Liberal
A term that has been casted upon the progressive thinker of the Democratic Party. One that I hold dearly as an emblem to who I am. It is a common occurence these days for the title of 'liberal' to hold dissondant connotations.
To Republican pundits, the term 'liberal' means one who is soft on foreign policy, against local government, unconcerned about the welfare of the average American. It is a dirty word used to label people as elitist, as flip-floppers. Democrats run from it like the plague. Republicans embrace its new found meaning as a weapon.
Republicans, however, are not my first choice when looking for definitions. So let's take a look at how the dictionary defines 'liberal'...
lib·er·al - adj.
- Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
- Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
- Tending to give freely; generous
Free from bigotry, broad-minded, generous, open to new ideas for progress (progressive); How are those defintions bad?
To be fair, we are talking about a connotation here. So what is it on which we are basing the term 'liberal?'
I think John F. Kennedy had a good understanding of the history of liberals:
...someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad...
To be liberal is to be progressive. To be progressive is to strive for the better. To strive for the better is what defeats bigotry, hate, greed, and war. So tell me how it is bad to be a liberal. Tell me how it is bad to be progressive. Tell me how it is bad to look for a brighter future...
...where people are "not judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character,"
...where the poor are not left to die in the streets,
...where the sick are not turned away because they don't qualify,
...where all people have the equal chance of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,
...where wars are not decided by men behind CEO desks,
...where the rights of the people are ALWAYS upheld.
Tell me how those have a negative connotation. I've been deemed as a 'liberal' many times, with my 'liberal views' and my 'liberal ideas.' The word 'liberal' being used each and every time as an attack.
Well...if you point out my 'liberal views' and my 'liberal ideas,' I will thank you for the compliment. For it is not a word to cower from, but a word to rejoice in. I am a believer in a better future. I am a believer in progressive values.
And the next time someone asks me if I am a Liberal, I will answer a proud, 'Fuck yeah!'
It's interesting how "liberal" has come to be understood as "elitist"...it's the "conservatives" who want to reduce welfare programs! Anyway, I admire your resolve to not let anyone "attack" you with this word--be proud!
I totally agree with you! I just read an article today on thenation.com about the fallacy of liberal elitism, specifically as it relates to the Bush administration. You should check it out!
Link: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080414/alterman/2
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"He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt, and his only mission each time he went up was to come down alive."