The derogatory use of the word ''Liberals''

[classical_hero]

EDIT #2: Example of leftist

Poor kitty. Even cats have to face the wrath of Howard Dean.

 

[m4gill4]

It's not accurate at all. Also it's not like Americans in the 20 - 35 y/o bracket remember the hippies. They lasted like 5 years as a popular movement.

Uhh, hippies are most definitely still around. I went to a Dead show a year or so ago and there were swarms of them; authentic drug-addled hippies. You should get out more. If you'd like to see some for yourself, go to a Dead show, or a Sound Tribe Sector 9 show. TIP: don't eat the brown acid

 

[Shekwan]

Uhh, hippies are most definitely still around. I went to a Dead show a year or so ago and there were swarms of them; authentic drug-addled hippies. You should get out more. If you'd like to see some for yourself, go to a Dead show, or a Sound Tribe Sector 9 show. TIP: don't eat the brown acid

''As a popular movement'' is the key phrase in my comment. Communists are still around too but nobody cares either.

 

[JollyRoger]

Hippies are still around? Guess Nixon/Ford/Reagan/Bush/Bush have failed in this area.

 

[I'm Cleo!]

It's those "leftists", the real whackos that have forced the Democratic party so far left that it is getting to the point where it's not even funny anymore, but are a real threat to the nation that freak me out. Amazingly, they are actually getting leadership roles in the Democratic party. This has led to disaffected people moving away from the dems and voting Republican, pulling the Republican party too far left as well, which is a damned shame. What ever happened to respectable dems like Sam Numm and Lieberman who had to leave to party to win his seat?

I'd like to see an argument (rather than an assertion) that the country has moved to the left since, say, 1966. I don't think it's true. John Kerry's platform in 2004 was probably to the right of Richard Nixon's platform in 1968. What Republicans have been "pulled to the left?" How has the Democratic Party moved to the left? Is there any nationally-influential Democrat (i.e., not Kucinich) as liberal as Eugene McCarthy or George McGovern?

Cleo

 

[Masquerouge]

Liberal is also a derogatory word in France but it means the exact opposite, someone who's closer to Ayn Rand than Noah Chomsky.

 

[Gogf]

EDIT: Oh, and the whole "Americans use the wrong definition" thing ticks me off. Jam and jelly mean different things in the US and UK. We're not obligated to retain the same definition as other parts of the world for a word. Deal with it. (Not directed at philippe, just the general idea that our definition is wrong because other parts of the world have a different one)

I completely agree. I'm sick of being told I have the "wrong definition" for a word because Europe has a different definition.

 

[cubsfan6506]

I'd like to see an argument (rather than an assertion) that the country has moved to the left since, say, 1966. I don't think it's true. John Kerry's platform in 2004 was probably to the right of Richard Nixon's platform in 1968. What Republicans have been "pulled to the left?" How has the Democratic Party moved to the left? Is there any nationally-influential Democrat (i.e., not Kucinich) as liberal as Eugene McCarthy or George McGovern?

Cleo

Barack Obama because he's evil.

 

[GenMarshall]

Fwiw, there were still hippees on the streets when I went to the University of Arkansas in the early 80s. It was a hobby to drive down the street they hung out on and squirt them with fire extinguishers....

Now why would you do such a thing?!

 

[woody60707]

Lol

You Best Be Trolling!

 

[Shekwan]

I completely agree. I'm sick of being told I have the "wrong definition" for a word because Europe has a different definition.

And I'm sick of you stealing our words and making them... dirty...

Why don't you make a word of your own to describe Democrats you don't like?

 

[aelf]

I think 'Tory' can be rather derogatory in the UK.

Or should I say derogaTory.

 

[Princeps]

I think 'Tory' can be rather derogatory in the UK.

Or should I say derogaTory.

The word *tory* was originally a deragatory lampoon. Then those bloody tory tossers and rabblerousers took the term and began to use it with pride.

 

[Bill3000]

I completely agree. I'm sick of being told I have the "wrong definition" for a word because Europe has a different definition.

Tough. The word "liberal" should be something to be proud of, not derogatory. Our government is based on liberalism, and it's stupid to change the definition just because most of America doesn't believe in the liberal ideology - in reality, it's just sad that people like VRWC are incredibly willing to give up their civil liberties.

Liberals are to the left of social conservatives and libertarians and to the right of socialists. That's just the way it is, and it's stupid to drag whatever socialists there are on the US and label them liberal when they don't believe in the liberal ideology.

I mean honestly, Gogf. There's only one significant difference between you and a "liberal", and that's foreign policy. You can call youself a neocon until you are blue in the face, but foreign policy is still another thing altogether from normative political philosophy at home.

The word "liberal" and "conservative" are wrong in America because they are too vague, too confusing, too inaccurate, and too stupid. Clarity is important in defining a position in politics. It helps the position be known. We don't go calling Marx liberal when he called himself a Marxist.

Liberal is also a derogatory word in France but it means the exact opposite, someone who's closer to Ayn Rand than Noah Chomsky.

Well, that's because France is filled with a bunch of socialist weenies and have the exact opposite problems as us.

The idea that liberal means "far right" is as stupid as the idea of liberal meaning "far left"

 

[Princeps]

We don't go calling Marx liberal when he called himself a Marxist.

I don't call me myself "princepsian" and Marx most certainly didn't call himself "marxist" or marxian.

In fact, when Marx was asked what he though about the Marxist movement (which had began to rise and eventually took on different socialist, social democratic and communist forms) Marx responded something along the lines that "I know for sure that I'm most certainly not a Marxist".

 

[Bill3000]

I don't call me myself "princepsian" and Marx most certainly didn't call himself "marxist" or marxian.

In fact, when Marx was asked what he though about the Marxist movement (which had began to rise and eventually took on different socialist, social democratic and communist forms) Marx responded something along the lines that "I know for sure that I'm most certainly not a Marxist".

You know what I meant.

 

[lovett]

I completely agree. I'm sick of being told I have the "wrong definition" for a word because Europe has a different definition.

So liberals have the monopoly on freedom?

 

[dosed150]

it seems americans seem to lump the left and liberals together, but arent liberals in the centre

 

[bhsup]

Tough. The word "liberal" should be something to be proud of, not derogatory. Our government is based on liberalism, and it's stupid to change the definition just because most of America doesn't believe in the liberal ideology - in reality, it's just sad that people like VRWC are incredibly willing to give up their civil liberties.

Liberals are to the left of social conservatives and libertarians and to the right of socialists. That's just the way it is, and it's stupid to drag whatever socialists there are on the US and label them liberal when they don't believe in the liberal ideology.

I mean honestly, Gogf. There's only one significant difference between you and a "liberal", and that's foreign policy. You can call youself a neocon until you are blue in the face, but foreign policy is still another thing altogether from normative political philosophy at home.

The word "liberal" and "conservative" are wrong in America because they are too vague, too confusing, too inaccurate, and too stupid. Clarity is important in defining a position in politics. It helps the position be known. We don't go calling Marx liberal when he called himself a Marxist.

Unfortunately for you, you're in the minority when it comes to what definition Americans hold for the word. Word meanings change over time, deal with it or don't, but don't blame anyone but yourself when confusion ensues when speaking to another American. Majority rules, you lost. By the way, would you buy a pair of rubbers or a pair of galoshes if you needed some overboots to wear this winter?

 

[Trajan12]

I completely agree. I'm sick of being told I have the "wrong definition" for a word because Europe has a different definition.

When a definition for a concept so fundamental to human thinking is obfuscated so as to slander that concept and all who believe in it, I see it as not only right but obligatory to correct it.