Since When is Being Liberal a Bad Thing?

10/27/02

by Gary Cobb

This morning I watched ABC's This Week with George Stephanopolis as
they eulogized Senator Paul Wellstone as a principled and dedicated public
servant with deep convictions. But overall, the pundits on this show
and other television commentators continuously focus on the fact that
Wellstone was "liberal" as if he was a well-meaning chap but inherently
misguided and flawed as a result, someone that was only tolerated in the
senate rather than deeply respected.

Moreover, if you watch the TV shows like Hardball, Crossfire, Meet The
Press, etc., you consistently hear right-wing, conservative Republicans
like George Will, Robert Novak, Tucker Carlson, Rush Limbaugh and a
host of others spit out the word "liberal" with the same pompous tone or
inflection they would use to describe a child molester. Since when is
being liberal a bad thing?

Liberals have stood by and allowed so-called conservatives to take a
very positive and wonderfully descriptive word and turn it into an
invective to describe someone they view as out of touch with reality,
socially repulsive and despicable. Read here the Webster's Dictionary
definition of the word.

liberal - 1. adj. giving freely, giving more than is necessary or usual
|| generously large, more in quantity than is necessary or usual, a
liberal reward || involving a general enlarging of the mind beyond the
merely professional or technical, a liberal education || not subject to
the common prejudices or conventions, a liberal mind || admitting more
than is directly expressed, not sticking to the letter, a liberal
interpretation of the rules || (politics) favorably to individual liberty,
social reform and the removal of economic restraints,  admitting a free
interpretation of religious doctrine and of its application to ritual and
conduct.

Excuse me! What is wrong with any of that? Who could be against anyone
who aspired to any of those attributes or philosophical attitudes? I
suggest that Senator Paul Wellstone was all of that and more. Among
politicians he was an icon for liberalism and gave the idea of being liberal
a physical reference point. He was someone to be highly admired, the
people's friend, the liberal's liberal. Compared to a Bush or a Cheney,
Wellstone is a "real" American hero, by God!

On the other hand, while true liberals are worthy of Webster's
description, consider the word "conservative" from the same dictionary.

conservative - 1. adj. desiring to preserve existing institutions, and
thus opposed to radical changes (tending or desiring to conserve) ||
(loosely) moderate, cautious, a conservative estimate || old-fashioned ||
considered to involve little risk, a conservative investment || tending
to preserve, keep from deteriorating.

Whoa! Does this describe those labeled "conservative", the Republicans?
Does this describe George Bush and  his administration? A preponderance
of evidence suggests otherwise.

Desiring to preserve existing institutions? As in preserving Social
Security? The right to vote? The Florida election debacle suggests that
conservative Republicans are trying to destroy existing institutions, not
preserve them. Democracy as an example. How about our constitution, our
freedoms? The Bush administration is attempting to dismantle the
constitution.

Opposed to radical change? As in breaking international treaties? And
the plan for global dominance of all other nations? To establish an
American empire? The sweeping changes involved in their plans for Homeland
security resulting in the loss of freedoms we have enjoyed since this
republic was formed?

Moderate, cautious, considered to involve little risk? Would that be
the decision and headlong rush to preemptively invade Iraq and declare
war on other nations in the Middle East? And all of the other issues
mentioned in the paragraph above including the plan to privatize social
security?

Tending or desiring to conserve? Like our forests, areas of natural
beauty, our wildlife and our natural resources? Oh yeah! That's them
alright. Wonderful conservationists, aren't they?

Tending to preserve, keep from deteriorating? And that would be? Our
economy? The national debt? Our environment? The purity of our air and
water? The quality of our land? Our democracy? Our liberties? The
goodwill and cooperative spirit among the United states and our allies?

And the Wills, Novaks and Limbaughs of this world have the gall and the
arrogance to proudly call themselves "conservative" and to ridicule
those who exhibit intelligence, logical and rational thought, who are
compassionate to all, who consider the long-term results of their actions
and proceed carefully and cautiously in the direction that is best for
all people and all nations, by calling them what conservatives consider
a dirty word, "liberal".

For all the Republicans out there, you need to choose your labels more
carefully. You obviously don't understand the meaning of either word,
"conservative" or "liberal", and you're giving true conservatives a bad
name.