Before the Florida primaries, presidential contenders Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain threw words at each other in an attempt to gain the support of voters and diminish the image of their rival. Amidst the trashing, both candidates used the dirtiest and most offensive word in the conservative-Republican vernacular arsenal: “liberal.”
Dirty nasty liberals
Before the Florida primaries, presidential contenders Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain threw words at each other in an attempt to gain the support of voters and diminish the image of their rival. Amidst the trashing, both candidates used the dirtiest and most offensive word in the conservative-Republican vernacular arsenal: “liberal.”
While debating in Florida, Romney said, “Look at the three things Sen. McCain has done as a senator. If you want that kind of a liberal Democratic course as president, then you can vote for him.” Oh, no he didn’t! McCain wasn’t about to let that go and later threw back at Romney, “The truth is Mitt Romney was a liberal governor of Massachusetts …” Oh, snap! Feel the sting on that one Romney!
What many right-wing minded folk don’t consider is the definition of “liberal.” At some point, it seems the emphasis of the word was shifted and advertised by its alternate non-political definitions of easy going, open-minded and soft. With this view it has been re-shaped into a sort of dirty word. So what then is a liberal?
A “liberal” by its strictest political definition is simply one who believes in liberty. One who believes in the individual freedom that is the foundation our country is built upon.
Though perhaps the best presentation of what a liberal is was from President John F. Kennedy in 1960, as he accepted the nomination of the Liberal Party of New York.
“What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label ‘liberal?'” asked Kennedy. “… If by a ‘liberal’ they mean 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, if that is what they mean by a ‘liberal,’ then I’m proud to say I’m a ‘liberal.'”
The concern over civil liberties and rights for the welfare of the people sounds more like the character set in the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution than it does some novel, soft, new age idea. It is hard to say that defense of our jobs, our housing and our schools are not concerns or things you believe in. So if these are the values of a “liberal,” why has there been such a stigma surrounding the word?
Perhaps it could be that it is simpler to create a boogieman than it is to argue for your side of the isle.
Contrasted to a conservative, which too is a very hard term to define, a liberal can seem to be very similar-almost like two sides of the same coin. If you ask a random person if they believe in individual liberty and the protection of it, you may find that there is an equal chance of finding a liberal or a conservative.
I don’t make the case for liberals or liberalism because I am so close to that crowd. I would say that I could be very liberal, but only as much as I can be conservative. Politicians and talking heads alike enjoy using the word as a means of segregating people. So, if you ever hear the word liberal, don’t automatically think so negatively of it. Remember the true meaning that stands for liberty, and for America.
