When did "liberal" become a dirty word in a supposedly free country?
362171
It happened around the Ronald Regan presidency when the Christian extremists needed to make an enemy so they could cram their  views done our throats.
972609
I grew up in the US, I now live in South Korea...believe me, the media here doesn't try to block liberal views as the US does.  Congress is not passing laws that allow for taking away of some freedoms (i.e. patriot act) that is being done here in the US.  It's funny people that never traveled talk all this smack about how only the US is the only free nation in the world.  Lot of places I have gone to is free.  Don't believe the US media hype machine that makes it sound like only the US is the only free nation in the world.
821277
Liberals-----Brains??   now there is an oxymoron
1125647
I am sure the dictionary will give a much politer version than mine.   My definition of a liberal is a f'n idiot.    And here are some characteristics of the common, everyday, generic libby:\n\n1.  Hates America\n2.  Criticizes Bush, but offers no plan or better ideas\n3.  Some are Socialist, while others are Communists disguised as Democrats.\n4.  Believe in high taxes, and big government\n5.  Socialized medicine\n6.  Support over regulation \n7.  Pro abortion\n8   Anti Semetic\n9.  Against war so much they would offer no defense to our nation. Period.\n10. Claim to be "tolerant" but are only tolerant to those that agree with them\n11. Pro gay rights/marraige\n12.  Atheist\n\nThere are more,  but thats enough for now.
244599
This question can be answered with one word: Power.\n\nPolitical correctness has become no less than speech control and even thought control in today's society. We're opening the doors to the new thought police under the guise of not offending anyone. It's a way of spreading (generally far left wing) political ideas through simple modifications of words and phrases. For example, it's no longer PC to say "illegal immigrant." The term is now "migrant worker" for someone who *broke the law* to enter this country. Yet, somehow, the word "illegal" doesn't fly to describe these people. Go figure. It's easy to twist "not offending anyone" into pushing an agenda.\n\n(By the way, before you accuse me of being a radical right winger, I'm a free thinking liberal pagan from Berkeley, California. I simply believe in freedom.)
750822
the liberal version is sex,drugs,ruck and roll, and bush bashing.
1114985
Hogwash.\n\nSlavery, Racism, Jim Crow, Lynchings were the invention of the liberal media.\n\nJust ask Tex, the Klan, and any other Republican.
1137946
I think they're just playing around with the words. There is no such thing as "radio free" candy. The term "radio free" was started when the U.S. began a broadcasting system to Europe in the 50s called "Radio Free Europe" to promote the U.S. way of life and "democratic" values. It was meant to get Europeans to embrace the American way of life and demand change across the continent. It was supposed to give them a taste of what being "free" is all about. The term "Radio Free..." has been used for a bunch of things, mostly as a parody of Radio Free Europe
1026341
Log on to http://politicalcompass.jpagel.net/\n\nLiberal has many definitions, just ask Merriam-Webster. But the answer you are looking for is "left-winger" or "socialist".\n\nOn the economic scale, liberals prefer government authority to intervene and engineer the economy, to take private property through taxation and the rights of the individual through regulation, in order to create a more "fair" society. This means if I own a business, and you own nothing, you are somehow entitled to the money I earn.\n\nOn the social scale, liberals prefer less government authority, in other words, they wish to legalize all behavior which is considered to be immoral and is currently illegal. (such as the use of hard drugs, all forms of gambling, all forms of sexual perversion). On the one hand, they like government intervention when it suits thier pocketbook, but they dislike it when the government restricts thier addictive behaviors.\n\nThese definitions may seem to have a conservative bias to them. However, we are only speaking in generalities. There are "liberal" groups which I support, such as People for the ethical treatment of animals (PETA), and non-biased environmentalist groups. I also do not support government regulation of our freedom of speech.\n\nSome would consider the so-called right to be liberal, because conservatives are in favor of the free market, or laizee-faire (sp?) capitalism. They support the right to own private property and engage in private business. Privacy is a very liberal concept, whereas statism (public regulation) is a very communist (authoritarian) concept.\n\nAnd while most conservatives frown on many different kinds of immoral behavior, we all support the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair and speedy trial, the right to an attorney, the right to appeal, the right to a jury of your peers, and all other constitutional rights, which makes us the most progressive people on the planet, unless you consider child pornography or drug abuse "progress" or "enlightened".\n\nThat might help you understand the difference between left-wing authoritarianism and liberalism, as well as the difference between the so-called left and the so-called right.\n\nLiberals, before you attack me, go to the link provided above, and fill out the simple questionaire. On the political spectrum, I am an absolute centrist, not left-winger or a right-winger, nor am I an authoritarian nor a libertarian. Therefore I am neither extremist nor biased.\n\nThere is no such thing as a simple dichotomy between liberals and conservatives. The fact is, the definitions overlap all too frequently to declare one to be completely opposed to the other.\nThere is more to politics than "Democrat good, Republican bad".\n\nIf you are a moderate you support neither extreme liberalism nor extreme communism (they are directly opposed, one supports total freedom, the other total government), which would make you a conservative, which definiton means "moderate" or "rational". I would define conservatism as centrism and objectivism (look it up).\n\nThis does not mean all people who are labeled "conservative" are moderate or rational. There are plenty of theocrats out there who believe that thier view of God and only thier view should be law. There are plenty of "conservatives" who are actually libertarians who want to legalize and deregulate everything, which would be both a disaster for the environment, and for our moral standards.\n\nFootnote:\nIf all you can do is attack me for my opinion, then you are not a liberal, because liberals are supposed to be open-minded and tolerant people. Why so much hatred, then? I don't hate liberals. I just disagree with political extremism on the left and the right.
885797
sure!! a liberal is someone like Abraham Lincoln and JFK and his brother and mlk and Gandhi and john Lennon and the people that assassinated them are all racist conservatives! and assassination is the only way they 'win' arguments! [oh and by the way the greatest liberal is Jesus Christ.... yeah that's right .... prove me wrong!]
27094
liberals protect freedom (liberty)\n\nconservatives protect property (conservation)\n\ngenerally speaking... the terms were coined in the French revolution of 1789.  \n\ngenerally higher educated people vote Left, and the more rich people vote Right.\n\nBut they're both part of the same problem.
52233
In America being a liberal means you think people should have a lot of personal freedoms (abortion, free speech, unions) and that the economy should be closely monitored and modified by the government.\n\nConservatives think that people's freedoms should be more closely monitored and controlled and that the economy should be free from government interference.\n\nNow, this is just what the trend is GENERALLY nowadays, because really the ideals change as time goes on for both types.
1109686
Hell no!\n\nNo one has and that was just ONE of the discovered accounts of pure liberalism in the media.  Everyone disbelieves the left-wing controls the media but when an incident occurs, it's quickly covered up by the body count in Iraq.\n\nAll thanks to the liberals in this country, first we can't get an accurate account of the good things in Iraq then when they are caught doing something wrong and dishonest, they will quickly change the topic on air.
1117284
I understand your point.  I think it has to do with the fact that people are intensely stuck into categorizing. If a person considers him or herself to be liberal. They will normally take a harsh view on a conservative question that is not asked in a meaningful way. Or the other way, if a liberal question starts off with "why did bush kill our soldiers?" you will get an angry response from the right. That is why I asked the question that you answered. We have always been a society of labels. As far back as this countries founding there were labels on people for their political views or origin. Today it just takes an ever so hateful view and ignorance.
469949
b.... is not a dirty word when used in this context.  We as a society have changed to conotation and use it in a derogatory manner.
1167901
First of all it's "reel off" not "real off" \n\nThe reason liberals go off subject or resort to name calling is because they cannot win an argument with facts. Also most liberals are seething with hatred and have lost the ability to debate altogether.\n\nAs you can see, the responses above are excellent examples of my point.
339603
Nope, last time I checked this is a free country.