What It Actually Means To Be Conservative

This well-worded statement was posted on Facebook by Janet Elaine Parks, Feb. 9, 2026.

It doesn't say it all, but what she says here is a strong, solid declaration!

What It Actually Means To Be Conservative

Somewhere along the way, the word conservative got turned into a caricature.

If you say you’re conservative, people assume:

• You must be racist.
• You hate immigrants.
• You don’t care about the poor.
• You lack compassion.
• You’re some kind of extremist.

And none of that is true…

Are there extremists on both sides? Absolutely.
And most of us don’t want anything to do with them…

But it’s not fair to take the worst voices online and pretend they represent millions of everyday parents, workers, and neighbors, who simply hold conservative values.

So let me say plainly what conservatism means to me.

1. We believe in law and order.

That doesn’t mean blind loyalty to government. It means we believe a society cannot function without laws that are applied fairly.

You can question how enforcement is done - that’s healthy. But supporting law enforcement is not evil, and it’s not new.

And let’s be real. What’s happening today is not radically different from past administrations. 
The difference is that governors once cooperated with federal enforcement and now openly resist it. 

Why? Because it is Trump. 

That political shift doesn’t make the principle of law and order wrong.

2. We believe in the dignity of life.

Being pro-life isn’t about controlling women. It’s about believing that an unborn child is a human life with value. We don’t see a baby as an inconvenience to be removed. We see a life that deserves a chance.

You can disagree with that belief. But it comes from a place of protecting the vulnerable and giving them their God-given right to life.

3. We believe in the Second Amendment.

Not because we love violence. But because we believe citizens have the right to protect themselves and their families.

History shows that when only governments have weapons, freedom disappears. Responsible gun ownership is about safety, independence, and the right to defend your home.

4. We believe in personal responsibility.

Conservatives believe:

• hard work matters.
• families matter.
• choices have consequences.
• government shouldn’t replace parents, churches, or communities.

We’d rather empower people than make them dependent on systems that keep them stuck. 

5. We believe in secure borders AND human compassion.

We believe:

• Come legally, and we will welcome you with open arms.
• Follow the same rules millions followed before, don’t cut the line.
• Protect communities from trafficking and crime.
• Treat people with dignity while upholding the law.

Those ideas can coexist, even when one side can’t stand it.

6. We believe in faith, family, and freedom.

Not as made-up ideas, but as foundations.

• Parents should guide children.
• Faith should be respected, not mocked.
• Freedom of speech must apply to everyone.
• Government should be limited, not all-powerful.

None of this makes someone hateful. It makes them someone with a different worldview.

You can disagree with conservative ideas. But stop pretending they come from evil hearts.

Most conservatives are:

• moms and dads
• business owners
• veterans
• teachers
• immigrants who came the legal way
• people who love their neighbors and their country

Disagreement is fine - demonization is not.

I don’t need you to agree with me because I don’t hate anyone who disagrees with me. 

But at some point, we need to change the narrative that is consistently being misinterpreted in the media. Otherwise, we will always be in this left versus right war.