Last Post On Meaning of Liberal (Part 3 of a series)

Okay, so I'm closing this series of posts on the topic of language, media and the meaning of 'liberal' -- and, by extension, 'conservative.' This subject needs to come to a point where I can leave it for a good...long...time. Aaah, now let the headiness commence.

First, on language, media, political implications of the 'liberal' meme, political implications of the 'conservative' meme, blah blah blah. Mainstream Media (MSM) types like Blitzer, Hume (I know, why do so many millions watch FoxNews and call it legitimate NEWS???), Stephanopoulos, Russert and Couric; and right-wing media (RWM)types like Hannity, O'Reilly (ick - FoxNews again), Drudge, Coulter and Malkin form a sort of critical mass in the collective (un-?)consciousness, and all misuse the term 'liberal' to describe the political left, both noun (person) and adjective (quality of political philosophy); and 'conservative' to describe same on the political right. Okay. Please don't be pissed off at how mechanical this sounds, I have Asperger's Syndrome and tend towards the literal at times, bear with me. Still, I have a problem getting branded a 'liberal' as something derogatory, this pisses me off. It has (maybe not so much now, with Pelosi et. al. flexing some muscle) become a linguistic sword of Damocles coming down too often on politicians of the lefty sort (Democrats). And, for too long, same politicians have run away from the 'liberal' brand and looked ridiculous, and ended up losing elections anyway. At the same time, 'conservative' is looked upon positively, more distinguished, serious, mature, polite, statesman-like, whatever: 'He's a true conservative on this issue, therefore he is the serious candidate, someone you can trust...She is JUST TOO LIBERAL on that issue, she can't be trusted.' That sort of thing, what you hear over and over again come election time.

Let me try to end this somehow by asking...How? How did this come to be? And Why? Why are politicians running away from the L-word? Was it the Sixties? Is it just out of expedience? I suppose, in the end, as some have pointed out to me -- who the fuck cares? Words are things that can mean one thing to one person at one moment, and something else to someone else in the next, and on and on. We do our best to communicate with whomever it is we need to communicate. And we choose certain words we feel will resonate the most with the group to whom we are communicating. I'd like to hear one of the Democratic candidates (it is almost axiomatic it will not happen on the Re-thug-lican side), when asked during a primary debate -- as happened to John Kerry -- if he or she considers himself or herself a liberal, to just say, yeah, what's it to ya, 95% percent of Americans are, and this is why... That would be great. That's all. Just fucking do it, stop hemming and hawing, and be truthful. One could counter with something like, 'Oh, you mean providing armor for the troops in Iraq, making sure they are well-rested and that new troops are well-trained before sending them over -- is that what YOU would call liberal? Because I would.'

And so would I.

End scene and...fade to black.