“Liberalism” is a euphemism for some people

[raccoon]

I think when a lot of people complain/rant/bitch about “liberalism,” what they are really complaining about is women, blacks, and other minorities actually being treated as human beings, not as second-class citizens. Having a chance at decent jobs and a decent life. Not having to put up with leftovers, simply because they’re female, black, etc. Not having to put up with ill-treatment for the same reason.

I bet if you asked most of these yahoos to define “liberalism,” they couldn’t; they’d just stutter and mumble.

The word “integration” would definitely fit into their definition of liberalism.

But to them, what it means is minority groups having equal rights and equal protection under the law—and they don’t like that.

[sam sarrha]

1. Amen !! Brother Raccoon. say AMEN !! but you forgot a really big minority

the underdog.. the disenfranchised, tho a subset of the Poor, they are a distinct and reviled group.

especially those disenfranchised by the Fascists..
people who suffer sudden loss like the homeless, outsourced jobs etc

these people are easily identified as Cursed by god. they lost it all because they were sinners and they deserved it..!! god struck them down!! ...say AMEN.!!

I suffer from PTSD from childhood abuse in a fundamentalist Extremist church. i have heard this all before, over and over

strange thing is that a lot of them were disenfranchised.. and really felt that with faith they would be delivered.. sort of a cargo cult.

[raccoon]

10. Gosh, that WOULD cause PTSD in a person.

I know some people like that. I don't get them. Without even trying, I could name you good, decent people who suddenly got a smack in the face from fate, the universe, whatever. It may be a sudden layoff, accident, chronic illness, etc. I'm sure all of you know such people too.

Where these people get off thinking bad things are God's punishment, I'll never figure it. If I believed that, I'd have to hate God.

[eauclaireliberal]

2. Not true

I bet if you asked most of these yahoos to define “liberalism,” they couldn’t; they’d just stutter and mumble.

Not true. They will toss in words like "commies" "socialism" "they are going to take away our liberties (not keeping the 'Patriot Act' in mind, BTW), and other stupid crap that they see on Fox.

Which is pretty much the same as a non-answer.

[raccoon]

19. "They will toss in words like "commies" "socialism" ""

Agree with you on that. I wonder if that's more of a generational thing. When I was a kid (1950's-'60's) the COMMIES were the big bad enemy, like the "TERRORISTS" are these days. For some people, anything they didn't understand or like was "communist."

And of course these people like "socialism" when it applies to THEM.
Such as, it's ok for them to have Medicare but they don't think Americans under 65 deserve something similar.

[Marr]

3. I've asked many Limbots to define "liberal".

They sputter to a stop, and after a few seconds blurt out, "you know- like Michael Moore". I then ask them what liberals specifically want to do, and it's always- *always* something about gays or affirmative action.

I tend to agree with you. Most of these people use the word "liberal" as a euphemism for anyone who doesn't like Rush Limbaugh, straight sex, or Toby Keith. They certainly don't connect liberalism to anything meaningful, like labor laws or a strong middle class. Not at all.

On the up side, if you take the time to explain to them what liberalism really means for working people (ie decent wages, jobs kept within the US, etc.) some of them will actually come around and admit that "that sort of liberal isn't so bad".

[raccoon]

12. You're quite the optimist. Thanks for mentioning that (last

paragraph.)

Welcome to DU!

[newyawker99]

14. Hi Marr!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Cleita]

4. Oh, it's definitely racist and sexist. Jerks like Limbaugh, Coulter

and Hannity specialize in appealing to the prejudices of their audiences (stupid white people, not all white people)with subtle references like that and labeling it with a code word the most common being liberal. So you can be sure liberals are people they don't want in their gated neighborhoods. The only women allowed are Stepford Wives.

[Nikki Stone 1]

5. I think you are absolutely correct

That is why the word is said with so much contempt. The neocon movement relies a lot on the unspoken racism and misogyny of many people.

[loyalsister]

6. That's it

Libralism = special treatment that takes away from the "ruling class."
I agree that they have pulled this thing where they have trcked people into forgetting who the "ruling class" is. Therefore working class white men and some women somehow believe they are part of it.

[bryant69]

7. I think liberalism is a bit bigger than that definition

although that's definately a part of it.

It's amusing to watch Conservatives who have spent decades trying to turn liberalism into a dirty word acting concerned that some punk Democrats dodge the label. But even then they tend to overreach, claiming that no Democrat or Progressive wants to be identified as a liberal.

Well I'm a liberal. And pretty damned comfortable with it.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

8. I know some dittoheads who now admit openly

and proudly that they are racists. They used to keep quiet about it, being your more sophisticated, comfortably-off suburbanites. But in the past few years, after all the brainwashing they've listened to, they feel comfortable to proudly and defiantly proclaim it.

I was so embarrassed when I had to eat with them in a Chinese restaurant last year. They made such ignorant "jokes" and a guy was sitting next to us with his little daughter and they had to hear the disgusting drivel. My husband and I always speak up to them and try to shame them, but they just laugh us off as the crazy liberals.

[raccoon]

9. Gosh, that's discouraging,

"after all the brainwashing they've listened to, they feel comfortable to proudly and defiantly proclaim it."

but certainly believable.

[Yavin4]

11. Bashing Liberalism Started With the Civil Rights Marches And Continued

throughout the 70s, when American dominance of the world's economy since WWII ended. When the economies of nations, like Japan and Germany, that were devastated in WWII got back on their feet, this meant that middle class paying factory jobs for American high school grads disappeared. There was a time when a White male with only a high school education could own a home, own a car, and send his kids to college. However, our economic dominance came to an end when Japanese and German mfg techniques out-classed ours.

The right wing used this economic anxiety among disenfranchised White males to blame liberal social movements of the 60s and 70s for their economic plight. Southern White males were already angry at Liberals because of the Civil Rights movement, and Northern White males turned on liberalism because it was far easier to blame African Americans and women for the job losses.

Thus, welfare queen, affirmative action, feminism, gay rights, etc. all became bundled together as the reason why a White male with only a high school education couldn't get that middle class paying job.

[raccoon]

13. good analysis. nt

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. A lot of it is just mindless repetition of talking points

"I can't vote for Candidate X, because s/he's too liberal," they say, and when you ask them exactly which of that candidate's policies are "too liberal" for them, they often have no idea what that person's platform actually is.

[TahitiNut]

16. Yep. It's anybody who "doesn't know their place!"

Knowing "your place" is a supreme rule of conservatism. :eyes:

[Yavin4]

17. Liberals are the Scapegoats for Massive Economic Disruptions

due to rampant, unregulated, global capitalism. We are to blame for the fact that a high school educated White male can no longer be the sole bread-winner for a middle class family.

[raccoon]

20. Yes, liberals are the scapegoats,

just as the Jews were the scapegoats for Germany's problems.

It's chilling the way so many people, no matter what time or place, can buy into this B.S.

[Dastard Stepchild]

18. Liberal is a euphemism for giving a shit about other people...

Which is why I take it as a supreme compliment when someone calls me one.

:)

[sundog]

21. nice post

it's all about striving for a level of equality for all human beings... and in this country, we are currently not even close...

i love flame wars like the looting issue... it brings the latent & overt racist cockroaches out of the woodwork... that way you can shine light on them & identify them :)