When it comes to defining liberals, count me as one

[pstokely]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/columnists.nsf/billmcclellan/story/364A95DE3D39057F86256F4600446DB8?OpenDocument&Headline=When+it+comes+to+defining+liberals,+count+me+as+one&tetl=1

A couple of blue men from a red state were having dinner a couple of nights after the election, and one of the blue men, a fellow who worked for Kit Bond many years ago, said something like this: "Back in Kit's early days, he never described himself as a conservative. In those days, nobody did. After the Goldwater debacle in '64, conservative was a dirty word, kind of like liberal is now. It wasn't until Ronald Reagan came along and defined conservatism in a new and positive way that people began using the word again. That's what the liberals need to do now. Right now, we let other people define us."

And just how would we define ourselves? Let me try.

I'm a liberal, and that means I believe in responsibility, both personal and collective. Collective responsibility? You betcha. I believe that society - that's us - has a responsibility to take care of the less fortunate and those who can no longer provide for themselves. Social Security, for instance, is a liberal idea. Both for retirees and the disabled. If a working person becomes disabled, he or she will get a monthly check. It's not going to put a person on Easy Street, but that person is not going to have to sit on the sidewalk begging like you see in some countries. Back when the whole Social Security program was being founded, many of our conservative friends were against it.

[MrPrax]

1. And just how would YOU define ourselves?

yer a liberal..and you live in AmericanLand© and you debate about 'stem cell research'...and, being a liberal, you entertain debates about how retarded people should be executed and how the religion and state should be separated.....and kewl stuff

After the Goldwater debacle in '64,...then "Ron" and then the sad thing called the American Dream...

Must be great being Great© being a Liberal/trademake in America!

So your a liberal and you called your best friends 'fascists' coz they didn't vote for Kerry?

Scum

[Lisabtrucking]

2. I'm a liberal

I am so glad to call myself a liberal.
Conservative now a days are a dirty killing word,
Republicans to me mean to kill Innocent woman and children and then go to church, and tell everyone what a good religious person they are.
Republican, and Conservative to me means, ignorant to the facts, unmoral god thieving criminals, arrogant stupidity, and plain evil.

So yes I am glad to be a liberal.

[mutius]

6. Conservative defined

It's knowing how to tell a lie and get away with it.

[HuskiesHowls]

3. A good article

count me as a liberal, also.

[MissMarple]

4. That would be me. I'm a liberal, we are a community that takes care of its

people. Or at least we should be. We don't leave our people behind.

[ztn]

5. I'm a liberal because I believe in the goodness of people to be

good people when we foster a fair and nurturant environment for our citizens. And it all starts with liberal social values. Foster security, equality and inclusion and the best of humanity will shine through and protect itself from corruption, ignorance and totalitariansm and those who rant "God, Gays and Guns":

Social rigidity leads to social intolerance.
Social intolerance leads to social tensions.
Social tensions lead to social division.
Social division leads to social inequity.
Social inequity leads to increased and worsened economic inequity
These inequities lead to social and economic ignorance as well as discontent and more wanting among have's and have not's alike.
This ignorance and wanting lead to manipulation of the masses by the "real have's" (have more's) in many ways.
This manipulation leads to a blurring of causes of discontent.
This blurring reinforces ignorance leading to further manipulation.

This rampant manipulation and ignorance are the fertile grounds for the "real have's" to have more and more while preying on the ignorance, fears, prejudices and anger of the rest to serve there own corrupt agenda.

In the end, every negative of human nature is magnified and exploited as self-perpetuating evils to strengthen support and consolidate power by the "real have's". This is done on the sweat and ignorance of those who believe the Strength and Wisdom of these powerful ones will provide the strictness, order and moral authority to protect them from and resolve these evils. This advocating of a tightening grip completes the self-sustaining circle. The perfect crime in my opinion.

As a liberal, again, I feel the answer starts with moderatation and tolerance on a social issues. True social liberalism, as practiced, in many countries prevents this vicious cycle by improving and nurturing its society from the bottom up. This sense of inclusion, equality and community brings out the best in people. Sure, no society is perfect but a better quality of life is to be had when people work together. Socially liberal countries have fewer social problems than conservative ones. Compare Norway, Holland or Sweden to Spain, Italy,Portugal or Greece or the U.S. to Mexico or Brazil (see where we have to go for a favorable comaparison! shameful!) or just Blue to Red States. A society that does this fosters enlightenment and prevents the ignorance and anger that leads to their exploitation by a few powerful people. An informed, healthy and educated electorate of free thinkers is essential for democracy to work. This understanding will foster viligence and regulation of free markets that breed inequity and despair when laissez-faire'd.

[mutius]

7. What happened?

What happened to just being an American?

[moggie12]

8. "Take Care Of" is the problem

Where the "Liberal" viewpoint went off the pavement
was in what "take care of" meant.  When "taking
care" of the less fortunate became institutionalized as
the welfare bureaucracy and welfare "rights" groups
sprang up, that's when "Liberal" beame a "bad
word".  

[Been Fishing]

9. IMHO best definition of Liberalism

http://www.liberalslant.com/liberalism.htm

This is the way I define my liberalism.

See John F. Kennedy's statement at the end.