January 28, 2008
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Liberal…a dirty word?
Who decided that “liberal” was going to be a bad thing? I started wondering about that after hearing presidential candidates slinging that word at each other as if it were the worst insult they could use. So I looked the word up on Dictionary.com and here are some of the definitions:
1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. So progress is bad?
2. noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform. Again, progress…as in, not going backward, but forward. And that’s bad?
3. free from predjudice or bigotry; tolerant. Hmmm, that sounds good to me.
4. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc. Okay, that could be scary.
5. given freely or abundantly; generous.
Those are just some of the definitions. I understand that the way it is used in politics these days seems to mean that someone is just way too radical for most people’s tastes. But who decided that would be the newest meaning when the dictionary seems to give such nice definitions for the word? Just wondering…
Comments (2)
Right-wing radio blowhards have been using the word “liberal” as a negative for so long, that their die-hard fans have a knee-jerk reaction to the word, the key word being jerk. By not fighting back for so long, liberals have played right into the hands of these Un-American jingoists. Hence, the kow-towing of the dems to the worst president in modern history. I guess even
they
have heard how wimpy they are for so long that they believe it themselves.
I know you are right. Such a shame. Politics is just an ugly, but necessary, business.