What is a liberal?

[TWB]

I was thinking about the word "liberal" lately. What does it mean? What does it mean when the conservative part of the democratic party is called "liberal" by republicans.

My thinking is evolving towards the thought that "liberal" is a catch word like "crime". "Crime" in my opinon, is used by white candidates and pundits as a scary racial subterfuge. "Crime" means people of color.

I have been in white communities where integration is a problem, where I am responsible for selling real estate, and, this has happened several times in the last two years, (three times I have sold a house in one particular community, which by the way is strongly Democratic) and the neighbor will come up to me and say: Well, I hope you sell it to the right kind of people, you know what I mean. We have a nice neighborhood here and I would not want to see any problems. Certain kinds of people bring crime and stuff, you know. Each time the conversation would evolve to "those people" and then finally, blacks.

I had a man working for me who was black, and when he would show up I would get panicky calls from the neighbors worrying about crime and "those people".

So, what does liberal really mean? Is there a similar underlying scare tactic? Liberal seems to have its roots in 60's counterculture which is linked with the Civil Rights movement (that is, Race).

What is a "liberal"? Are there any Democrats who are not "liberal?"

 

[J.B.]

I’m sorry this seems like a serious thread, thus I’m not able to respond.

 

[RawHumor]

I was thinking about the word "liberal" lately. What does it mean? What does it mean when the conservative part of the democratic party is called "liberal" by republicans.

My thinking is evolving towards the thought that "liberal" is a catch word like "crime". "Crime" in my opinon, is used by white candidates and pundits as a scary racial subterfuge. "Crime" means people of color.

<snip>

What is a "liberal"? Are there any Democrats who are not "liberal?"

Okay, the "crime" = "color" thing is old, and really tacky. Plus, as you've found, racism crosses political theology, so let's let that one drop from this dicussion.

There are a lot of people who proudly consider themselves liberals. I think it was Reagan who pretty much demonized the word.

As far as a definition goes, that's tough to nail down, because every person has a different definition of what is truly a liberal.

 

[Jean Val Jean]

How disingenous. Hillary, the vast right-wing cospiracy theorist, has been running from the "L" word and hiding from the "L" word for several years in order to "FOOL" the center into believing they were not elitists, socialist, snobs.

Now the Party is looking to the "L" word as it's salvation at once embracing that which they have so long denied. Truth in defeat.

 

[floridaguy64]

I was thinking about the word "liberal" lately. What does it mean? What does it mean when the conservative part of the democratic party is called "liberal" by republicans.

My thinking is evolving towards the thought that "liberal" is a catch word like "crime". "Crime" in my opinon, is used by white candidates and pundits as a scary racial subterfuge. "Crime" means people of color.

I have been in white communities where integration is a problem, where I am responsible for selling real estate, and, this has happened several times in the last two years, (three times I have sold a house in one particular community, which by the way is strongly Democratic) and the neighbor will come up to me and say: Well, I hope you sell it to the right kind of people, you know what I mean. We have a nice neighborhood here and I would not want to see any problems. Certain kinds of people bring crime and stuff, you know. Each time the conversation would evolve to "those people" and then finally, blacks.

I had a man working for me who was black, and when he would show up I would get panicky calls from the neighbors worrying about crime and "those people".

So, what does liberal really mean? Is there a similar underlying scare tactic? Liberal seems to have its roots in 60's counterculture which is linked with the Civil Rights movement (that is, Race).

What is a "liberal"? Are there any Democrats who are not "liberal?"

For your answer... might I suggest you read a book titled "A history of Georgia"... commissioned by James Earl Carter way back in 1977...

The State of Georgia was dominated by the Democratic party since before 'reconstruction'... lynched a'plenty... preached segrigation and 'inferiority of the unwashed masses'... voted against the right of the 'common' vote...

Check your history very closely! Ole Abe was a Republican... We live in a Republic... The Dems have been lying for generations, scaring first the white vote and then when "black and women's" sufferage came about... they began to blame it on the very individuals that fought so vehemously for those rights to begin with. And for 2-1/2 decades, lie and beg for voter support from the very souls that they tried to dessimate all along.

Stand up now! Think Now! Sheeeeeit!!!!!!!! Check out the history now!!!!!!!!

Otherwise, be as likened to sheep,.... Baaaaaaaaaa and shut the fuck up!

 

[Jean Val Jean]

There are currently many Democrats who are not liberal. They just don't run the party. Most of 'em too old to realize the socialist stole the party out from under their feet. THEY still think it's about protecting the workers and families of America from unjust circumstance. They don't realize it's about a whole re-ordering of their world...

 

[Jean Val Jean]

There are also many Democrats who are only Democrats because the Republican party is the war-mongering, race-baiting, poor-hating, exploiters of the people and precursors to the new world order...

 

[Jean Val Jean]

Also a lot of just plain wackos who want to be Greens but still win their objectives of returning America to the Indians...

 

[Jean Val Jean]

And one Democrat who ducked the question...

 

[LovetoGiveRoses]

I agree, the Republicans are enjoying some success because they're appealing to working people and families.

 

[brokenbrainwave]

a Liberal

A liberal is a vile disgusting creature only after my paycheck and my freedoms.


dammit RAW, stop stealing my friggin passwords and posting this stuff!!!

 

[SkyBluAngelEyes]

I’m sorry this seems like a serious thread, thus I’m not able to respond.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[RawHumor]

Re: a Liberal

dammit RAW, stop stealing my friggin passwords and posting this stuff!!!

LOL

Better you than AJ, I suppose. I'm beginning to feel like I have multiple personalities.

 

[LovetoGiveRoses]

LOL.

 

[TWB]

Despite the wise ass remarks, I am really curious about this. Southern conservative democrats, of the Wallace or Boll Wevil ilk have always been very conservative. But Southern democrats are being called liberals today. It is being used as a slur with no real meaning.

What does it mean?

No one seems to be able to answer that question.

BTW I never said the Democratic party was without racists. That is why in my opening remarks I said that the one community I was dealing with was largely democratic. I suspect it won't be for long, though.

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[TWB]

Hmmm

Tough question.

I'm inclined to say someone in favor of equal rights for all, regardless of race, sex, gender, sexual persuasion, abilitiy, etc. I'd say anti-death penealty, pro-education, pro-environment, pro-choice, and a few other views, though at the moment, I can't explain any better than that, I seem to have lost my touch momentarily.

Yes, all those things, I guess. But plenty of democrats are not anti death penalty but still get called liberal.

You are describing a progressive maybe?

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[TWB]

True. Liberal means, politically, that one is not constrained to what has been done in the past, as opposed to a conservative, who would maintain the status quo.


Dictionary.com's entry:

Liberal:
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.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.

I am a liberal under this definition.

But when someone uses liberal as an insult, what is it that they are objecting to? It is not that definition.

 

[Lost Cause]

A Liberal says...

"Don't bother me with the facts, I already have my mind made up!"

 

[CelestialBody]

 

[RobDownSouth]

Liberals respect the life choices of others as long as their life choices do not infringe on the rights enjoyed by other citizens.

Conservatives believe any behavior or way of living that is different from the majority is suspect.

 

[Texan]

What's wrong with being in favor of collective bargaining rights? That's all that labor is, really.

What's wrong with having clean air, with being able to have a glass of water and not worry about the level of toxins like arsenic in it?

What's wrong with wanting to ensure that every child has a chance to learn-how to read, how to write, and giving them the opportunity to succeed?

Personally, after having worked for a watchdog group and seen the amount of money that politicians accept from corporations, either directly or through their party, I've become very picky about who I'll campaign for, and what I'll do. I'm honestly sickened now, by the entire Republican party, having witnessed firsthand their tactics, I would not vote at all before I voted for one-and there are many Democrats that I simply wouldn't vote for. Still, I would never, ever withhold my vote in an election like this past one, where the stakes were so incredibly high. I'm incredibly disappointed in America as a whole. There are a lot of problems within the Democratic party, they haven't presented themselves well, they don't have clear leadership. Hopefully people will get off their asses and get involved, but I know from experience that more Americans are interested in bitching than in getting of their asses and actually trying to make a difference.

CB, did it ever occur to you that just maybe MOST of the American public is able to see clearly what Democrats and Republicans each stand for, and they have decided they actually prefer what the Republicans stand for?

I know that it truely disappoints liberals when the "ignorant" masses can't seem to grasp how terrible Republicans are. I know how "disappointed" in America you must be when people don't agree with your more "enlightened" views. Just maybe, it's not the people who are ignorant or less enlightened.

just a thought.

 

[busybody..]

TWB

do you have kids?

 

[Chuckwrox]

Democrats are getting called liberal because Republicans are really trying to call them Communists. Liberal's always been a codeword for Communist. TWB, don't let others tell you what you believe. As you've pointed out, there are many democrats who aren't Liberal, but it's convenient for the Republicans, of course.