My Liberal Identity:
You are a Reality-Based Intellectualist, also known as the liberal elite. You are a proud member of what’s known as the reality-based community, where science, reason, and non-Jesus-based thought reign supreme.
Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com
Liberal or Progressive?
I've noticed that some liberals have taken to calling themselves "progressives" rather than liberals.
I'm sure there are many reasons for this, but one is the incessant conservative demonization of this word, particularly on talk radio and in books. They constantly use the word "liberal" as an epithet; as a shorthand buzzword for everything that is wrong with this country. They've largely succeeded in obscuring the true meaning of the word liberal and turned it into a dirty word among many mainstream Americans.
It's Josef Goebbels' "Big Lie" propaganda technique in action -- repeat a lie often enough and loudly enough and, eventually, people will begin to believe it.
Some liberals have thrown up their hands in defeat and having started calling themselves "progressives", rather than liberal.
Not me. I'm not going to let conservatives define the terms of political discourse for me. I'm a liberal and I'm damn proud of it. I wear the label, "liberal", without apology or excuse.
Just what does "liberal" mean, anyway? Let's go to the dictionary:
Liberal
–adjective
1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2. (often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.
10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.
11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.
12. of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts.
13. of, pertaining to, or befitting a free man.
–noun
14. a person of liberal principles or views, esp. in politics or religion.
15. (often initial capital letter) a member of a liberal party in politics, esp. of the Liberal party in Great Britain.
There's nothing in that definition that should prompt anyone to believe they need to hide such beliefs under a euphemism.
I'll start using "progressive", instead of liberal, when conservatives start calling themselves "regressives".
Thoughts?
Hear, hear. A friend of mine gave me a t-shirt for my birthday one year.
It's a simple black t-shirt that just says "Liberal" on the front. I'm not
ashamed to wear it.
"Yo, where's my liberal woman" I am going to have to use that one. Very
fine statement here. I am a very old man and can easily get away with such
things. But being an old man I come from a time when we knew what we were
and why we were it. But much has changed. There was in that time something
called the common man. And believe it or not it was not an attempt to
insult somebody. The trouble with people who call themselves liberals is
that they have thirty-two different causes and spend there time arguing
about which should get priority. These witless conservatives did the
impossible of late. They game us something we could all agree on: our
thorough dislike for THEM, and the knowledge that we are not one of them.
Doesn't quite bring back the common man, but its a start.
Yes, I remember my father talking about the common man when I was a kid.
He taught me that liberals were for the common man and that Republicans
were for the rich. I've seen little in my life to prove him wrong.
