Where did the stigma around the word 'liberal' come from???

Question

Liberalism has nothing to do with the opposite of conservation. It reffers to LIBERTY!!! It's not Consevativism and Justice for all.

"Government that would sacrifice Liberty for security deserves neither and will lose both." - Benjamin Franklin

Answer 1

Leftist attitude?

Answer 2

Go back to an older Funk and Wagnal or Websters dictionary you will find the definition of "Liberal" (as a political position) to be identical to today's far right conservatives (or NEOCON).
Sooo, not being able to backpedal around that absolute black and white fact.. It is obvious the definition has been artificially shifted by the powers that be, and the powers that WANT to be, to direct attention away from the fact that today's "liberals", are actually and in fact Communists... Or would the term National Socialists better apply? While we are perverting definitions might as well toss that in..... And perverted they most assuredly are...

With absolute respect and Kudos to BeachBum, a REAL Liberal.....By the REAL definition....

Answer 3

I had the pleasure of a conversation with old Ben. It was at Carpenter Hall in Philly. Did you know he never patented his inventions, he thought they were for the benefit of all to use, what political party is that?

It's been around for as long as I remember. John Kennedy did the best job of responding to the term of liberal in an acceptance speech in 1960 in New York. It was being used in a derogatory sense and his response made people feel proud. It's a useless term just like conservative. Here is a link for liberal...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal

Answer 4

The word liberal describing someone liberal has nothing to do with liberty. It's standing for those whose views are liberal from what is considered the norm. Conservatives means those who want to protect the original set of values. You can't twist things around to make it what you want it to be. Liberals shouldn't mind the word if they feel justified in their stand on things should they?

Answer 5

Because the world "Liberty" has no sense since liberty means freedom, not confined (i.e. no boundary) -- therefore law-less. It must be restricted... or conserved within the boundaries, for it to be rational liberty. Serious --- no joke liberty is meaning less because nobody in a rational world can have liberty, even the president... its just a word. ‘Conservative’ is more realistic, and restrictive typical of real life situations.

Answer 6

It started during the Nixon Admin.

Having nothing to offer, the Republicans created a boogeyman called Liberals, basically to sucker in votes from the racists that were the bedrock of Nixon's "Southern Strategy."

Seeing that it worked, every Republican since has relied on the lie to get people to vote against their own well being.

Answer 7

The Founding Fathers were Classic Liberals in that they sought change in order to gain freedom that was not found elsewhere. They wished to change from the more Feudal System that Europeans have always been more comfortable with. Today these freedoms are protected by those who wish to Conserve them. Conservatives wish to conserve the free society we enjoy today. While Liberals today would make sweeping liberal changes that would return more control of our lives to those who govern. Example: modern European socialism or classic feudalism.
P.S. Bush is no Conservative.

Answer 8

Liberal took on a new meaning during the 60's. My Dad and relatives would be considered right leaning by todays standards.

Answer 9

Political mouth pieces like Karl Rove are responsible. It is Republican propaganda. If you say it enough times, people will believe it.

If you truly look up what liberals stand for and what liberalism is, most Americans either are or would want to be a liberal.

The Republicans have been very good at bringing in wedge issues that are more moral issues than political issues. If the Democrats had been smart enough to bring in "pro life" into their party platform, there would probably be very few people in the Republican Party.

Answer 10

You obviously have some computer skills. Do a Yahoo! search with the word "dictionary." When you open a dictionary web site, look up the words "liberal" "conservative" "liberty" and "conservation."
In US politics it understood and accepted that liberals are left leaning and conservatives are right leaning. The left wants government controls. The right wants freedom from government intervention.

Answer 11

From unamerican doofusses that don't understand how government or human nature works. And Liberalism has NOTHING to do with Liberty. Otherwise, you would support the Second Amendment, the basis of all freedoms.