What is your definition of a Liberal and how did it come about?

Question

Have you looked up the true definition in a dictionary?

Mark G, never presume to know what a woman is thinking, but I see your other point.

Answer 1

Liberal is the abolition of regulation so that a person could do what he wants.

Answer 2

If Liberals were what the dictionary defined they would not be too bad, but todays American Liberals are much closer aligned with a Socialist fundemental ideoligy. The Government exists solely for the purpose of taking care of people, not protecting the people, Wealth distribution, which removes the need and desire to work hard. Freedom to do as you please regardless of the effect on society as a whole, removal of religion, Todays liberals want to remove any responsibility from people for their actions, think if we leave the world alone they will leave us alone, and are afraid to take any risk, fight (unless it is court), and remove the principle of majority rule completely. Politically correct over the truth, does not want to be constricted by laws, yet wants socitey to protect them from everything, wiothout giving society any power to do so. Few Liberals have the common sense of a Alan Colmes that at least has a realstic idea of what the world is really about. I do not want to give you my pay check. I earned it. If I can you can. I want to pray in public, and if that offends you sorry, but as an Atheist I find you offensive,can I sue you too? I want my children to learn in school and I want them to understand that if you do wrong, there is a penalty. Have you noticed that most of the extreme liberals such as Hollywood persona cannot stay married, have drug and alcohol addictions, tell us to help the homeless while they build 10 million dollar mansions, and air condition their barns. Sorry but most are just selfish, cowardly hypocrites.
P.S. I am a registered Independent not a NeoCon as you are thinking. I frequently vote Democrat but AI would never vote for a Liberal

Answer 3

The problem is, the dictionary definition applies to classic liberals like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, not modern liberals like John Kerry and the Air America crew. Most colleges are run by modern liberals, who have restricted free speech in an unprecedented way through the use of speech codes, which is not very tolerant. Most modern liberals favor increasing government control of the economy, contrary to classic liberalism. If you apply the dictionary definition, people like John Kerry are not liberals, they are Socialists who stole the word liberal to deceive people into believing they are something they are not.

Answer 4

my definition of liberal has always meant open minded, when did it change??

you can be too 'liberal' but it is possible to be liberal (in favour of change) with out being favour of all wider liberal views and even against some of them

for instance in the uk if the social democrat party were still in existence then i would be a member but as they have merged with the liberal party to become the liberal democrats, i am 'liberal' enough to still say that i support them - not on all counts but i would like reform

i am not a 'modern' liberal, i am more a traditional or classic liberal

Answer 5

I believe that John Kennedy defined liberal ideologies best: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/35_kennedy/psources/ps_nyliberal.html

Answer 6

Liberal means you are like me, Gay,proud, and cowards who love to insult online :)