The world “liberal” has being deliberately misused for political purposes to label a person as one that is not particularly patriotic or with low moral values. In this political climate with the upcoming elections on November, I have the impression that some organizations such as the GOP and the “Tea Party” are trying to brand the Democrats as “liberals” as if the word represented a threat to the social structures and governmental institutions of this country. As a registered Democrat in Florida, where the majority of the voters are Republican, I find it offensive when some radio/TV personality or political figure (Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sarah Palin) uses this word to portrait Democrats as a horde of communist, immoral, backstabbing, baby-killing, alcoholic thugs.
To me, the word “liberal” is intimately related to the word “freedom” and “independence”. It means to me something without boundaries or restrictions…a fertile ground for intellectual development. But just to make sure, let’s review the word “Liberalism” in Merriam-Webster.com.
Liberalism: “A political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties; specifically: such a philosophy that considers government as a crucial instrument for amelioration of social inequities (as those involving race, gender, or class)”. If anyone can be against this philosophy, is because that person believes that oppression of the people by a few on top is the “American Way” and the wealth and opportunities of this country shouldn’t be shared with those who are not like them.
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