Conservative? Liberal? What?

I got into a funny discussion with a friend last night. She mentioned that she and her ex couldn't talk about anything. This was especially the case when anything involving politics or religion came up. He'd always shoot back with a, "No, you're wrong," "You're being so ridiculous," "You're being irrational," or "I read a book about that once, so come back to me at another time when you've done your homework like I have." Allright, so the guy knows everything, right? He thinks so, anyway.

But, after a long discussion with my friend, he seems very confused. Maybe the young lad doesn't know as much as he believes. Wouldn't that be something? My friend, we'll call her Lacey, does not like guns. She believes in gun laws. Heck, she'd feel a heck of a lot safer if there were no guns, period! Her ex, Gus we'll call him, doesn't believe in gun laws and claimed that Lacey was really liberal, because of her views on guns. Allright. But, Lacey witnessed the news one evening and overheard a young man who robbed a store and killed somebody, and stated that he should be punished. What did Gus say to this? "Gosh, you're really conservative on this, aren't you?"

Allright, so let me get this straight. If one supports gun laws, then they're liberal. If they support one being punished for a crime, they're conservative? What? So, liberals don't believe in any punishment or responsibility? Is that right, Gus? What, since Gus doesn't believe there should be any gun laws, should I thereby label him an anarchist? I could, but I won't.

While, for the most part, it is true that liberals favor gun laws more than conservatives, I have never heard that conservatives favor punishment, consequence, and responsibility more than liberals. Heck, when it comes to politicians, it seems that so-called liberals and conservatives alike, only believe in punishment, consequence, and responsibility when it comes to other countries or people who don't agree with them in their own country. But, for them personally? Heck no, there shouldn't be any punishment, consequence, or responsibility. I'll give two examples, without names being mentioned, of course...

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman!"

"They have weapons of mass destruction!"

One of those quotes is from a Democrat and one is from a Republican. Ahh, yes, they both were extremely upstanding, honest people who could fess up to wrongs they committed, prepare themselves for the consequences, and take full responsibility for their actions. Uh-huh.

So, while I have to agree that more liberals favor gun laws than do conservatives. I can't understand the logic, reasoning, or rationale behind saying conservatives believe in punishment, consequence, and responsibility more so than do liberals. Sorry Gus, but you don't know as much as you think, so hit those books again, and do your own homework!