Do liberals put equality over liberty and liberty over survival?

Question

Do liberals put equality over liberty and liberty over survival while conservatives put survival over liberty and liberty over equality?

Answer 1

You nailed it. Did you think that one up yourself or hear it somewhere?

Liberals love to talk about liberty, especially how we can't violate the terrorist's constitutional rights (as if they had any), and would happily see another 9/11 rather than have the gov't monitor communications to suspected terrorists. Apparently, it's too risky that the gov't may also accidentally monitor my asking my Aunt Betty for her cobbler recipe too. You can bet that if there's another attack, they'll be complaining about why the gov't didn't do enough, and conveniently forget they were fighting the government's anti-terrorism efforts the whole time.

However when it comes to the fact that there's a wealth gap, they are more then happy to throw liberty out the window and punish those who are successful, to bring down those people to the level of the rest of us.

I'm surprised so many of your answerers couldn't even understand the question, but maybe I shouldn't be. Obviously the product of a liberal public education.

Answer 2

Liberal here.

Liberty over survival, definitely.

"Better dead than red" is foreign to modern conservatives. But my conservative parents believed in it and so do I. And what about "Give me liberty or give me death." I suppose Patrick Henry is passe these days. Too busy watching cartoons, are we?

The Patriot Act is quite Stalinist. I don't like it. Now call me a traitor, and I will think of you as someone who never, never knew what this country ever stood for.

As for liberty vs equality, that is subject to argument, and of course, the eternal re-definitions.

Answer 3

I can only speak for myself on this one. You seem to be asking about self actualization. I wonder how many people understand life in this light.

But if you know something about the hierarchy of needs, you know that survival is pretty basic. Basic needs must be met before higher needs can be pursued.

I view liberty and equality as something more than rights and entitlements, but also in terms of contribution and sacrifices. I am concerned that many want rights without responsibility, and that is not equality. It is childhood.

Answer 4

"He who would give up liberty for a false sense of security deserves neither."
-Benjamin Franklin

But uh, only the survival vs. liberty part in your arguments is true. The other part seems to be more individualistic.

Answer 5

This is one of the best questions I have heard all week.

That is a great way to put it. When you take the total sum of the actions displayed by liberals or respectively, conservatives, it would appear that your analysis is spot on.

Even if it is a generalization, generalizations are sometimes useful, and this raises very important questions in the context of our national political dialouge.

Answer 6

I don't presume to speak for all liberals.

I, personally, put liberty and equality on the same level, and liberty over survival always.

Answer 7

The antipatriot "Patriot" Act, promoted by conservatives, dismantles our liberty in exchange for a temporary security. Such was anathema to our liberal founding fathers, which is why they created the Bill of Rights this administration has been so busy dismantling.

Answer 8

One of those has no need for liberty..

Answer 9

Do you know anything about liberals and conservatives? Or politics in general?

Answer 10

People who rant about equality really just want special treatment.

People can't handle total freedom. That's why we have laws, and look how many people still break them. Deep down inside we are really just animals. And when animals misbehave we put them in cages.