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What is a liberal?

Texan

Well-known member
lyric said:
I am a democrat. I am against gun control, and completly appreciate the stories in the ant and grasshopper posts. Have been accused of being a closet republican, but that is not so, I just don't agree with all policy of democrats. My question is:
What is a liberal?

This question probably deserves a thread of it's own. I remember both Soapweed and aplus giving some very articulate and concise definitions in the past. I would like to ask both of them to post their definitions again. Along with anybody else that's got a good definition - what IS a liberal?

Also, it would be nice if some of the liberals could give their own definition of 'liberal.' Assuming we can find one that admits to it. :lol:
 

Goodpasture

Well-known member
lib·er·al
–adjective
1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2. (often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.
10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.
11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.
12. of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts.
13. of, pertaining to, or befitting a freeman.
–noun
14. a person of liberal principles or views, esp. in politics or religion.
15. (often initial capital letter) a member of a liberal party in politics, esp. of the Liberal party in Great Britain.
[Origin: 1325–75; ME < L līberālis of freedom, befitting the free, equiv. to līber free + -ālis -al1]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal

As a classical liberal I added emphasis where appropriate.
 

jodywy

Well-known member
Acorroding to my daughter who is a Freshmen at UW , a liberal is one without presonal resposability, the government, the school or somebody will take care of it for me.
 

Tex

Well-known member
So called "conservatives" will take all personal freedom away from the people because they believe "god" is on their side.

As I said before, you better hope you are on God's side.

This theological misconception is what protestant reformation was founded on. Martin Luther looked around and believed that the powers that "represented" God were not likely on God's side. It was a successful revolution, and one that became a cornerstone of freedom of religion in this country.

Our founding fathers knew it well. That is one reason we have a chance to change things in this country when things don't seem right.
 

jodywy

Well-known member
Goodpasture said:
UW Freshmen are the end all in definitions? I take it she failed political science as well as classical and western Philosophy.
.She has professors that are upset there are working groups that combined oil, gas, mining, hunters , recreation, agriculture , game and fish, local county and state government that work together to head of listing of sage grouse and prairie dog , and delisting of wolves and grizzly bears. The professors feel that, no these people are not responsible enough to do it that the federal government and ESA should be the one picture fix all heavy hand you can do this and not that approaches.
Actually she doing quite well is school (except for German) most her history teachers are surprised and glad to have an opposing point of view. She also has a full load of classes and is on the track team which is 3 hours practice every day.
 

Goodpasture

Well-known member
So she is not taking political science nor philosophy. Not unexpected for a first year student. But her track and field efforts do not lend themselves to in depth knowledge of classic political/social definitions. BTW, congratulations on her being a successful student. I am somewhat perplexed as to what history she is challenging a professor on. As I recall freshman history was pretty vanilla/basic stuff. We didn't get into Locke and Robespierre and Hume until upper division, although I think we had the Apology during the sophomore year.
 

jodywy

Well-known member
She is changing majors because of the foreign language requirement (12 semester hours). But she had 3 history classes last semester, one on imperial China, one on the Holocaust, and History 10-10 which was a discussion class about globalization, military, immigration etc….
Next semester she is in the Ag College, which I told her is friendlier, more like a big family and that she already knows a lot of students there because of FFA, 4-H, State Fair, WSGA, WWGA conventions and heaven forbid being a page at the State Republican convention.
She is in the Renewable resources Department which is actually a multi college department but the head is in the Ag College.
 

Tex

Well-known member
jodywy said:
She is changing majors because of the foreign language requirement (12 semester hours). But she had 3 history classes last semester, one on imperial China, one on the Holocaust, and History 10-10 which was a discussion class about globalization, military, immigration etc….
Next semester she is in the Ag College, which I told her is friendlier, more like a big family and that she already knows a lot of students there because of FFA, 4-H, State Fair, WSGA, WWGA conventions and heaven forbid being a page at the State Republican convention.
She is in the Renewable resources Department which is actually a multi college department but the head is in the Ag College.

and heaven forbid being a page at the State Republican convention.

There are a lot of good republicans out there. I hope she becomes one of them. She will need to think for herself and bring the values she learned at home to the table though.
 

Goodpasture

Well-known member
History 10-10 sounds like it could be a good class or it could be a platform for an agenda......depends on the instructor and the syllabus. I am somewhat surprised they would have Chinese history prior to taking Eastern Philosophy. So much of what occurs in life (history) is dependent on the peoples attitudes and religions. Doing a course on the holocaust would seem to me to be worthless without substantial understanding of the history of western Europe. How can you evaluate the rise of Hitler without understanding the economic forces of the late 1800's leading to the Kaiser declaring war followed by the world wide collapse of the economy? Surely the punitive measures and the failure of the League of Nations led, not only to the collapse of the German economy, but to the rise of Hitler. I would think that the holocaust was a symptom of a far greater malaise than simple religious prejudice.

Frankly I would be asking some serious questions of her adviser. Taking courses in isolation, outside a programed plan, seems to be somewhat incoherent. My language classes were French, Spanish and Greek, but it seems that what she is doing in history would be like learning to conjugate verbs without having a vocabulary to base it on.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
You bring up some interesting points--much of these class's direction depend on interpretation of the professor/teacher-- and most/more teachers anymore are more closely alined with being Liberal or the Democrats both directly and thru their local, state, and national organizations and unions...

I remember when I was on the school board- only one teacher that did not belong to the union-- and the union was trying to force her to join- and I fought tooth and nail for her right not to...Funny thing is tho- I knew her family well- and she came from a long line of old time Democrats-but just didn't believe unions belonged in schools....
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
Goodpasture said:
Surely the punitive measures and the failure of the League of Nations led, not only to the collapse of the German economy, but to the rise of Hitler. I would think that the holocaust was a symptom of a far greater malaise than simple religious prejudice.

.
My my my, even hitler isn't personally responsible for his actions.
 

Goodpasture

Well-known member
Red Robin said:
Goodpasture said:
Surely the punitive measures and the failure of the League of Nations led, not only to the collapse of the German economy, but to the rise of Hitler. I would think that the holocaust was a symptom of a far greater malaise than simple religious prejudice.

.
My my my, even hitler isn't personally responsible for his actions.
I take it you failed history as well. Your inference is so far off it really isn't worthy of commentary except as it taints anything else you might have to say.
 

jodywy

Well-known member
But with the end of WW1 , it destroyed 4 or 5 families that had major power in Europe since the crusades, so how far do you need to go back….
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
Goodpasture said:
Red Robin said:
Goodpasture said:
Surely the punitive measures and the failure of the League of Nations led, not only to the collapse of the German economy, but to the rise of Hitler. I would think that the holocaust was a symptom of a far greater malaise than simple religious prejudice.

.
My my my, even hitler isn't personally responsible for his actions.
I take it you failed history as well. Your inference is so far off it really isn't worthy of commentary except as it taints anything else you might have to say.
...as was your inference that certain economic conditions can bring about such evil in people they gas millions based on their race.
 

lyric

Member
Goodpasture said:
lib·er·al
–adjective
1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2. (often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.
10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.
11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.
12. of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts.
13. of, pertaining to, or befitting a freeman.
–noun
14. a person of liberal principles or views, esp. in politics or religion.
15. (often initial capital letter) a member of a liberal party in politics, esp. of the Liberal party in Great Britain.
[Origin: 1325–75; ME < L līberālis of freedom, befitting the free, equiv. to līber free + -ālis -al1]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal

As a classical liberal I added emphasis where appropriate.

Thank you. I think this is what I was looking for.

I have not been on boards long enough to rock the boat ~ didn't mean to open a can of worms :oops:
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
Here is a couple of websters definitions.

1lib·er·al

1 a: of, relating to, or based on the liberal arts <liberal education> barchaic : of or befitting a man of free birth
2 a: marked by generosity : openhanded <a liberal giver> b: given or provided in a generous and openhanded way <a liberal meal> c: ample, full
3obsolete : lacking moral restraint : licentious
4: not literal or strict : loose <a liberal translation>
5: broad-minded; especially : not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms
 
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