The following is a letter to the editor I just sent to the Tampa Bay Times:
Conservative do not understand liberals, nor do they even try to. Instead, they fling the word "liberal" around as a pejorative, attempting to label and to kill discussion of issues.
Liberals are not "left-wingers" in terms of adherence to any ideological system, such as Marxist dogma. Instead, they tend to reject dogmatic commitment to any ideological systems, except democracy. They are people centered on what is best for people, country, and democracy. If it needs to be done, get beyond the crap and do it! If there is a problem to be solved, solve it by the best means possible -- and free enterprise is not always the best means possible!
Our nation and conservatives, themselves, would be a helluva lot better off if conservatives would loosen their grip on moribund ideology and DO SOMETHING OF VALUE!
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7 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Republicans have mastered the art of branding. They have succeeded in making people believe that liberal is a dirty word. If you are liberal, you are a wackjob that wants to take your hard earned cash and give it all away to lazy good for nothings(how they have branded poor people) All liberals want to do want to do is tax and spend. They have succeeded in training conservatives to resort to just spewing talking point rhetoric as if chanting mantras and to attack character and demonize rather than defend their positions or debate a liberal on the pros and cons of a policy.
It is a successful strategy and unfortunately, some Liberals are starting to adopt it...Sad.
ollieberry
Level 7
Feb 20, 2018
2
I honestly don't think the labels are worth anything these days. It depends heavily on your ideology how these terms are viewed in our divided society.
In Republican circles liberal is simply a pejorative and has no other meaning.
Conservatives are nothing of the sort. They are radical Statists who favor corporate kleptocracy.
marmot84
Level 7
Feb 20, 2018
2
Too often, liberals seek change for the sake of change, without taking the time to fully consider consequences. We shouldn't do things just because "it's tradition" but it's worth considering that if people have done something a certain way for millennia, there might be good reasons for that, even if those reasons aren't immediately obvious.
cmadler
Level 7
Feb 20, 2018
3
In what way do you think this is a classic problem of liberals, and not right-wing religious conservatives?
Not true. If you can give a reasonable explanation for WHY things are done that way most liberals would accept it. However, the reason may not be as good as you think, so you need to listen to WHY they believe their way may be better.
Communication is as much about listening as talking.
@PhoebeCat let's examine a favorite cause of young leftist liberals these days then. They are the future after all. Let's talk about free speech on college campuses. How about UC Berkeley students responding to Milo and other right wing speakers? Speakers that were invited to go there. A college campus, the place for the free exchange of ideas. The leftist liberals try to disrupt and block these people from exercising their right to free speech. Does that sound very open-minded to you?
Your statement is false. We sake changers which will better all of our people, our country, our democracy. . One should not make knowlingly false statements.
I would have let him speak, but if the students didn't want their tuition money going to pay him, they had every right to protest. His right to free speech was in no way violated. His ability to collect payment was interrupted. He could have still spoken.
@PhoebeCat the school determines what is best for their education. They submit to the spending of their tuition by the school in order to do that. They closed many down and even attacked some of them. They bring air horns in to disrupt the speakers. Go watch a clip on YouTube and see for your self.
Speaking of doing things just because of "tradition":
Conservative:
adjective - holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.
noun - a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics.
@cmadler
I didn't think the protestors were actually students. To be honest, I didn't pay much attention to what was going on at the time. Milo Yiannopoulis contributes nothing of interest for me to any conversation. He'll say any hateful thing for a reaction. He was probably thrilled about the protests. The one thing that he couldn't take would be if he was ignored.
Not all liberals are loud mouth jerks anymore than all conservatives are stupid bigots. But the ones who are get the publicity.
@ayneonacobb
Like I said, I would have let him speak. The greatest power was in ignoring his presence.
Authority should always be challenged and questioned. Public destruction is going to get worse before it gets better. We're heading someplace very ugly that I don't want to go but really see no way to avoid.
What do you think is better than capitalism as an economic system?
jayneonacobb
Level 7
Feb 20, 2018
2
I am talking about a responsive and effective government, not an economic system. Don't mix apples and oranges.
@wordywalt you said capitalism isn't always the answer. Thats an economic system. I asked what you think is a better economic system is. Seems fair.
@jayneonacobb Don't lie. I said that free enterprise is not the answer to all problems. Don't play distort and attempt to confuse games with me.
@wordywalt free enterprise, capatilism. Same thing, different term.
@jayneonacobb Are you so dense that you cannot carry on logical, rational discourse? Give it a rest, turkey!
Don't put words in my mouth. I have NEVER said that I think that any economic system is better than capitalism. Is it so hard to understand that one can accept capitalism as an economic system , but recognize that it does not always provide what is needed in all circumstances? or are you one of those ideologies who cannot accept anything that does not absolutely adhere to the dogma??
@wordywalt I didn't put words in your mouth. I used an accurate term for the economic system that is employed in our country. Seeing as you refused to answer my question twice now I'll allow you one last chance to answer my very legitament question.
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