Liberal And Proud

[poliphilo]

I remember a time when "liberal" wasn't a bad word.

And I've never understood how we got to this present situation where politicians of both left and right use it to smear their opponents.

Here's how my Pocket Oxford Dictionary defines it.

Open-handed, generous, not sparing (of), abundant, (of persons, conduct, provision made etc); open-minded, unprejudiced, free from pedantry; (Pol.) advocating democratic reforms......

So what's not to like? I'm seeing a bowl full of scrumptious rosy apples- and you're telling me they're rotten?

I think there's some sort of mean trick being played on us here.

I'm a liberal. Or try to be- it's a high ideal. And I want to live in a liberal society.

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I"ll tell you, going to college in 'middle age' is a whole lot different from going to college in your 20s. Your perspective is different.

And you know...the profs are usually inordinately grateful to see *old people* in their classes.

I love Dylan, and I love that song you quoted.

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

Liberal parents tend to breed conservative children, for some reason. I don't know why this is so, but it seems to happen a lot.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I guess its just the contrariness of youth.

Whatever mummy and daddy stand for- I'm against it.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I was naive.

The whole student protest thing was naive.

But we were right to march against the Vietnam war.

Why aren't today's young marching against the war in Iraq?

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

A lot of people I know have that "America is always right" mentality. It's intoxicating.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I thought (naively) that the Vietnam experience had rooted that out.

Seems like it's grown back again

[greybeta.livejournal.com]

I've heard that each generations forgets...the good and the bad.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That seems to be the case.

Heigh-ho!

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I think they should be marching against it too. But there are a couple of things...

first the armed services are ALL volunteer now. So there's no such thing as being drafted.

second, the thing about Vietnam went all haywire. So many of the veterans felt they never had any support back here in this country, so many of them were called terrible names for doing what they were ordered to do, that it seems *we* are tiptoeing around the whole thing. It's difficult to be against the war and FOR the troops...or at least so says my veteran father (78!) and my mother who knew many soldiers that went off to the war and didn't return.

So...I wear my yellow ribbon and hope for their return. I speak against the President having put them there...and do the best that I can do.
And to anyone who might read this who has a son or daughter overseas...I do support our troops. I do not support them being sent there.