great letter in my paper this morning . . .

[OneBlueSky]

this is from the Journal News in Westchester/Rockland Counties in New York . . . it's a response to another letter . . .

Look at the definition

In his letter to your newspaper, Richard Eggers pleads "Please, all you good Democrats, renounce liberalism."

My dictionary (Random House Unabridged) defines liberal as "favorabel to progress or reform, as in religious or political affairs." The definition goes on to define Liberals as "noting to or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform." It also defines the word liberal as pertaining to "representational forms of government rather than aristocracies or monarchies."

Other definitions include "favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by governmental protection of civil liberties." The definition speaks of "favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression," and "free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant." Synonyms given are: "progressive, broad-minded, unprejudiced, beneficent, charitable, open-handed, munificent, unstinting and lavish." Which or all of these would Eggers have us give up? Perhaps he would have us turn to the antonyms of liberal: "reactionary, intolerant, niggardly?"