Its not a bad word...

I've read some posts recently around Blogger-Land from people who seem loathe to admit that they might be a, dare I say, Liberal. First of all, Liberal is not a bad word. It simply means that you are tolerant and forward looking, as opposed to conservative, which generally conotates as more strict and backward looking. In the polarized world in which we live today, Liberal has been turned into a slur. And why? Because Liberals don't care if you're gay and want to get married. Liberals don't want to tell Hollywood what kind of movies to make or your favorite band what kind of music to make or your favorite author what kind of books to write. Liberals refuse to repeat the mistakes of Vietnam and fall quietly in line when our elected officials trump up faulty evidence and lead us into another conflict with no end in sight. Liberals don't care what God you pray to or if you pray to anyone or anything at all. Liberals think that organized religion should stay out of public schools and that the government should stay out of your church. And mostly, Liberals believe in the true legacy of America - Freedom. Freedom to choose how you live your life, who you spend it with, and how it finally ends.

In America today, the party of Liberals and Progressive is Democrat. But this hasn't always been the case. Lincoln is generally looked to as the founder of the Republican party - and boy would he be spinning in his grave if he knew what his party has become. The man who triumphed the equality of all, the man who fought for union and denounced states' rights, the man who often quoted the Bible but never attended church services - this is the founder of the Republican party? The Republican Party was also once the home of Theodore Roosevelt - one of the most prominent Progreesives in the history of the country. The man who took on the Robber Barons, the man who broke up the Trusts, the man who created the national parks which are now being raped by the loggers and the drillers, the man who spoke softly and carried a big stick instead of the other way around. This was once the face of the Republican party?

The Democratic Party is certainly not without its faults. But, at the end of the day, politics is not just about what you believe, but who you associate with, and as an extension, where your priorities lie. If you are a true moderate, would you really rather be sharing an agenda with the KKK than the Rainbow Coalition? Are you honestly willing to live with unjustifiable restrictions on stem cell research that could someday save your life just to save a few bucks in taxes? Do you really think Jane Fonda is worse than Pat Robertson? Do you really need an assault rifle more than clean air and water? Are you more likely to join the ACLU or the 700 club?

Call me a Liberal - I'll take it as a compliment.