What makes a Liberal?

A defining question or person that is an example of liberalism.

What must one believe as truth to be considered a Liberal?

Originally posted by Godzilla1985
A defining question or person that is an example of liberalism.

What must one believe as truth to be considered a Liberal?

It's a difficult question to answer since peoples' views are so different.

It's true that I lean left on many issues, but that's not an absolute. I'm more of a moderate/Libertarian, so I can only give you my views.

I oppose my country's government entering wars or invading sovereign nations under false pretexts or without solid evidence that they pose a threat to us.

I oppose tyranny of any kind.

I prefer searching for peaceful solutions to problems.

I oppose imprisoning people for personal vices and victimless crimes.

I oppose the death penalty.

I oppose foreign aid of any kind.

I believe that each person has sole dominion over his or her own body; the government has no right to infringe on this. (Note: do not take this to mean I support abortion. On this, I am with many conservatives. I consider abortion murder.)

I believe the government must remain absolutely neutral in matters of religion.

I believe corporations have a responsibility to the well-being of people who live near their facilities and the environment.

If that's your definition of being a liberal, then I proudly admit to it.

The defination of what an american liberal is for me is best describe through LBJ's--The Great Society speech.

Link to Text and audio of The Great Society

Your imagination and your initiative and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society.

The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice, to which we are totally committed in our time. But that is just the beginning.

just a little taste.

Originally posted by Godzilla1985
A defining question or person that is an example of liberalism.

What must one believe as truth to be considered a Liberal?

One who liberally interprets the constitution/laws of a nation. As opposed to conservative, which is a strict interpretation of the constitution. One could go so far as to say christian conservatives are liberal.(in a way)

Liberalism is pretty much the ideology that says liberty comes first

I dont think you can call a person a Liberal . The term Liberal is to general its like saying "I live in a big city."
Just how big is a big city ?
Take me for example.

I support tax cuts.
I support a raise in the min wage.
I dont think the government can solve every problem.
I think personal responseablity is lacking from society.
I support small government.
Im an athiest who dislikes reglion.

Surely I am the perfect example of what I refer to.

If you want the dictionary definition:


lib·er·al Audio pronunciation of "liberal" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (lbr-l, lbrl)
adj.

1.
1. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
2. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
3. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
4. Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.
2.
1. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor.
2. Generous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes.
3. Not strict or literal; loose or approximate: a liberal translation.
4. Of, relating to, or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum: a liberal education.
5.
1. Archaic. Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
2. Obsolete. Morally unrestrained; licentious.


n.

1. A person with liberal ideas or opinions.
2. Liberal A member of a Liberal political party.


[Middle English, generous, from Old French, from Latin lberlis, from lber, free. See leudh- in Indo-European Roots.]liber·al·ly adv.
liber·al·ness n.





Neither the “liberal” nor "conservative" of these labels actually mean anything in reality anymore. These worn out labels on a worldwide "us and them" scale are designed solely to handicap our political process. It's the modern equivalent of the divide and rule technique the British perfected during the worst parts of their empire.

The more you play to these labels and argue amongst each other, the more power, as a people, you lose, and the easier you make it for the people that actually rule to do so unhindered.


[edit on 18-2-2006 by kegs]

well to be a liberal you have to be an "oinker", you have to have deep pockets where you can hide taxpayers money, and you have to be a good lier. if you can do that and pull a few scandals of your own then presto chango you can be a liberal too!

Sorry, fergit it y'all.

[edit on 23-2-2006 by kegs]

Originally posted by GrowingConspiracy
well to be a liberal you have to be an "oinker", you have to have deep pockets where you can hide taxpayers money, . if you can do that and pull a few scandals of your own then presto chango you can be a liberal too!

Wouldnt that pretty much make Bush a Liberal ?
Bush spoon feeds Hailburton with no accountablity not quite hiding tax payer dollars but its on the same track.
All poltilcans have scandals something you have overlooked. Bush has had his fair share of scandals.
Bush has turned the US federal budget into a blowfish I would say that the Bush admin has deep pockets.

Boy Im glad that Bush is Americas problem and not mine.

Originally posted by Godzilla1985
What must one believe as truth to be considered a Liberal?

That MARX was correct in all aspects.

It's that simple. To be a true liberal
you must believe in Marxism (BTW -
his political sociology predictions have
all been proven wrong). Also you
must believe in what he said of
religion - that 'it's the opiate of the people'.

THAT is a true liberal. Anything short of that
means you aren't a true liberal. If you are
short of that then you are a politically balanced
person as opposed to a 'true liberal' at the left end
of the field.

hat MARX was correct in all aspects.

It's that simple. To be a true liberal
you must believe in Marxism (BTW -
his political sociology predictions have
all been proven wrong). Also you
must believe in what he said of
religion - that 'it's the opiate of the people'.

THAT is a true liberal. Anything short of that
means you aren't a true liberal. If you are
short of that then you are a politically balanced
person as opposed to a 'true liberal' at the left end
of the field.

The scary thing about this is that you're serious.


I understand the political reasons for advocating this type of nonsense.
I'd like to think this is way tongue in cheek. I know I'm going to be told that you’re completely serious, and that's far, far scarier than if it was a joke.

I mean, you do realise there’s a difference between politics and reality? No? With this kind of insistence, it really seems as if the republican version of reality is really slipping, slipping… slipping




Noticeable?

No…. nooooooooooo.

Just wipe the blood off your lips and no one will know the difference.

.. And I'm not even in the same continent.





Very, very, scary people.

A true liberal believes that every single individual is real. Meaning, every single person in the world, whether they be black or white, young or old, rich or poor, has a voice in any matter and should be given the least bit of consideration. The corporate world is all about competition and profit. This brings about extreme resentment and hatred in all levels of society. Weak men and women hide behind the security of the corporate structure. True liberals and true patriots hide behind nothing.