My first political experience was at age 5, in 2000 (Yes, I'm currently 13). My brother and I, he being the esteemed age of eight, were digging in the back yard (I forget for what), and I was curious about the hubbub about an 'election' that was going on. Here are his words as I remember them;
"Okay, here's what you've got to know. Democrats are good and republicans are bad. Left is good, right is bad. Liberal is good, conservative is bad."
He went to a little more length about the various good and bad things in politics, but that was the general idea. Impressive for an eight year old, perhaps, but not very astute. I've since learned better. Follow me over the jump for my enlightenment.
Now, bias is not something to be taken lightly. He was fairly obviously biased, and just as obviously he was wrong. Nowadays (in fact, just last week) his political views are something like this;
"Now, ideaology is big circle. At the far end of the right, you have nutcases like Ann Coulter, who believes a coalition of 'unperfected jews' and Muslims are plotting to take over the world. At the far end of the left, you have people like Pat (in his class), who believe that Coca-Cola is plotting to take over the world (not kidding). And in the middle you have people like our neighbor across the street, who is Republican, but very nice and not at all crazy, against the war in Iraq, but also firmly against abortion".
So that's where he stands now. And that makes sense.
My parents (and my older brother, as he was then old enough to be following politics) were all against the Iraq war, starting on 9/12, 2001. So about three months before the war began, I was out on the streets, holding a sign, protesting. I didn't know much other than the fact that there might be a war and that we were against it. But I held my sign up dutifully, and being a cute little kid, got lots of attention (my little sister, maybe 6 or 7 and even cuter, now I think of it, got even more attention and a lot of awwwws). I vividly remember my brother's sign; "Where's the smoking gun?" (in reference to Bush). Now that's a bit of an overreaction, I say, but I didn't know that.
It was mid-December, and it was cold and windy. Even though we were getting lots of honks and other support, morale was down. But just about then a miracle occurred. A lady stopped right next to us, handed us Starbucks hot chocolate, and drove away. I don't think I've met anyone nicer. We later learned she gave it to every protester from us to the city.
After that, I didn't really think about politics about 2004. Now, my parents were Deaniacs. Big Deaniacs. We went to a rally in the middle of the summer, in Chicago, and it was 95 degrees and I had sweat dripping down my back and I hated it. I still didn't know what was going on, but I was old enough to learn. And learn I did. I became a nine-year-old Deaniac. We went to Iowa for a long weekend, held signs, called people. It was great; until he lost. We were there at the Dean Scream, and in case you didn't know; I couldn't hear it, it was so loud. In fact, I didn't regain my hearing for half an hour (not kidding there either). But I did get a nice front row seat, due to being a little kid and all.
But then I forgot about politics again. Until now. And I'm not forgetting this time. I won't tell you who I'm supporting, but politics has hooked me for good. And, at 13, I'm wiser than I was at 5. Republicans are generally good people. There are exceptions, as in every group. That a majority of assholes are Republicans doesn't mean they're all assholes, just like the fact that the majority of recent attackers of this country are Muslim doesn't make all Muslims evil and immoral.