I am a young college student who likes a few chatrooms for real-time talk. I have known to drift over to the right in the past few years. I can say a lot about myself but I spent most of my life, so far, in Severna Park, Maryland which is 15 minutes from Annapolis.

I will observe the comforting nature of introspection, one of my key features. I also have founded myself to be a nerd, in a way, making more friends online in my two phases than in real life somewhat. It is also hard to introduce myself on a spreadsheet of topics. I figured sooner or later, once I have gotten the hang of it I'll introduce myself in some way, shape or form.

My name is Merrick. Though I am not of anglo-saxon descent(my name in Old English means King of the Sea) I am an anglophile. As an example I love listening to any kind of British Invasion music, believe that the Brits are as important to retaining civilization in foreign policy as us Americans are, and like movies by the Brits. Rather, I am of East European descent, with a pre-dominately Russian marking, but my heritage isn't too important, after all the only thing that makes me different from many Conservatives is my religious background as I am Jewish. Maybe my age could apply also, yet there are some FReepers younger than me.

Though I disagree with a few of the opinions as in Homosexuality and in some traits, I also find myself having similar responses to some of the witty banter, and the diverse selection of ideas, philosophy, music and opinions on here. The funny thing also, and this shouldn't be too strange, is that I wasn't always a Conservative even if my Liberal days weren't 100% that way.

I will start out by saying that I was born in Columbia, Maryland around the time my father ran for County Council in that area as a Reagan Democrat under the motto, First In The District(which actually is a triple entendre in a way). My mother, only switched parties once to vote for him, so as to give you a clue my mother has always been a Republican, very loyal in party but not the most Conservative on the planet. Columbia was a very Liberal part of Maryland, but I only lived there for a year and then came Baltimore County, two Elementary schools and before the third grade, I came to Severna Park(15 minutes outside of Annapolis(tm)) where I lived for 10 years. Around this time I was diagnosed with asperger's and I am an only child(possibly giving way to my favorite topic of talking about myself, just kidding). Later on, I would move down to Florida, instantly register to vote as a Republican in Wellington, near West Palm Beach, and I now go to college in Gainesville, Florida yet will be leaving in a week or so.

You know it has been interesting reading threads about how Jack Kerouac was a lifelong Republican on Little Green Footballs, and how Jerry Garcia was very Conservative. You see, I was a Neo-Hippie, and The Beatles completely changed my life. Before that I wanted to become a Computer Programmer after playing the original Super Mario Brothers I and becoming a Videogame obsessionist(in fact, my first phase in online chat was in the videogame messageboards of old before I even knew that blogs existed). That was a run-on sentence, but I love to free-write. Unfortunately computer programming was too complicated for an idealist like me, who loves singing, loves writing songs(wrote 200 since I was 14(tm)), and has a hobby of collecting tons of CDs and many musical instruments. I remember that my songwriting days grew really when I was 16 years old, but anyways the short stick is that I love writing.

Back to my mom and dad, my mom and dad met on a blind date, because my mom was washed out of Pennsylvania by Hurricane Agnes. My dad, unlike my mom, was what one would call a hippie born too late. He wore his hair that way, and entrenched in a very cultural family, he tried to find the best books to read about the subculture of the 60s. The funny thing is that my grandmom and grandpop on my dad's side were former Democrats turned Republicans because of the 60s, in fact my family lineage is mostly filled with Republicans to a certain root. The excuse for other family members to be Democrats is because of FDR and WWII. My grandmother, however, on my mom's side has told me about the ship of Jewish refugees that came all the way to America and FDR turned them back. That wasn't my conversion to Conservatism, but it is interesting to tell that.

I must also say that, even though my best friends turned or are at least somewhat Conservative, and my father became a Paleocon Libertarian in 2002, and my mom is a loyal Republican dragon, I was influenced by other sources, I took history as my favorite class and my favorite teacher was a Liberal. I think that much of it, however, was my exposure to 60s culture, and my naivete with economics(I was a 9/11 Blame America kind of person until the year after). I, however, was for the Death Penalty, highly against Affirmative Action, and against Gun Control(in fact I openly mocked it with some kids at one point). The only change in me in those policies is that I am squishier a little on Affirmative Action. But then again, as with history, you could say that history, especially my recent Republican history professor, has advertently made me support the GOP.

In fact, the lessons on the Civil War, though he didn't intend it, were so close to the Iraq War(copperheads, Clement Ohio, the aggressiveness at winning the war, Abraham Lincoln's treatment, words by the Chicago Tribune(I think) on the Gettysburg Address) that it is the closest comparision to it. Anyway, I was writing songs on peace and love, going to Woodstock twice, and when 2002 rolled around it was finally time to get Saddam Hussein, the bugger who has annoyed previous administrations. At the time, I felt uneasy, here I was looking at the obnoxious treatment of a POTUS, the extreme hypocrisies of Liberals, and arguments against the war becoming hollow, by pacifists who should declare for war, so that we could build civilization on the well of civilization, Mesopotamia.

In fact, it really delighted me to feel the spread of freedom, even by force. That sentiment I still carry to this day, but I was thinking of becoming an Independent. After giving a speech to my grandparents on why it is essential to vote for Bush, because he was the only one, to me, who knew how to deal with this kind of thing, I looked at the candidates for Democrats and wasn't interested. When it became election time, or at least before that, I lurked on Ronald Reagan.com, Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, Little Green Footballs and also ended up here possibly. I think what really pushed me to vote for President Bush, was not because I supported him in 2000(being an extreme Civil Libertarian earlier, yet rescinding some of it because of my support for the Patriot Act, I hated Tipper Gore and wasn't too rosy for Joe Lieberman) but because I felt that Kerry, a pacifist, would've screwed up the WOT, pacifists don't fight or lend hands to winning wars, only warriors do, was my opinion. Since then, I haven't really changed to much.

I still very much support Bush, except on the FMA(Federal Marriage Amendment), and have become maybe more radical. I am extremely for State's Rights, I feel that it is also funny that Democrats would criticize evangelicals in the GOP, yet they were the most Anti-slavery elements in the early history of the party, and I also feel that if Judaism was the majority religion(also not part of the Leftist "protected class system) you would have the same stuff going on with that religion like what is happening with Christianity so I have a good amount of sympathy for those who believe that people are coming down too hard on that religion. Though, I am for Separation of Church and State I don't believe that the Feds should make the government presume the role of a place of worship, and I agree with Faith-Based funding. I am also very, very fiscally Conservative, maybe even moreso than socially, and though I believe that it is OK for a little welfare, medicare, and a little bit of spending on education and the Arts(hence my Semi-Libertarian title) most of that stuff should be in the States, and the Feds major unit of spending should be on the military. I also was very attracted to Conservatism because of the misunderstood class, Libertarianism. I very much love it, because it tends to be at the base fiscally Conservative, but it can also breed into different types of animals.

I do believe that two of the parts of Conservatism rely on Good vs. Evil, and Responsibility. Therefore, I am mostly secular on politics but responsibility plays into a major part on why I am Pro-Life myself, and why I emphasize parts of Social and Fiscal Conservatism.

I have many other ideas and theories on politics, including that fiscal issues can mean more on basic definitions than Social ones, usually.

I am also going to be a Communications major, my best grades in school were not in Math and Science, those parts are for my mom, but in English and History. I want a career as a person in the Regressors(a band idea I will talk about later), a Radio DJ, and wouldn't mind doing other things with that. I just turned 20 years old recently, and will appreciate telling you more. You will probably learn about me, more, through my rants on politics, and maybe a bunch of rants on my extreme loneliness, a subject of mine I also use to develop my different Entertainment ideas. I love a person's sense of humor, and believe it to be very important, as I've read many humor books, and watched mnay comedies.

Favorite book: Possibly East of Eden. I also loved On The Road, and I loved Holidays In Hell, one of the funniest books I've read. Least Favorite book: I'll have to give time on it. Favorite band: The Beatles Least Favorite band: Plenty of them. Musical hero: John Lennon Hero: Ronald Reagan(I read his biography and he is so much like me) Favorite album: The White Album Least Favorite Album: Three Doors Down's A Better Life is I think the title. The one with Kryptonite as the opener. Favorite movie: The Naked Spur Least Favorite movie: Charlie's Angels II, and I've seen a lot of bad movies. Favorite actor: Jimmy Stewart Least Favorite actor: Will Farrell Favorite modern actor: Mel Gibson(I am also a Jew who loved The Passion, but usually when I see or hear something I have to role play, and so I role played a devout Christian watching it and could readily understand what would make devout Christians so into it. It was very dramatic, very emotional, and could be very moving for those of faith) Favorite genre of movie: Western Least Favorite genre: I don't know, possibly Porn. Favorite genre of music: 50s/60s Rock Least Favorite genre: Death Metal/Hardcore. Sure the instruments might be OK, but is there a point to it? Favorite President: Theodore Roosevelt(my Environmental idea is based off of his, preserve national monuments, but don't impede mankind's progress, using his principles, drilling in ANWR is necessary just as creating the Panama Canal was necessary) Least Favorite President: Hmmmmm, possibly Herbert Hoover or not. Jimmy Carter was bad, but you could blame Fiscal Liberalism as the culprit for that madness, but Jimmy Carter was awful, I think that if Goldwater was president instead of Nixon, though Nixon was great, Goldwater probably would've had less of a Watergate, and would've slowed down the fiscal spigot from leaking. If only he and one of the best speeches made, penned by Reagan, ran after LBJ, it would've made a lot more sense. Favorite Comic Strip: Calvin and Hobbes Least Favorite CS: I used to love Garfield but when it became a running joke on Garfield's weight, John's nerdiness and a few other things, it fell flat. At least C and H pondered a lot, and was rather interesting to look at, Garfield was a pounder. Favorite comedians: The Marx Brothers Least Favorite comedian: I think that there are a few. Favorite TV Show: I Love Lucy(a recent favorite is SCTV, I am a huge, huge fan of the show and got into it recently, whenever I see a thread with an excerpt from that show on there my mind beeps. I especially love the last episode on Volume III(I have all three volumes) with Norman Mailer's TV ad for Tide as a classic skit)

I am also very dismayed and frustrated by modern culture. I am not into very bad music, some horrible movies, and some other bad things. I do believe that the 1980s might've been the best decade we have had so far, even if some of the great cultural touchstones weren't in that decade.

Favorite Videogame: Final Fantasy 7, bridged the gap between gaming and cinema. Least Favorite videogame: Rascal, bad story, controls go virtually nowhere. Both are Playstation One games. Biggest interests: Videogames, books, movies, music, talking, politics, romance(I have looked at that Jessica Biel charity auction in fantasyland and since I am a superficial still not an adult yet male I was very attracted to it. ), the West(best place in the friggin' Universe, my favorite state, Colorado, is in the West). Favorite Animated movie: Yellow Submarine, it used to be The Lion King, as a matter of fact I do have my reasons for why I loved the Lion King so much. Movie to recommend: The Night of the Hunter, Robert Mitchum plays a preacher with Love and Hate marked on his hands. Album to recommend: The Undertones, their debut album in 1978, a Northern Ireland-based Punk/Rock band riffing on usual teenage-like topics, in fact their best-known song is Teenage Kicks. Unfortunately hard to find, very hard to find. Videogame to recommend: Well, I might as well pick a ROM I've played, it is a brawler starring Techno's own Kunio but I forget the name since it is a Japanese translated ROM. Unlike Final Fight there is a little story to it, making it a semi-movie.

For any interests: My Email and AIM address are both JohLennon@AOL.com, so I urge at least one person to IM me, and to Email me. Unlike some other places, there isn't a real-time option too much, and posts can be hard to find. Any questions or comments can be directed to me. I hate if it sounds rude or anything, but I've learned that jumping out of nowhere and landing on a cactus patch is rather bad.

I will include a song that I am listening to currently on my posts

Everynight, I hope and pray, a dream lover will come my way. Yeah, girl a-holding my arm

I want a dream lover, so I don't have to dream alone.