Nice OP-ED by Bob Herbert

[BOSSHOG]

Liberals should take a moment a read his latest from the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/opinion/09herbert.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

And then renew your pride in what you have done for our country over the years.

[groovedaddy]

1. It's worth a read. When msm is monopolized, as it is now, by forces wanting to steer us to the

right, they use subtle tactics to make us feel marginalized, strange, out of sync, etc. Most recognize the insanity of the "hard right" people like Limbaugh, O'Reilly, et al. When they can rant on about how whole segments of our society (i.e. liberals) should be done away with and then nuts start showing up at churches gunning people down or gunning down Dem State Party Chairs, who can blame people for not wanting to speak up. But we have to. The alternative to not standing up is a fascist society.

[BOSSHOG]

2. I know it occurs

but i've never been intimated by a fake patriot or a war mongering chickenhawk. I'm an in their face LIBERAL and those who know me don't even want to talk politics with me.

[Nikki Stone1]

4. And as such, you're my hero BossHog.

:)

I'd love to see you get up in somebody's face. (I'd be sitting at the bar with a whisky and soda, though. :))

[BOSSHOG]

11. I was mostly

apolitical until the early 90's when conservative radio just pissed me the hell off. I never, ever wanted to play the Vet card but in 2002 I shared my opinion (calmly and cooly) at my favorite watering hole that I thought going to Iraq was wrong. A young lad jumped on my ass telling me I should join the Army to prove my love of country. That Didn't sit well. I whupped out my Military retiree ID Card and asked the Lad to share with us his military duty stations. He said he hadn't served "yet." Its still MY watering hole.

Reagan did away with the fairness doctrine and gave birth to cro-limbaugh man thus doing away with any civil discourse in this country. If there mode of communication is screaming and shouting then I can communicate with the best of them.

[jhain]

3. I have sent this far and wide

and received many heartfelt grateful responses. It is wonderful to read.

[intheflow]

5. K&R - should be required reading for all liberals and progressives.

I took a class on labor organizing at UConn while getting my undergrad. I was the oldest student by 20 years. There were all these young Republicans in the class--I think it was a business school elective. Anyway, they were all flabbergasted to learn that the labor movement gave us weekends, vacations, holiday pay and overtime. All they'd ever heard from their Repuke/DINO parents was that the labor movement was killing American business and had to be eradicated. :eyes:


OT, nice to see you, BOSS. I don't think I've seen you around for about a year. Probably just ships passing in the night, but still... Hiya! :hi:

[BOSSHOG]

9. Hi ITF

I do most of my posting between 8:00 AM ISH and 4:00 PM ISH. Some days a whole lot, some days not so much. Yeah, that horrible labor movement has just destroyed the country and the gays have just wreaked havoc with christian marriages. Its just so horrible. All the best to you My Friend.

[Kukesa]

6. Kick! Print this and use it. n/t

[alsame]

7. Funny that he mentions LBJ and the legislation he got passed.

I was talking about this with a friend just the other day, that LBJ became radioactive because of Viet Nam but that he actually did tremendous good for this country because of the programs he initiated. As compared to Reagan who made life worse for almost everybody.

[tilsammans]

8. Once again, Herbert nails it!

Thanks for posting this.

Kick!

:kick:

[bunkerbuster1]

10. I'll remember this the next time a Republican uses "liberal" in the usual derogatory fashion

It is a great piece.

[Brewman_Jax]

12. Great piece!

and I tell people, should they ask, that I am a liberal, not libertarian.

To borrow from James Brown, Say It Loud! I'm a Liberal and I'm proud! :headbang:

[TahitiNut]

13. As a life-long independent liberal, this is obvious to me.

As a fella in his 7th decade on this planet, I am FULLY aware of how the term "Democrat" has been far less meaningful than the term "liberal" ... and how, in many cases, associating with someone who called themselves a "Democrat" was far, far more shameful (George Wallace anyone? Strom Thurmond?) than proudly proclaiming one's self a "LIBERAL!"

As a straight white male, I fully understand how being a LIBERAL is about standing up and fighting for the rights of EVERYONE, regardless of race or gender or sexual orientation, rather than merely being an advocate for one's own narrow interests. Don't tell me that a female arguing for women's rights is somehow a better "liberal" or a black arguing against racial discrimination is somehow a better "liberal" or a gay arguing for equity in marriage is somehow a better "liberal" ... and then bashing liberal, straight, white males is given a pass. That's just bullshit. Show me someone not immersed in "identity politics" before anointing them as "liberals."