Q. Where would you like to be?
A. In a place of greater security.
Q. You??
A. What do you mean, me??
Q. Since when have you cared about security? Aren’t you a risk-taking adventurer who will not sacrifice your freedom for all the safety in the world?
A. I am not a Trump supporter, no.
Q. But traditionally, have you not always favored freedom over security?
A. Is that even valid question? Are freedom and security diametrically opposed? Or mutually exclusive?
Q. Why are you asking me? Why don’t you answer that for yourself?
A. Okay well let me think. Freedom vs. Security. One is reminded of an oft-misquoted Ben Franklin meme. Something to the effect that those who would sacrifice their freedom for a little temporary security deserve neither.
Q. Would you sacrifice your freedom for a little temporary security?
A. Depends on how temporary. I’ve been secure for almost five years now, compared to how “free” I used to be. And that freedom I knew when I was outside was very tenuous. Free of schedules, free of deadlines, free of the Mainstream. But not free from accusations, threats, and assaults. Trading the security of house and home for the chaotic pseudo-freedom of outdoor living isn’t quite a 50-50 trade-off.
Q. Then why aren’t you feeling secure now that you’ve escaped it?
A. My lack of security is on another plane. I am not safe from my foibles and defects. I am not safe from the consequences of the words that emerge from my mouth. I am not safe from — well, to be honest with you, from PTSD. I never know when the trigger will strike and lead to a flashback. I thought the last time it happened was the worst it could ever have been. But what happened six days ago took the cake.
Q. What happened six days ago?
A. I was at a meeting and I blurted out an opinion that certain people whom I might characterize as “Far Left” do not believe is a valid opinion. An argument with one such person ensued after the meeting. They seemed quite calm in apparently advising me that my opinion was unacceptable. The result was, in a word, reactionary.
Q. Reactionary?
A. Yes. While I ordinarily lean a wee bit Left of Center, I suddenly was hurled into a right-wing reactionary mode.
Q. Did you temporarily become a Trump supporter?
A. No — but I suddenly became about as conservative as I was about forty years ago.
Q. How conservative were you then?
A. Enough to prefer Ronald Reagan over Walter Mondale.
Q. Were you less enlightened then?
A. I’m not very enlightened now, to be honest with you. I was just younger, more gullible, less discerning, and less informed.
Q. What about when you were on the streets?
A. Libertarian. Voted for Gary Johnson against Obama. Slipped right into the mode of most of my White middle-aged companions who had fallen on hard times. We were very assertive as to our personal rights and freedoms.
Q. And that changed once you got inside?
A. It began changing before I got inside. It started changing around about the time Bernie Sanders was competing with Hillary in the 2016 primary. I registered Democrat then, to vote for Bernie and against Hillary. Moved up to North Idaho (largely Libertarian & Independent) and have not changed back yet.
Q. Are you planning to become a Libertarian again?
A. Not sure. The Party here leans too far to the Right.
Q. Why would you even consider it?
A. Um — I recently met a Libertarian who is very open about his views. He also seems a very happy person. He has reminded me of certain ideals that the Party embraces.
Q. Such as what?
A. Reverence for the Constitution. That’s valuable. We need that to hold the country together.
Q. Can the Libertarians hold the country together?
A. Not as long as we’re all perceived to be a bunch of lunatics.
Q. Why would that perception have evolved?
A. It seems that the party clings relentlessly to ideals that don’t always pan out positively in the modern world.
Q. So you may remain a Democrat?
A. Probably.
Q. What about your conservative streak?
A. Between the two main parties, I would say that at this point the Dems are doing a better job at upholding traditional conservative values than the G.O.P.
Q. Would you repeat that, please?
A. Between the two main parties, I would say that at this point the Dems are doing a better job at upholding traditional conservative values than the G.O.P.
Q. How can traditional conservative values help us in the modern world?
A. Well, if everybody stopped sleeping with multiple partners and spreading STD’s and screwing around on their spouses and increasing the rate of abortions and alienating everybody with their incontinence, that would be a good start.
Q. So you think the problem is sexual abandon?
A. It’s a large part of it, yes.
Q. May I ask a question?
A. Please do.
Q. May we index this discussion for a future time?
A. Fine with me. My ride will be here in a couple minutes.
Q. Meet again next week?
A. Sure.
Q. Anything else?
A. Yes. May we not talk about politics next time, please?
The Questioner is silent.
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Eden in Babylon 
I don’t think I would ever become a member of a political party or even identify as being fully aligned with one party. That might be different if I was American; I would probably identify as being Democrat-aligned because there’s no other option that would possibly align with my views.
I think autonomy and agency are compatible with security, although that might be just my own personal interpretation of those vis a vis freedom. I’m okay with reducing options in order to gain security, as long as there’s enough wiggle room that I can still make and enact decisions for myself.
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I can’t identify fully with a political party; and in fact, it bothers me when people do. We should all think for ourselves and decide where we stand on the various issues, rather than vote strictly along party lines.
As I say this, it strikes me that maybe I ought to just register as an Independent, which means no party affiliation. People think it’s a cop-out, but it actually seems more in line with what I believe.
I don’t think of agency or autonomy as being incompatible with security; however I also don’t believe it possible to achieve either, if our ideas as to what makes as free or safe or free are based on external, temporal variables.
Framed in more transcendent terms, we’re all going to pass on from this passing world into a more eternal dimension at some point, wherein things like freedom and security will be givens, and completely compatible. That is to say, Christ provides both. That’s why scriptures such as John 8:31-32 and Hebrews 13:5 are compatible. The beauty of the experience of the life in Christ is that one can be free in Christ and safe in Christ simultaneously.
Back to Planet Earth, I have definitely reduced options to gain security in recent years. But there’s a sense that in security, one can explore new options. So the trade-off is worth it.
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The idea of registered Independent seems strange. That’s not a thing in Canada.
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It seems strange that they would have to create a party composed of people who don’t want to belong to a party. It’s almost oxymoronic. But on voter ballots in the U.S., you have to check a certain box to identify party affiliation before you cast your vote. So “Independent” has to be on there.
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Weird.
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Indeed.
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Your political views are very similar to mine.
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I’m not surprised.
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