Unabashedly Liberal

[sheshe2]

We are castigated by the right as communists, socialists, fascists (gee I think they need a refresher course in world history, don’t you?), amoral, anti-God, anti-business, anti-freedom, and traitorous to the country we all call home. They have demagogued every liberal voice in their time and afterward. Everyone from Abe Lincoln to Susan B. Anthony to Harvey Milk to Martin Luther King to Jimmy Carter and beyond. They ridicule us as fiscally irresponsible, subservient to tyrants and serving their every need at the cost of American Freedom. They were able to further their message of anti-liberalism with the help of Ronnie Reagan and the Bush Boys, and for so long liberals, true liberals, had to deny their left-leaning tendencies so as not to offend the so-called mainstream.

And yet, no matter how hard they fought, no matter how deep they dug their bayonets, liberals continued to win. Even when blood was shed and martyrs martyred, progressives carried on. Slavery was abolished,women were given suffrage, our Constitution was officially amended to prevent institutionalized racism, women were given dominion over their own genitalia, and programs like Social Security and Medicare were created to help those who truly need help the most: the elderly and the destitute.

In his inauguration speech, Barack Obama spoke of American liberty in a way that seems radical to conservatives because true American liberty remains somewhat antithetical to the right-wing philosophy of our time. But for many of us, Obama signaled a return to an era of proud liberals.Much like in previous times in our country’s history, the liberals are driving the boat. The election of 2012 was the Republican Party’s complete abandonment of all hope of navigating our country’s course for quite some time. They still hold a lead in the House, but on issue after issue – the Fiscal Cliff, the Debt Ceiling – they are caving to immense public pressure. The Tea Party shenanigans may play well in the reddest of red states, but the further from the Bible Belt you get, the further the Tea Party extremism you get.

The right side of history is littered with examples of proud liberals staring loud opposition down, remaining relentless, and eventually changing the culture. The right may balk at this, and they often do. Change to conservatives is a very bad thing. But without fundamental changes, how many of our fellow Americans would be disenfranchised or worse? It’s folly to allow conservatives to dissuade us from enacting change, that’s not our mission…that’s not our goal. Being a person of a liberal persuasion is nothing to be ashamed about. Liberalism after all is simply the pursuit of liberty and equality.

Snip///

Of course President Obama will not be able to achieve every single goal he spoke to in his inaugural address on Monday. But at least he spoke out loud to the causes and issues that liberals most care about. Marriage equality and climate change had never been so clearly and explicitly mentioned, and the list just goes on from there. As we get to know our 44th president, we’ve come to realize he’s a liberally-minded man who governs from the center. Which causes anger and ire from both sides, one of which believes every move he makes is a cold and calculated grab for power, and the other that every move he makes doesn’t do enough. All of this means he’s doing everything completely right, of course.

- See more at: http://www.politicalgarbagechute.com/unabashedly-liberal/#sthash.6GqlKNSi.yfIh5CsS.dpuf

[shenmue]

1. Me too! :)