How would you feel if your 16 year old DS wanted to become a 'young conservative'

[BigSandyBalls2015]

That is all!
Opinions please.

Still interested in what I cherry-picked, btw, Laura!

Actually,I've just noticed that lots of people are saying that they would be pleased their child was interested enough in politics to want to choose a party. Surely that's a given?

Oh and disappointed and disgusted are not synonyms!

Seek - I can't be bothered to copy and paste all the examples on this thread, there are too many. I'm neither a labour voter nor a conservative (leftie green voter here) but left voters never come across well. It's rather embarrassing really.

I did when I was that age & am still actively involved. I wanted to change the world and in many ways still do! The Conservative Party is a very broad church and I am very much a 'One Nation' Tory. I believe the state has a role to look after the most vulnerable and can be a force for the good. The economy is however best left to the free market. I am actively involved in local politics and communities group as I believe that people should be part of their community/ give back! I think that it is great when young people want to get involved and are interested in what is happening in the World. I would actively encourage my child to get involved in politics / pressure groups.

I'd be disappointed as a labour supporter but pleased he had his own mind and opinions.

"'d be delighted but point out that some bigotted wankers (so many examples even in this post) can't tolerate those with different opinions"
An example of bigoted wank, please?

Oh okay - I probably cherry-picked, on the grounds that 'left voters never come across well'. That's a very informed and reasonable opinion, and I'm sure the way your mind appears to work on supposition, prejudice, and bigotry in that particular matter has zero correlation with where you sit on the political spectrum

"Seek - I can't be bothered to copy and paste all the examples on this thread, there are too many"
Nobody's asking you for all of them. I'd be happy with 3.

But I would be 'appalled' if my daughter, who's engaged as long as she's been able in conversations about injustice and poverty, and who knows and understands Tory policies on these things, suddenly decided that was the mast she wanted to nail her flag to, in the face of everything we as a family have ever discussed and every value we've shared.
I'm getting a little teary here.

Also I did explicitly say, that was what had been said already when the posts started with the 'I can't believe how nasty the left are, I'm shocked' - that was literally all it took!

It would show they'd got a mind of their own or are in full on rebellion stage.

Which things on this thread to you think are examples of bigoted wank?

^- Hugely disappointed that they'd suddenly stopped being a caring and compassionate individual.
Torys are the party for the 'me, me, me fuck everyone else types' after all.^

- I’d feel the need to enrol him in a critical thinking course.

- I would suspect grooming/brain washing from an as yet, unidentified source

- We are an ethnic minority so it wouldn't sit well with me if she was part of a racist political group.

Seek "frothing thick racist" "Hugely disappointed that they'd suddenly stopped being a caring and compassionate individual. Torys are the party for the 'me, me, me fuck everyone else types'" to give you a couple of examples.

As someone said upthread it's exactly this kind of blanket dismissal of the other side that gives rise to the fuck-you politics of Trump

guilty100 "The association of tolerance with a lack of passionate conviction is gendered, too."

Interesting reflection, guilty

I'm a believer in the need for a passionate, constantly engaged, defence of the centre - even if I may not always occupy that centre-ground myself at various points. It's a precious ideal.

I'd be pleased. It's really good that a 16 year old is taking some serious interest in politics, and should be encouraged. I can't understand why posters say they'd be disappointed because the political views don't match their own.....why should they? Young people are known for going against parental views anyway, and besides, it's their view, they are as entitled to their own as anyone. They're likely to change in the future as they develop anyway.

As for those who are commenting on Nazi jokes, what a load of rubbish. I have dozens and dozens of conservative friends and no-one would dream of making such comments, what's that all about? Biased and incorrect.....

we would be delighted! I mean of course we would be happy with either of our children taking up an interest in politics in general, but if they were a young conservative even better!

So a huge percentage of this thread is so leftwing they have doubled back into right wing fascist terratory, acting disgusted if their child forms their own political opinion. Astounding.

The 'frothing thick racist' was immediately read out of context: that poster was distinguishing between wings of the Tory party!

The Nazi jokes thing was a reference to this wjhich is specifically about YC's making Nazi jokes on Whatsapp, I believe.

I'd be proud that they were interested in politics and that they had some ambition.

Baffled about how we are to blame for Trump! So, it's not people who voted for Trump who made him president, it's people who find him appalling? And if you really didn't like Trump, you shouldn't say so, or else people will vote for him?

Next election I shall be sure to go out with a megaphone declaring how utterly tolerable and absolutely fine I find Theresa May. That oughta do it!

I'd charge he market rate for being a lodger - free market and all that!

"So a huge percentage of this thread is so leftwing they have doubled back into right wing fascist terratory, acting disgusted if their child forms their own political opinion. Astounding."

No they haven't. Well, unless you think that disappointment and disgust are the same thing.

@Increasinglymiddleaged

Middle ground. Middle ground. I am NOT conservative. I'm a centrist. I wouldn't touch the dirty tories with someone else's bargepole. They are not a centrist party and have not been for a very long time.

I'd be delighted that he was taking an active interest in politics and look forward to the debates.

I’d be pleased. Not that I’m a die hard Tory ( I switch parties depending on my circumstances ) but because it would seem more ‘real’ - young people support Corbyn because it’s fashionable, no young person wants to be anything other than a conscientious lefty ( even though many couldn’t give a toss about politics really )
so coming out as a Tory at such a young age is very brave!