Liberal, why are so many Americans afraid of this word?

[bonoman]

Well, WHY?

I am proud to call myself liberal, and know many many more people that are in the same lot. I dont know if its the average American per se, but the your leaders sure do shy away from it.

But the question does pertain to the average american, are they scared of this label?

 

[BVS]

The one thing the Republican party is really good at is creating environments of fear. And making the word liberal a bad word is something that happens here in cycles.

The left right now is very weak in the sense that they can't all unite.

I'm very proud to call myself a liberal.

Every social change that has occured in this country, such as bettering things for different races, women, etc have occured through liberals.

 

[JMScoopy]

 

[JMScoopy]

Every social change that has occured in this country, such as bettering things for different races, women, etc have occured through liberals.

what about liberal judges letting child-rapists off with light or no sentences at all?

 

[nbcrusader]

Both parties are good at creating climates of fear.

The current cycle was started by Reagan. Prior to his election, people "feared" conservatives, through conservativism was bad, etc. Unless you lived through the change from the late 60's to early 80's, you would have only known one side of the equation.

Perhaps a dynamic liberal leader can turn things around. Judging by Melon's thread, it doesn't seem too close.

 

[BVS]

what about liberal judges letting child-rapists off with light or no sentences at all?

Well I guess if I knew what you were talking about, as far as specific examples I could answer.

I never said liberals have always been perfect moral souls.

But that's not really an example of a "social change", now is it?

 

[A_Wanderer]

Liberal should not mean leftist, liberalism as a political philosophy should be about increasing the liberties that citizens can enjoy. Conservatism should be about preserving the best of what is already in place.

The false dichotomy of progressive liberals and reactionary conservatives is not productive for discussion.

Given the array people that call themselves liberal in the US it's small wonder that it has taken on negative connotations. For a strange tidbit the Australian Liberal Party is a free-market conservative party.

 

[BVS]

Given the array people that call themselves liberal in the US it's small wonder that it has taken on negative connotations.

How so?

 

[A_Wanderer]

Liberalism becomes bound to left-liberalism and democratic socialism because people don't generally get elected calling themselves socialists.

The traditions behind the terminology varies all over the anglosphere, but in the context of America when you see conservative books hitting against the "liberal agenda" it usually attacks fairly leftist targets. They point out the nuts on the left side - they smear all liberals. The left points out the nuts on the right, it smears all conservatives. It goes both ways. Don't think of reality, think of the stereotype.

 

[deep]

what about liberal judges letting child-rapists off with light or no sentences at all?

most child -rapist are white males


and most white males are republican



so you are saying liberal judges
give light sentences to republicans



just using your same logic

 

[BVS]

The traditions behind the terminology varies all over the anglosphere, but in the context of America when you see conservative books hitting against the "liberal agenda" it usually attacks fairly leftist targets. They point out the nuts on the left side - they smear all liberals. The left points out the nuts on the right, it smears all conservatives. It goes both ways. Don't think of reality, think of the stereotype.

Well, this part is pretty much true...

 

[melon]

what about liberal judges letting child-rapists off with light or no sentences at all?

You mean the ones appointed by Republicans? The one in Vermont was.



Melon