Why is the word "liberal" thrown around like an Insult?

Question

This greatly disturbs me, because it seems most people don't have a clue what the word means. let me enlighten you so you can stop throwing it around like an insult.

Those of you that do throw the world around like this are just closed minded and are more apt. to distroy this country than help it!

Definition:

Lib - er - al (adjective) : 1. Broad Minded -- tolerant of different views and standards of behavior in others

2. Progressive politicaly or socially -- politics favoring gradual reform, especially political reforms that extend democracy, distribute wealth more evenly, and protect the personal freedom of the individual

3. Generous -- generous with money, time, or some other asset.

Lib - er - al (noun) a liberal person -- somebody who favors tolerance or reform

Answer 1

Becuase leftists hide their agenda behind the liberal label with ideals that are hardly liberal.
There's nothing liberal about socialism as it removes an individual's liberty of choice. Distributing the money evenly is NOT liberal at all - you can achieve that without denying someone their liberty to enjoy what they've earned.
Being green is not being liberal, it's a socialist agenda to force everyone to conform to THAT groups idea of what's wrong with the world & to live the way THEY see fit.
Abortion is not liberal - especially to the one being killed without any say in the matter.
Gun control is not liberal as it denies a RIGHT. A liberal is for everyones rights, not just those they see fit.
Removing religious displays from public is not liberal. Liberals are for ALL people having the right to expression, not just what the ACLU approves.
Lastly, most "liberals" out there are not tolerant of others views. They bash people who disagree with their values the same as anyone else.
I can go on & on. It's my biggest rant about how these American hating leftist hide behind one of our most revered labels. But then they don't want to be called the communist losers they really are.

Answer 2

It actually has been used on occasion as an insult for decades. I have found several movies from the 1930's 40's and 50's that have used the word disparagingly.
However, the reason it became extremely popular to use it as an insult starting in the 1990's is because Newt Gingrich conducted a private PR campaign among fellow Republicans to be sure and always try to associate it with a negative connotation. So, when a Pug would use Liberal in a sentence, he would not just say the word but turn it into a phrase like "liberal spendthrifts". "corrupt Washington liberals" "the tax and spend liberals" .... you get the idea. It was an extremely successful campaign as one can see from the results. Reading the book "Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives" by George Lakoff may help shed a some light on the issue in addition to giving the reader some ammunition to fight back with.
>>>"The "liberals" to which I think people are applying that term, in that manner are the ones that increased the national deficit so extensively "<<<
Nonsense. Go back and look at how the national deficits evolved under Carter, then Reagan, then George H.W. Bush, Clinton and finally George W. Bush. What you find may surprise you. It is the Republican administrations that created the highest deficits in American History.

Answer 3

The term Liberal is appropriately bandied about as an insult because modern Liberal politics are hypocritical at best, routinely nutty, and designed to cripple the United States' ability to compete on the international stage, and defend itself.

Everything you mentioned that a Liberal is supposed to be is now completely the reverse. Liberals are absolutely the most close minded people you can meet. Proof positive: just talk to any of the Michael Moore-bots and suggest they watch a movie like Fahrenhype 9/11 that thoroughly debunks Moore's lies. Liberals bristle at the mere thought that their glorious leader is anything but truthful. They don't care about hearing the truth. What is the dictionary definition of that? Could it be "close minded"?

Let's take the de facto leader of the Liberal movement: George Soros. Do you realize what a scumbag that guy is? He has purposely destroyed entire economies in Asia by so brutally speculating against their currencies that the people there describe him as a "financial terrorist". This is a man without a moral compass. Making a profit is fine, but this guy was out for blood.

So, here's what the leader of the Liberal movement believes: In his new book The Age of Fallibility, Soros writes, “The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.” He announced in 2003 that it is necessary to “puncture the bubble of American supremacy.” Soros is working systematically to achieve that goal. On the economic front, he is shorting the dollar in global currency markets, trying to force a devaluation.

Liberals are not tolerant. Just look at any of the Conservative speakers who were invited to speak on college campuses, but had their speech cut short by relentless sabotage from Liberal students. Have you ever heard of Conservatives behaving in such a deplorable manner? Do Conservatives protest by blocking traffic, burning the flag, and spitting on policemen?

Liberals aren't satisfied to just level the economic playing field. They want full-blown Socialism.

The biggest laugh is "generous". Just do any search on Yahoo or Google about the huge chasm between how much Conservatives donate to charity as opposed to Liberals. Some statistics are skewed because they include church donations, but you can find reliable research showing that Conservatives are far more generous than Liberals who are only generous with other peoples' money.

Answer 4

Well, I think you may be confusing the dictionary definition of liberal with the actions of the persons to whom that label is derogatorily applied. The "liberals" to which I think people are applying that term, in that manner are the ones that increased the national deficit so extensively by pushing programs that most social scientists such as economisists regard as only making the problems addressed worse. The same people that stall a needed dam project that would provide water to improve the lives of may thousands of people to protect a small bird, or the equivalent - is this bad? Not necessarily, but it totally lacks any BALANCE. Oh, and these are the same people that called me a fascist during Vietnam because I served in the military - does this sound broad-minded to you? It doesn't to me! The progressive politics that the people I'm referring to are only to advance their own agendas, which ultimately are not necessarliy ANY part of the dictionary definition. And they're generous only with other people's and the goverment's money, not necessarily their own - I think THESE are the people that are getting the derogatory application of the term they hide behind. It's all about balance - and the folks I'm talking about are not conversant with THAT word, either!

Answer 5

You see, the problem with that is it is the classic definition of liberal and nothing to be ashamed of. The real question is why are this country's liberals running away from it? It seems to have changed to: a big spending, big government over-taxer who thinks that they make better decisions than the "people" they govern. It is meant as a derisive comment and frankly, very effective. I'm sure the US isn't going to implode if people use a pejorative others don't like. But if you or those like you sound like you are complaining about it, it will become even more commonplace than you would like. Like the old saying, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Answer 6

because language is a living thing and evolves, liberal has evolved to mean those who believe in nanny government and know what is best for all Americans. Kennedy and Reid have become the poster children for the word.

Answer 7

Politicians in general just name call like children.
Right wing left wing, they are all pansies.

Then regular shmucks think they sound cool, or like they know anything of what they are talking about if they use political labels.

Answer 8

When people can't refute a position with logical arguments, they sometimes resort to insults that ignore the real issues. It's easier for them.

Answer 9

Lets look at this..

Tolerant...yeah, they all count gays and Mexicans and people who read as their friends..hahaha

Progressive..heehee...it's the good ol' boys club till death right guys??

Generous..I made ALL MY OWN MONEY and no one ain't gonna get it...clear enough??

Answer 10

Kids usually use name calling to support their arguments. Some kids are so lame that that is what they use.