NYT, Bob Herbert: Hold Your Heads Up; "WHY LIBERALS DON'T STAND UP TO THIS GARBAGE, I DON'T KNOW."

[DeepModem Mom]

Hold Your Heads Up
By BOB HERBERT
Published: September 8, 2008

....Troglodytes on the right are no respecters of reality. They say the most absurd things and hardly anyone calls them on it. Evolution? Don’t you believe it. Global warming? A figment of the liberal imagination. Liberals have been so cowed by the pummeling they’ve taken from the right that they’ve tried to shed their own identity, calling themselves everything but liberal and hoping to pass conservative muster by presenting themselves as hyper-religious and lifelong lovers of rifles, handguns, whatever....

***

Why liberals don’t stand up to this garbage, I don’t know. Without the extraordinary contribution of liberals — from the mightiest presidents to the most unheralded protesters and organizers — the United States would be a much, much worse place than it is today.

There would be absolutely no chance that a Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin could make a credible run for the highest offices in the land. Conservatives would never have allowed it. Civil rights? Women’s rights? Liberals went to the mat for them time and again against ugly, vicious and sometimes murderous opposition. They should be forever proud.

The liberals who didn’t have a clue gave us Social Security and unemployment insurance, both of which were contained in the original Social Security Act. Most conservatives despised the very idea of this assistance to struggling Americans. Republicans hated Social Security, but most were afraid to give full throat to their opposition in public at the height of the Depression....Liberals who didn’t have a clue gave us Medicare and Medicaid. Quick, how many of you (or your loved ones) are benefiting mightily from these programs, even as we speak....

***

Without the many great and noble deeds of liberals over the past six or seven decades, America would hardly be recognizable to today’s young people. Liberals (including liberal Republicans, who have since been mostly drummed out of the party) ended legalized racial segregation and gender discrimination....

Liberals gave this country Head Start and legal services and the food stamp program. They fought for cleaner air (there was a time when you could barely see Los Angeles) and cleaner water (there were rivers in America that actually caught fire). Liberals. Your food is safer because of them, and so are your children’s clothing and toys. Your workplace is safer. Your ability (or that of your children or grandchildren) to go to college is manifestly easier.

It would take volumes to adequately cover the enhancements to the quality of American lives and the greatness of American society that have been wrought by people whose politics were unabashedly liberal. It is a track record that deserves to be celebrated, not ridiculed or scorned....

LIBERALS NEED TO GET OVER IT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/opinion/09herbert.html?hp

[sufrommich]

1. My Mom just sent me this.

It's amazing how far to the right we've allowed this country to be pushed with hardly a whimper.He's right,we need to stop behaving as if we have anything to apologize or feel ashamed about.Fence sitters sense that liberals are demoralized and react by voting against their own interest.

[DeepModem Mom]

10. That's right!

Someone downthread says we should stop running as centrists, which I can understand. But -- as you point out -- the spectrum has been pushed so far to the Right, that I consider "conservative" as extremist, and "centrist" is now seen as "liberal." In any case, we should, I think, own the word "liberal" and quit running from it. Start with Sarah Palin. She's TOO CONSERVATIVE, SHE'S AN EXTREMIST. People need to understand that. We've gone too far in one direction. It's dangerous for our country.

People fear the Left, when the time came years ago to start fearing the Right. This has to get through to people somehow. Everyone supports Social Security, Medicare, etc. They see global warming in their weather almost every day. They want good schools. Then they go and vote for conservatives. It's ridiculous, and is the result ONLY of the Right's ability to get its message out.

Somehow, we have to turn this around. I think this enormous Gen Y may do it. If it's not too late.

[democracy1st]

56. thanks DeepModem Mom I agree you can't run from what you are

Sarah is on the far right of the political spectrum,if you notice quite a few on the far left of the spectrum will not vote for Obama as well. The GOP is trying to cover up Palin's true political outlook. Some far left names you may recognize Ralph Nader,Mike Malloy,Chris Hedges all have great points but instead of using logic in their decisions they stick to hardcore principles.

[sunnystarr]

67. Palin forcing rape victims to pay for a rape kit ...

Which forced even a Republican governor to pass a state law to ban this assault against women which occurred only in Wasilla. This is extremism.

[peacetalksforall]

73. I blame the DLC for all the years of the Repubs getting away with this.

They have been milquetoast and pussy cats in defending the Dem positions.

Off The Table is their motto.

They are the best of friends with my enemies.

They have pushed the right of center meme and have been in power to lock it in.

They demanded that Gore be nice and drop out.

They did something to Kerry.

Sometimes I believe that they are only here for the pretense of two political parties.

I don't know who in the Dem Party is/was responsible for honesty in voting, but it wasn't the DLC.

Who in the Democratic Pary is ever going to do somthing about the disaster which is the theft of our vote? They are the ones who allowed the private ownership of voting. How the hell did they do that? Voting theft facts are Off Their Table.

So we are well on our way to a Corporate Military Media Mercenary Police Police power tool Digital Financial takeover of our body and mind.

This is probably a bad time to repeat this, but when are we going to face it?

Ice and Soap Queen + Maverick representing CHANGES FOR THE WORSE.

Now be nice. Make sure you get invited on the FIVE BIG corporate propaganda networks and be a prop for their water hose blasts of talking point lies, but be nice about it.

[IndyOp]

2. Yes! Yes! Yes! (n/t)

[bdamomma]

3. we need to push these people back hard.

ENOUGH.

[The Stranger]

4. Paging the Nancy Pelosi Disaster . . .

. . . as the fish rots from the head down . . .

[demokatgurrl]

5. Love Herbert; kicking for us proud LIBERALS. n/t

[grasswire]

6. ....so STOP RUNNING AS CENTRISTS!!

That's the logical conclusion to Herbert's piece.

None of that righteous history means anything if we set it aside every four years and run to the center.

Democrats, stand on our righteous history!! Run on it!

[depakid]

29. or at least stop pandering to the fundies and the far right

and disrespecting the progressive base.

It doesn't work on the national lever- never has, never will. Contrary to consultants opinions and to a vocal minority of adherents every 4 years, it doesn't make Democratic candidates look reasonable or intelligent, it makes them look weak and indecisive.

or worse- afraid to stand up and tell the straight up, non nonsense truth about the opponent- even as he or she is battering you with lies

[Skittles]

54. T H A N K YO U ! ! !

[Carolina]

7. K&R

Oh so true!

[Carolina]

8. The contents

of this piece should be presented in pithy sound bites in a 527 ad... e.g you like your Social Security, thank a liberal with a background picture of FDR amid snarling, scoffing repukes, etc.

[Triana]

9. Liberals remind me of abused spouses - codependent and trying to bury themselves...

...and subvert themselves to someone who batters them, emotionally, financially, and physically, on a daily basis.

They really do need to stand up for themselves and get OUT of this abusive relationship.

[Neshanic]

11. He obviously is a troll or a needs his "concern noted".

[DeepModem Mom]

12. LOL! I hear ya!

Many times, I fear to post.

[Maven]

15. LOL.

[Forkboy]

22. If you wrote with half that intelligence you wouldn't need this victim act.

Save it.

[Neshanic]

51. This is for you.....from me.

"There's a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl,
He's always at home with his back to the wall.
And he's proud of his scars and the battles he's lost,
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

Give a moment or two to the angry young man,
With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand.
He's been stabbed in the back, he's been misunderstood,
It's a comfort to know his intentions are good.
And he sits in a room with a lock on the door,
With his maps and his medals laid out on the floor-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

I believe I've passed the age of consciousness and righteous rage
I found that just surviving was a noble fight.
I once believed in causes too,
I had my pointless point of view,
And life went on no matter who was wrong or right.

And there's always a place for the angry young man,
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand.
And he's never been able to learn from mistakes,
So he can't understand why his heart always breaks.
But his honor is pure and his courage as well,
And he's fair and he's true and he's boring as hell-
And he'll go to the grave as an angry old man.

There's a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl,
He's always at home with his back to the wall.
And he's proud of his scars and the battles he's lost,
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man."

Thank Billy Joel, not me.

[meowomon]

55. I'm an angry old woman!

Damnit, I'm sick and tired of rolling over and taking the lies and crap. Sarah Palin and her religious kind are dangerous. I was raised by endtimer pentecostal bible thumping crazies. I know first hand what they are capable of doing and how they mesmerize the crowds of frenzied worshipers. Their lies are covered by the obedience to the cult. That is why Monica Goodling in the Justice Dept. had a litmus test. They are infiltrating the rethuglican party and taking it over. They want the end time so they can be raptured. They're every bit as insane as AlQaeda!

[rucognizant]

59. GOOD talking point!

Put that out there and OFTEN!
uberreligious = jihadists! Make the AMerican population AFRAID of them!

[jamesatemple]

72. Bravo! Wonderful post, meowomon!

I'm in full agreement with your assessment.

[Skittles]

53. I HEAR YOU NESHANIC

:thumbsup:

[seafan]

13. Conservatives' ignorance is a thing to witness.

Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican

By John Gray Cincinnati, Ohio
July, 2004


Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe’s bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.


Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe’s employer pays these standards because Joe’s employer doesn’t want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he’ll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn’t think he should loose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

Its noon time, Joe needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe’s deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time.

Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn’t want to make rural loans. The house didn’t have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republican’s would still be sitting in the dark)

He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn’t have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home.
He turns on a radio talk show, the host’s keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn’t tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day) Joe agrees, “We don’t need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I’m a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have”.

Hold Your Heads Up

By BOB HERBERT
Published: September 8, 2008
NY Times

Ignorance must really be bliss. How else, over so many years, could the G.O.P. get away with ridiculing all things liberal?

Troglodytes on the right are no respecters of reality. They say the most absurd things and hardly anyone calls them on it. Evolution? Don’t you believe it. Global warming? A figment of the liberal imagination.

.....

Anyway, the Republicans were back at it last week at their convention. Mitt Romney wasn’t content to insist that he personally knows that “liberals don’t have a clue.” He complained loudly that the federal government right now is too liberal.

“We need change, all right,” he said. “Change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington.”

Why liberals don’t stand up to this garbage, I don’t know. Without the extraordinary contribution of liberals — from the mightiest presidents to the most unheralded protesters and organizers — the United States would be a much, much worse place than it is today.

.....

We are, Mr. Herbert. Sadly, it's lost in the calculated media frenzy of "Sa-rah! Sa-rah! Sa-rah!"






(Hat tip to ProSense)


So we never forget:

[DeepModem Mom]

14. Thanks for posting that PERFECT piece, seafan -- every word true! nt

[seafan]

17. Unsurpassed, willful ignorance: ugly, frightening and dangerous. (And, you're welcome, DMM.) n/t

[demokatgurrl]

19. If this had its own post I'd rec for the Joe Republican

article.
And look at those idjits, they can't even spell "mavrick".

[tilsammans]

26. Perfect!

Thank you!

(I have tears in my eyes right now. We cannot let those bastards have another four years.)
:grr:

[Blue_Tires]

35. ttt

[BaracudaCrusher]

42. FDR's quote came to mind:

A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward.

[seafan]

45. Welcome to DU, BaracudaCrusher! Great quote.

I also like this one:

If we want to go backward, put it in *R*. If we want to go forward, put it in *D*.

[MooseGoose]

62. I've Always Liked the Joe Republican Piece

Haven't re-read it for a while. Thanks for posting it.

[applegrove]

16. I would think rescuing the word "liberal" from the dust heap would

be a long term job. Not one that could be finished this election cycle but something that could be started right now.

[DeepModem Mom]

18. I'm wondering if we could start with Sarah Palin. She ridicules liberals...

mercilessly, while she herself is, to use Ed Koch's word reported elsewhere today, SCARY. All things can go too far. People need to understand this. Liberals have done great things for this country -- and conservatives, who have gone too far Right, are dangerous. You might say, they're out of the mainstream!

[Blaukraut]

20. Kicking for a much needed shot in the arm of depressed DUers

Herbert is so right! We have every reason to hold our heads high and be proud to call ourselves Liberals. If we carry this attitude with us, maybe it will spill over to others.

[AndyTiedye]

21. It Is the Wingnut Media That Has Beaten Liberalism Into the Ground

and they continue to do it, every day, on every TV station in the country.

Why don't any of our liberal statesmen stand up to them?
Some did. Most are now former statesmen.
A few are now late statesmen. :cry:

Even when the Democratic party (rarely) make gains,
those are almost always "blue dog" Democrats who are not even remotely liberal,
though they are less conservative than the Republicans they run against.

[redqueen]

24. THANK YOU!

Geezaloo... this makes me SO frickin angry... the right would NEVER have been able to get away with making "liberal" a dirty word without the help of the M$M!

:grr:

[redqueen]

23. And the M$M needs to stop working against us!

Don't leave THAT part out, Bob.

[Gold Metal Flake]

25. Until we are all ready to march like the French, we will continue to be marginalized.

[FatDave]

27. Not only all this....

But conservatism is a proven failure. Failed under Reagan/Bush I, Clinton started to fix it, and it failed even worse under Bush II. It will continue to fail under McCain.

Thing is, liberal ideals always prevail. You cannot stop progress. No matter how hard and desperately they fight it, gays will eventually be able to marry. We will eventually have universal health care. We're the gas, they're the brakes. But lately they've put on the parking brake and put the boot on one of the front tires.

[DeepModem Mom]

30. You said quite a lot in a few words, Dave! Well done, especially --

"But lately they've put on the parking brake and put the boot on one of the front tires."

[everything-bolt-up]

28. my sentiments exactly!

[uberllama42]

31. Most of what my mom told me when I asked her why she is a liberal

When I was a teenager, about 12, my mom was explaining something or other about politics to me. I asked her to summarize her political ideas, and she said her observation was that every time life has gotten better for people, it has been because liberals have spoken out against the status quo.

Herbert's article is inspiring. I want to go out and fight to make things better. We should be proud and unapologetic liberals. There is a long, proud history behind us.

[WillyT]

32. Big K & R !!!

:bounce::kick::bounce:

:patriot:

[Orsino]

33. Liberals ARE standing up to it, as they have for decades.

Media like the Times rarely notice, however.

[Samantha]

34. I AM A PROUD LIBERAL AND DO NOT HESITATE TO SAY IT

I left the Republican party in the 90s, having been a Republican a long time. I just could not put up with the sham of the party any longer (and yes, I do mean sham). Once I came over to the other side, I knew immediately I had always belonged here.

A few years later, I arrived at DU with my fighting spirit still intact, and I do not hesitate to stand up to any Republican who attacks me, even my own family. I really wish I had a teeshirt which advertised the fact I am a proud liberal. I would wear it everywhere. And I do hold my head up high.

Sam

[Skittles]

52. people like you give me hope, Samantha

yes INDEED :thumbsup:

[DeeDeeNY]

36. A Liberal Definition

A Liberal Definition by John F. Kennedy:
Acceptance Speech of the New York
Liberal Party Nomination

September 14, 1960

What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label "Liberal?" If by "Liberal" they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer's dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of "Liberal." But if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."

http://www.liberalparty.org/JFKLPAcceptance.html

[DeepModem Mom]

37. A classic liberal creed from JFK, himself -- thanks for posting, DeeDee! nt

[PVnRT]

38. Because we have too many weenies on our side

"We can't stoop to their level...if we're mean, people won't like us....whine whine whine..."

[bertman]

39. Great Post!! DeepModem Mom. I will do my best to use this in my ongoing struggle with the

ignorant right-wingers I work with.

[Tansy_Gold]

40. Bob Herbert makes me weep with rage.

I've been reading his column with some regularity for about ten years now, and almost every time I do, I weep. Unlike so many others, he's not afraid to say the things that need to be said, the things so few others will say. Often he speaks for those who have little or no voice themselves.

This time, however, he's made me weep with anger. This time he speaks not for those with little or no voice but for those who will not speak. If it is true that there is none so blind as those who will not see, then surely there is none so silent as those who will not speak.

Tansy Gold

[DeepModem Mom]

41. Reading your eloquent post, I almost weep myself. Thank you, Tansy. nt

[democracy1st]

49. K & R

[and-justice-for-all]

43. I'm LIBERAL..SO FUCK OFF!

[senseandsensibility]

44. I would love to hear today's Dem "leaders" speak

like this! We would win election after election.

[democracy1st]

47. good call

[mzmolly]

46. Absolutely!

We need to stop running from our strengths because "pigs" insist they are "bad."

[stark6935]

48. WHEN THE SURROGATES ARE ON TV AND HEAR A LIE THEY NEED TO CALL IT...A FUCKING LIE!!!

[alfredo]

50. Not read to make nice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwc5YSAc-7g

[Joe Chi Minh]

57. K&R

[judasdisney]

58. Ironically, Liberals' bad reputation stems from their unwillingness to FIGHT BACK

It was inevitable that the term "liberal" would become besmirched.

[wicket]

60. K & R

:kick:

[billyoc]

61. As Harry Truman said, given a choice between a fake Republican and a real one,

the public will choose the real Republican every time.

Reap the whirlwind, centrists.

[myrna minx]

63. K&R n/t

[bunkerbuster1]

64. Because YOUR EMPLOYER provides aid and comfort to such "Troglodytes on the right"

I love this piece, but let's get real.

The NY Times gave us Judith "Proved Fucking Right" Miller and rah-rah Iraq war cheerleading; they print William Krisol's lies without fact-checking his editorials, and they continue to employ the empty-headed cretin MoDo who loves nothing more than trashing Democratic presidential candidates.

I consider the Times a critically important news source and they have many of the best and brightest print journos working for them, but they've done more than their share of damage to the notion that liberalism is patriotic.

[Indi Guy]

65. I wish I could say that I'm either a "liberal" or a "conservative"...

I'm so very liberal on so many issues, but I can't swallow the whole party line.

In some ways I'm conservative, but that party line gags me from the start.

Is the Constitution liberal or conservative???

[riona]

66. I think our extremely qualified and intelligent candidates have had a a particular problem

They consistently think the average voter will assess data, then use his/her brain using facts and logic. However, it appears that the electorate has been dumbed down. From what I've seen the past few years, superficial voting criteria has prevailed. I keep hearing, I an identify with this person, he/she is one of us, I could sit down and have a beer with him, he/she has the same hobby, has the same religious beliefs, good hair, nice glasses, blah blah blah. The rep party has realized this and employed techniques that work under these circumstances. They might not have the most capable candidates, but they know how to use the voters.

[Honeycombe8]

68. He's right. The Dems won't win until the leaders start standing up and yelling at the top of their

lungs about the lies of the Repubs.

This polite "responding" when asked about something directly isn't gonna cut it.

[rndmprsn]

69. thank you bob herbert

what a nice way to start off the day...and yes i am proud to be a liberal!

[mnhtnbb]

70. The BIG difference between Republicans and Democrats is

the Republicans see using government to advance their own wealth; Democrats see using government
to spread the wealth equally. Republicans are all about themselves; Democrats are all about community.

These distinctions need to be sharpened and hammered home.

[AlbertCat]

71. From the introduction of Joe Conason’s 2003 book “Big Lies” :

From the introduction of Joe Conason’s 2003 book “Big Lies” :


“ If your workplace is safe; if your children go to school rather than being forced into labor; if you are paid a living wage, including over-time; if you enjoy a 40-hour work week and you are allowed to join a union to protect your rights – you can thank liberals.
If your food is not poisoned and your water drinkable – you can thank liberals. If your parents are eligible for Medicare and Social Security, so they can grow old in dignity without bankrupting your family – you can thank liberals. If your rivers are getting cleaner and your air isn’t black with pollution; if our wilderness is protected and our countryside is still green – you can thank liberals. If people of all races can share the same public facilities; if everyone has a right to vote; if couples fall in love and marry regardless of race; if we have finally begun to transcend a segregated society – you can thank liberals. Progressive innovations like those and so many others were achieved by long, difficult struggles against entrenched power. What defined conservatism and conservatives, was their opposition to every one of those advances. The country we know and love today was built by those victories of liberalism – with support of the American People.”

[DeepModem Mom]

77. Excellent, Albert!!! Thanks for adding this to the thread! nt

[Name removed]

74. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Armstead]

75. THIS POST SHOULD BE A STICKY -- IT HITS THE MARK EXACTLY

It has long frustrated and puzzled me why CONservatives are so proud of their ideology in public, while liberals and Democrats are so fucking afraid of ours.

I wish to hell that more Democratic politicians would just come out and say "hell yes. I', Liberal and damn prouod of it."

[Shine]

76. Yes!! We must remember : WE are the CHANGE we seek.

:applause:

Have Courage. Hold the Vision.