In America, why is liberal a bad word?

Question

I'm Canadian, and I don't think there is any stigma attached to the word 'liberal' like there is in the US. I also believe in most other western nations, liberal is not a bad word. It means 'generous' and 'progressive.' I can accept conservatives, and I have a few friends who are. They also accept my politics. We disagree, but there is none of the nastiness I see in US politics. I'm sure it wasn't always that way. Can anyone rationally explain how they can justify calling a positive word negative? Only polite answers, please.

Answer 1

It is nothing more than another label , just like Democrat, Republican. etc. This country has become more obsessed with labeling people and blaming the other "party" for downfalls than it is in actually solving problems and upholding our constitution. We need to start behaving as human beings and citizens, take back the control of our government we should by all rights have, and start doing whats right for everyone. We don't need to belong to a party to vote for what is right and we certainly don't need to vote for something just because it is the only choice.

Answer 2

There is also a stigma against the word conservative. This is probably due to the fact that people associate liberals and conservatives with the wildest person in either category. For example, if you were a democrat, you would find nothing wrong with being called liberal, many would take it as a compliment. However, a democrat being called a conservative might take insult at eing called something that associated with the south, uneducated people, bible thumpers, etc. In the reverse position, a republican would likely not take offense to being called conservative. However, a reepublican being called liberal may conjure up images of crazy, abortion promoting, vegetarian, freaks, and many Republicans take offense. So, it really depends on who you talk to. I wouldn't be angry if anyone called me liberal or conservative, because I vary from issue to issue; that's why I'm a registered American Independant party member.

Answer 3

Well, it's a word like fascist, terrorist, or fundamentalist that has been devalued over the years. Mussolini was proud to be a fascist, but it's a bad thing now. Some people are proud to call themselves fundamentalist Christians, other people use the exact same word as an insult. I don't think the word liberal is any different.

The original meaning of liberal means someone who favours minimal government intervention. In North American nowadays someone who favours minimal government intervention is a libertarian, but in Europe the same person would be a neo-liberal.
When we use the word to mean the soft-left we are arguably misusing it.

I don't think the origin of the nasty tone in US politics comes from semantics though. It's got more to do with having a two party system that is invariably us vs. them.

Answer 4

The stigma doesn't just exist concerning the word "liberal". If you look on Answers you will see people from both sides of the aisle using "Conservative" and "Liberal" as curses hurled at the opposition. The problem stems (IMHO) from two things. First is the idea that people have to label themselves and find identity from someone else's politics, and not make up their own ideas as to who they are. Second, as long as the media and the government can keep people fighting over blind political ideology, the more money the media can generate, and the more the government can get away with when our backs are turned. In short, it is the effect of intelligent individuals who when gathered en masse are reduced intellectually to name calling and chest thumping goons, and the outside sources that feed them.

Answer 5

I have no idea why 'liberal' is a bad word here in the US, but you're absolutely correct, it is!

All the Founders of the USA were liberals, and anything that's ever happened that was good in this country happened because a liberal did it and other liberals supported it. That's the only way it works around here.

So as soon as the conservatives, neocons, rightwingers, wingnuts, fundies, and other assorted lost souls get out of the way, liberals can get back to running an effective, successful country down here.

We'll keep you posted; stay tuned.

Answer 6

I've been wondering the same thing(Aussie here) from my observation this standoff (libs V Cons) seems to manifest itself in all its ugliness when the US is in times of crisis, it seems that a great divide erupts and the nation seems to be at each others throat,, however in a robust democracy this is a healthy thing as long as its civil, but deep feelings of betrayal appear on sides and the nastiness just spews forth each blaming the other,, I get the impression that some(not all) feel the Libs are weak and prissy,, and some Libs (not all) feel the cons are warmongering bigoted rednecks,, IMO

Answer 7

Liberal is a variation of LIBERTY, but unfortunately that word has lost its meaning in the U.S..
The bank cartels, the money and power hungry fiends who own and control America and most of
the world, use the notion of Liberty to kill innocent people and to make them immense profits.
They abuse that word and have transformed its meaning. To them liberty also means, listening to
our phone conversations, reading our e-mails, checking our financial transactions, putting
electronic chips on us to always know where we are, charging us double in gasoline and utilities
compared to even couple years ago, and arresting and detaining us indefinitely without any
evidence of wrong doing. So, in order to protect their profits and stay in power, THEY use
words like liberals and conspiracy theorists for all those people who understand and voice their
displeasure with what’s going on. THEY also use FEAR, NATIONALISM, & PATRIOTISM to
misguide the masses, dividing them in Republicans and Democrats, while they make the money
on everybody. So in reality it’s not really about Republicans or Democrats. Both parties are
controlled by THEM. It’s all about the money and power. You believe what you choose but
whoever uses the word “liberal” as a bad word, it’s either making money of off it or is
misguided/ brainwashed.

Answer 8

It's different where ever you go, in America, for example the worst word in the category you are speaking of in my group is Neocon, followed by Conservative, followed by right wing, followed by Republican, followed warmonger and it goes on and on, Liberal does not even come into the verbage where I live, I guess it's all because here in the U.S. we are divided by our political parties, we can't help it, it's just that Liberals cannot accept the violence of the neocon agenda. We are peaceful folks, as are you Canadians.

Answer 9

Liberal, does mean generous.

But most people are tired of being generous to those who wont do anything to help themselves. When you say liberal in the US, most people think of services for those who don't, or wont, help themselves, and they are tired of having so much of their paycheck taken for taxes to fund the lives of others who wont do for themselves, when the money taken out of those paychecks by way of taxes for services could do so much to help, or better, the lives of the person who actually earned that money. That is why the word liberal had become a "four letter word" in the US.

Answer 10

i'm not sure liberal is a bad word just like conservative isn't. it seems to be people's broad brush perceptions that results in a lot of folks making snap judgments about so many groups. we've got atheists slamming christians and vice versa, and there's a lot of antagonism too. it doesn't mean that all groups don't make good points and aren't voiced by intelligent people, but sometimes emotion eclipses rationality and intellectualism.