and conduct my own research and learn things my inquisitive mind wanted. It did not hurt that in the end I wound up ignoring all my teachers political rhetoric growing up as well, as their own personal bias often tinted the things they would say. Which is sadly a part of the two-party system we have... I've had an English Teacher who is as far left as one can get, I've had a Sociology Professor as far right as one can be, I've had many in between with leanings left or right, but I made the decision to ignore their words in regards to politics as to some degree I feel politics are a personal thing based on ones own

So when growing up for me, I gained some religious upbringing but to no particular affiliation. My preschool was a church one which incidentally was connected to the St. Rose Presbyterian Church my parents were married in, my kindergarten in Hanalei Bay, Kauai would let out early on some days and I'd head over to the Wai'oli Hui'ia Missionary Church right next door there for some minor teaching and learning. Then as I got older I attended a 7th Day Adventist church a few times but never really got into it. My own personal beliefs became more important than someone else prescribed choices. Just like with my own political views, I developed my own based on everything and grew into developing my own beliefs. Which I will not say is better than anyone else, but they are just right for me. My parents had always advocated that I learn to make my own decisions, to understand and to not just jump into things without thinking. When ever I asked a question they would give me a straight answer. Where did babies come from, what is war, what happens when people die. I knew and learned these things and more early on which granted me the ability to make more determining choices in my life at an earlier age than most and from there begin shaping my own perspectives and