With the word “liberal” bashed around these days, and often used in a derogatory way, it behooves to recall JFK: “If by a ‘liberal’ they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind … someone who cares about the welfare of the people … their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties … then I’m proud to say I’m a ‘LIBERAL’”.
The dictionary definition of “liberal” includes “objective, tolerant, impartial, reasonable, rational, unselfish, open-minded, not prejudiced, for general broadening of the mind, favoring individual liberty and political and social reform, trending towards democracy and personal freedom, regarding many traditional beliefs as dispensable, invalidated by modern thought or liable to change.”
So, if you are proud not to be a “liberal”, what are you, besides “conservative”? Asocial? Or simply the opposite of all the above? Finally, what is more in line with the US Constitution: liberalism or conservatism?
Jorg,
This missive was published in today’s San Jose Mercury News letters to the editor. Congratulations. The Progressive Opinion Express has a long reach.
Jorg,
When I read your posting,”Liberal-or what?”, I was a bit dumbfounded…at a loss for words…gagging… unable to comment on the articulated perfection of liberals.
Fortunately, in today’s S.J.Mercury News (Dec.20) there was a letter to the editor that did the job for me.
Here is the letter, under the title, ” ‘Conservative’ now seen as derogatory”.
Re: “ ‘Liberal’: objective, tolerant, rational — not bad” (Letters to the Editor, Opinion section, Dec. 16): Once upon a time, the politically liberal stood for these worthy views, and I considered myself part of this group. But no longer.
When conservatives are not allowed to speak on college campuses or shouted down, this is intolerance. When employees are afraid to express conservative or alternate views at work for fear of retribution (including losing their job), this is bigotry.
When my husband and I receive a threatening email because of an assumption of our views, this is irrationality. I look at today’s liberals and see none of the forwardthinking attributes expressed in the letter. I see arrogance, hypocrisy and double standards.
It’s not the term “liberal” that is used in derogatory ways now, it’s the term “conservative.” I still support the lofty goals of President John F. Kennedy’s definition. But I no longer align myself with today’s so-called liberalism.
— Beverly Friedman, Sunnyval e
That’s a result of Republicans’ deliberate and dishonest smear of the term “liberal”. I agree with the issues raised by the letter writer you refer to, but that has nothing to do with the true meaning of liberalism! Neither intolerance, nor bigotry or arrogance have anything to do with being a liberal, – in the true meaning of the word. Just about all my friends consider themselves “liberal”, but absolutely none can be accused of being intolerant, bigoted or arrogant!
Jorg,
It is charming that you and your liberal friends dwell on the virtuous, old fashioned dictionary definition of the word “liberal”.
However over the past decade Progressive politicians and their fellow travelers have through arrogance, hypocrisy, and double-dealing polluted the true meaning of the word.
The nice lady from Sunnyvale, Beverly Friedman did a good job of calling out today’s Democrats.
It is characteristic of you to say it, but it is ridiculous to blame the Democrats perversion of liberal ideals on bystanders such as the Republicans.
It is mainly the Republicans, or at least a faction thereof, that have contaminated the meaning of the word “liberal” to such an extent that it no longer fits the majority of Democrats. When commentators on right-wing web sites label me a “liberal”, it is certainly not meant as a compliment, nor do I think their definition fits.
Eighty to ninety percent of Americans, be they Democrat, Independent or Republican fit your dictionary definition of “liberal” ( except for holding traditional beliefs as dispensable).
But the meanings of words evolve with time and circumstance.
Because of the words and actions of high level Democrats and their sympathizers, liberal has become a derisive term for those who believe that any means is justified so long as it serves their self-proclaimed progressive worthy end.
That said, the same is just as true for Republicans, giving “conservatism” a bad name, at least in the eyes of us more “progressive”.
You are 100% correct!
Isn’t it nice to find something in politics that we agree upon.
I didn’t use to believe in miracles, – but …