@bigheadfred
I guess any American that isn't a Bible Thumper and accepts "The word of GAWD!" as his or her personal slavery ticket to salvation isn't a "real American",huh?
And some people still wonder why conservatism doesn't dominate!
@sneakypete First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I'll go with that, and I am a Christian. Despite your pejorative characterization of religion, in some cases perhaps well deserved, a vast number of "Real Americans" existed before the Vikings found this place. Some of them became Christians, some didn't.
Among those honorable people in either camp is a shared set of values. Your word is your bond. You stand up for what you believe is right. You defend your friends, relentlessly pursue your enemies, but can come to terms in a mutually honorable peace--or, in some cases, not. Fundamental rules exist, and breaking those promotes outrage whatever one's religious beliefs.
You don't steal from others. (It pisses them off, just as you would be pissed off if they stole something of yours).
You don't needlessly kill them. (That pisses off their relatives).
You don't screw their wives (Messing with family units is often taboo, even though there may be exceptions).
You feed the poor, sick, and weak who can't feed themselves. (Note, I didn't say
won't feed themselves.)
Be kind to animals and lesser creatures, unless they are a threat to you and yours, or you want them for food, then kill them quickly and mercifully.
Teach children the ways of adulthood as they are old and mature enough to learn without unnecessarily rushing it.
Protect women and children from harm.
Most cultures would agree on most, if not all of that, at some level (individual/family/extended family/band/tribe/nation) regardless of religious belief, because human nature is pretty much hard wired in. The same spectrum of wants, needs, aggravations, ambitions, and desires are present in humanity as were thousands of years ago, only the scope of those and the trimmings have changed.
That takes us back to the idea of fundamental Rights.
The right to believe--or not.
The right to assemble in groups
The right to have an opinion and voice it
The right to challenge what you think is wrong
The right to defend yourself and yours
The right to have your stuff, without
ANY one else messing with it.
The right to face those who accuse you of wrong, to make them prove what they contend or be believed innocent of that wrong.
To not be punished for any wrongs unless your people have decided you did, and only after consideration of all evidence for and against you. You have a right to defend yourself and have any and all who can aid in that defense present their information on your behalf. No punishment should be disproportional to the nature of whatever you did, if such applies, nor should it be unusually cruel.
For a Christian of Jew, those rules are laid out in the Bible, for others, in other scriptures or cultural tradition, but whether or not to follow some moral 'code' remains an individual choice.
The concept of Honor transcends culture, and although it is often co-opted or encumbered with other stuff, Men of Honor understand, instinctively, and follow that internal code. By any reasonable standard they are moral men. Those who are not, need rules spelled out in the most minute detail, and will still try to weasel out of them.
In terms of religion, we may not believe the same thing, yet I would trust you to conduct yourself honorably despite that.
That is what would make you a "Conservative" in my eyes, and beyond doubt a "Real American".
