- 05 Nov 2003 01:13
#41258
I'm going to make a number of statement about Liberals, and 1 statement about Conservatives.
My description of a Liberal is distinctly different from a number of descriptions quoted and copid below, form another post in this "column".
Additionally, I noted "common sense values" are written on this board, to be a trait of characterizing Conservatives.
Here's my 1 statement (in this colum, at this time), about Conservatives:
todays Conservatives adhere to religious dogma (aka values), not "common sense values". In fact , common sense values is one of the distingiushing aspects between Liberals and Conservatives. That said, I'm moving on to the inaccurate aspects of Liberalism noted in this column, that are not supported by most Liberals.
First, lets get the easy things out of the way, on which I take no exception to:
You (whomever) are correct in stating that Liberals believe in the following:
1) Equal opportunity - especially education and heathcare for all.
2) Pro-choice
A third item I almost agree with is:
3) Individual rights and liberties
However, the wording should be changed to Human Rights and Civil Rights.
What Bugs me about #3 is the easy way it can be twisted by a red-neck as an argument against Liberals, for what the red-neck regards as their right to fly the Confederate flag over State Buildings in Georgia(?)/ The other aspect of #3 that kinda bugs me is that it very much implies Liberals are more attracted to Anarchy, than Democracy and Constitutional Rights. In view of these two misnomers, I would not use #3 to describe Liberals, as it is too imprecise, open to interpretation, and open to ignorant people drawing erroneous conclusions aboout Liberals.
4) "anti-war"
That is absolutely not true. I no of no Liberal that would claim they would have been against fighting in WWII. Additionally, I suspect there are very few Liberals that were against the recent war in Afghanastan. However,
Liberalism is not Pacifism. Consider Bosnia. I would bet my bottom dollar that the vast majority of Liberals were in support of Military Intervention within Bosnia. In fact, the Conservatives were anit-war, in this case.
In short, anti-war (aka Pacifism does not equate to Liberalism). Furthermore, I take exception to the statement that Liberals are anit-war!
Liberals know that there are just and unjust ware, witness WWII, and the war in Iraq, respectively.
If there is a failing in most Liberals, it is the idea that America is responsible to rid the world of evil dictators (once called Communism). Witness the Liberal JBJ that enacted more Civil Rights laws than any other President, yet was our greatest war criminal, for the more than 43,000 Amnericans that ultimately died iin a meaningless war that he escalated.
In view of these facts, the simple statement that Liberals even approach a philosophy of Pacifism is entirely without any historical or factual basis.
5) Pro-free trade/globalisation
Who thought this one up as an inherent trait of Liberals is in need of soem good books on the Clinton's terms In Office.
While Clinton was called a Liberal by all Conservatives, when Clinton pushed NAFTA, I doubt there was more than 1 Conservative that wasn't jumping for joy! NAFTA aka Globalism was in part how Clinton was able to gain the support of big businesses, and large Banking firms.
Little more need be said on this, since one trait that is clearly a Liberal concern, is the benefit of the individual over the benifit of businesses.
You might even want to include that in your description of Liberalism.
6) Pro-capitalist
Huh??? Is that a way of saying Liberals are not Commies? No. Liberals are not entirely or mostly or necessarily Pro-Capitalist. Many Liberals want various things Socialized, just as it is in Europeon Countries. For Example: Paid out of taxes: 1) Day Care, 2) College 3) Medical Insurance
4) An entirely Socialized Medical System. There are more examples, however, my point has been made. Liberals are not accurately or adequately described as being "pro-capitalist".
7) Small government*
If a Conservative read that, s/he would die laughing!!! I'll just put it this way... If we Liberals want the same things Europeons get for there tax dollars, the result is not smaller government. In fact, "small government"
is the mantra of Conservatives, not Liberals. #7 is either a typographical error, or demonstrates a significant misunderstanding of what Liberals
want and believe can be.
Having spoken my mind, I may decide to post here. However, not as a Liberal as defined by this Column, but as a true Liberal for 40 years.
My description of a Liberal is distinctly different from a number of descriptions quoted and copid below, form another post in this "column".
Additionally, I noted "common sense values" are written on this board, to be a trait of characterizing Conservatives.
Here's my 1 statement (in this colum, at this time), about Conservatives:
todays Conservatives adhere to religious dogma (aka values), not "common sense values". In fact , common sense values is one of the distingiushing aspects between Liberals and Conservatives. That said, I'm moving on to the inaccurate aspects of Liberalism noted in this column, that are not supported by most Liberals.
First, lets get the easy things out of the way, on which I take no exception to:
You (whomever) are correct in stating that Liberals believe in the following:
1) Equal opportunity - especially education and heathcare for all.
2) Pro-choice
A third item I almost agree with is:
3) Individual rights and liberties
However, the wording should be changed to Human Rights and Civil Rights.
What Bugs me about #3 is the easy way it can be twisted by a red-neck as an argument against Liberals, for what the red-neck regards as their right to fly the Confederate flag over State Buildings in Georgia(?)/ The other aspect of #3 that kinda bugs me is that it very much implies Liberals are more attracted to Anarchy, than Democracy and Constitutional Rights. In view of these two misnomers, I would not use #3 to describe Liberals, as it is too imprecise, open to interpretation, and open to ignorant people drawing erroneous conclusions aboout Liberals.
4) "anti-war"
That is absolutely not true. I no of no Liberal that would claim they would have been against fighting in WWII. Additionally, I suspect there are very few Liberals that were against the recent war in Afghanastan. However,
Liberalism is not Pacifism. Consider Bosnia. I would bet my bottom dollar that the vast majority of Liberals were in support of Military Intervention within Bosnia. In fact, the Conservatives were anit-war, in this case.
In short, anti-war (aka Pacifism does not equate to Liberalism). Furthermore, I take exception to the statement that Liberals are anit-war!
Liberals know that there are just and unjust ware, witness WWII, and the war in Iraq, respectively.
If there is a failing in most Liberals, it is the idea that America is responsible to rid the world of evil dictators (once called Communism). Witness the Liberal JBJ that enacted more Civil Rights laws than any other President, yet was our greatest war criminal, for the more than 43,000 Amnericans that ultimately died iin a meaningless war that he escalated.
In view of these facts, the simple statement that Liberals even approach a philosophy of Pacifism is entirely without any historical or factual basis.
5) Pro-free trade/globalisation
Who thought this one up as an inherent trait of Liberals is in need of soem good books on the Clinton's terms In Office.
While Clinton was called a Liberal by all Conservatives, when Clinton pushed NAFTA, I doubt there was more than 1 Conservative that wasn't jumping for joy! NAFTA aka Globalism was in part how Clinton was able to gain the support of big businesses, and large Banking firms.
Little more need be said on this, since one trait that is clearly a Liberal concern, is the benefit of the individual over the benifit of businesses.
You might even want to include that in your description of Liberalism.
6) Pro-capitalist
Huh??? Is that a way of saying Liberals are not Commies? No. Liberals are not entirely or mostly or necessarily Pro-Capitalist. Many Liberals want various things Socialized, just as it is in Europeon Countries. For Example: Paid out of taxes: 1) Day Care, 2) College 3) Medical Insurance
4) An entirely Socialized Medical System. There are more examples, however, my point has been made. Liberals are not accurately or adequately described as being "pro-capitalist".
7) Small government*
If a Conservative read that, s/he would die laughing!!! I'll just put it this way... If we Liberals want the same things Europeons get for there tax dollars, the result is not smaller government. In fact, "small government"
is the mantra of Conservatives, not Liberals. #7 is either a typographical error, or demonstrates a significant misunderstanding of what Liberals
want and believe can be.
Having spoken my mind, I may decide to post here. However, not as a Liberal as defined by this Column, but as a true Liberal for 40 years.
- treat
- By wat0n
- By litwin
- By FiveofSwords