What is this American thing about calling people a liberal like it is a bad thing?

Question

Don't Americans go on about the US being a land of liberty? It really is strange!

I have read a few answers from Americans that call people a liberal or imply someone is when the question is anti-war. Why is this? Is it still seen as a good thing in America to want conformity, lack of freedom and to be controlled? I thought the days of Milgram's subjects being the typical US person were over.

Answer 1

there is a big difference between classical liberalism and progressive liberalism. the former is great, the latter is heinous.

when you say "land of liberty" you are invoking classical liberalism. this is liberty, democracy, etc. traditionally, these are right-wing notions (as opposed to socialism or communism, which are traditional left-wing ideas).

when you say "down with Bush and the war in Iraq," you are invoking progressive liberalism or left-wing sentiments.

Answer 2

In the US there is too much division among the people because of the political bipartisanship of the two main parties - Republican = Conservative and Democrat = Liberal. Either way they both have their good points as well as their bad. Right now the Republicans are the majority in office and no thanks to Ann Coulter, the Liberals are getting bashed. Personally I don't buy into political parties. It's not the party one should vote for but the person. So far there hasn't been person, whether Conservative or Liberal, that doesn't turn out to simply be a politician.

Answer 3

(From an American) First of all, liberty and being liberal are 2 entirely different things. The liberals in America hate this country and are willing to do anything to claw their sleazy asses back into the White House. Watch CNN to see what I'm talking about. The liberals would rather see the USA go down in flames then to have the Republican party in office...It's quite sad...Long live the Republican party..

Answer 4

I find 'American attitudes' very confusing ~ and the way of expressing them (themselves) often offensive, naive and childlike - wherein

The Answer is - To kick ***, or (simple - simplicity of the mindset) to Call someone who they disagree with a derogatory name.

There were the McCarthy Trials where the accused were each branded with the label, 'Un-American' (or 'having to do with 'Un-American Activities') without the ability to define what that means.

When Europeans arrived in the Land of the Braves (and took it from them through fearless theft and murder, and later legalised lieing), there was no such thing an 'American Ideals.' Instead there was a broad swath of thinking that was in many respects refined and tailored to fit within the Laws they were enacting (though the Law could vary from Town to Town, County by County and State by State and either made no sense or was nonsense - depending on your perspectives).

Thus an activity in one Town, County or State could be having you criminalized in another Town, County or State ....Yup, a very American Activity ...escaping the Law by crossing boundaries to practice your nefarious activity somewhere else.


To want to kill an enemy because you think they are Barbarians or Heathens makes one no different from that Other guy who thinks you are a godless - whatever - turning the ‘knee jerk reaction’ into the simplicity of ‘the jerks‘ reaction.’


In the back of a car today I read a sticker which said, ‘My God is awesome.’

Well now, and that a kicker! I wonder just which God that God was. It was a shame that this actual God wasn’t named there…. it would have been good to name him / her and allow us to go interview this God-person and see what’s on offer for us to worship.

Sorry, I have digressed.

It’s always fascinated me that Utah wasn’t allowed to become a fully fledged member state of the U.S.A. until they repealed their Laws concerning their polygamous marriages. Now according to Gods Law (= His words), Polygamy was the Mormon Right (‘to increase their stock’), and it turned out that God only changed His mind when the State representatives returned with the word that they couldn’t be in the U.S.A. Team until God changed His mind. So he did, and the Laws were repealed / changed.

So, to my way of thinking, God is now observant of the laws of the U.S.A. and is now a team member and player.

PS: It is great to have the Big Fixer on your team as you know you are always in The Right and are Always Gonna Win and that body bags are only a figment of a very deranged imagination ....which of course, is a very Un-American activity.

....Or maybe I'm being a little too liberal minded here!

Answer 5

Because the right wing fascist republicans hate everyone who isn't like-minded. It's their job to berate everyone unlike them. Just over 50% of US citizens bother voting. By strange coincidence, just over 50% of Americans are illiterate or semi-literate. (US study - liberal of course). So I'll bet you a dollar of anyone's money that these voters have necks the colour of superman's cape, don't take The washington Post or NYT and hail mainly from somewhere south of Kansas city Missouri (My lady in Missouri owns to being a redneck hillbilly, though I reckon she's being hard on herself as she can read, write and almost talk english doncha know. She's gotta be clever anyway as she knows me and don't necessarily support the death penalty for littering like her near neighbours in America's -"proud to be" - death capital. Now the Texans may not be able to read and write well (You ever hear that it's famous son, the incumbent president of dear ole US of A has an IQ of 91? Yep, it really is as high as that) but they can sure as hell dig and drill holes. Work it out for yourself. If you're liberal, you already wrote it).
Talking of 'rednecks', I've got an appointment with one of the funniest rednecks of all, Larry, "The Cable Guy", fresh in from Missouri this morning all the way to li'l old England.

Whilst you lot sort it out about rednecks and pinkos, I'll go and p*** myself at the former. Well, no news at the minute so no Bush. And I've already read the republican ravings on here, though the humour is a little too sick for me.
Larryyyyyyyy. Make me laugh you dumb S of a B redneck republican.

Answer 6

Look at any politician, when confronted with a label of "liberal" they run like cockroaches. Conservatives on the other hand wear their label with pride. Liberals cannot admit to themselves or the American people who they really are. Lastly, look at every election: when it comes time to take political stances and give speeches, liberals consistently move to the RIGHT, whereas conservatives stand their ground.

Answer 7

I've always wondered that myself. I'd be so chuffed to be called a liberal by one of the right-wing bigots.
Liberty = Feel free to do as you're told.
Freedom = Feel free to oppress and exploit those weaker than yourself
In the minds of some.

Answer 8

From what I've noticed it's because it's considered to be some extreme opposite to conservatism. People think if your liberal you wanna go around smoking weed, naked, and trying to make everyone gay. It's viewed as reckless, inconsiderate, and anti-christian.

Answer 9

In an ideal world America would not exist and we had better beware - we have Tony Blair so we have BIG problems as he is obviously an enemy of liberalism.

Answer 10

Absolutely, and the irony is they can't see the contradiction!

And, spookily enough, what is with G.W. Bush wanting to ram "DEMOCRACY" down the throats of every other country in the world, when he is a REPUBLICAN, at odds with the DEMOCRATIC PARTY? And again, the disparity is too subtle for him to appreciate.