Reasons to be happy to be a liberal

[LiberteToujours]

Here is my reason. Every day must be a new disappointment for a conservative. To them, the world has just been getting worse and worse since the beginning of time. Any time they let up for even a second, society goes and leaves them behind again. It's the natural tendency of society to progress. To conservatives, most of the history of humanity has been a disappointment with a few good moments. To us, the progress of humanity has been a beautiful thing, and we've had a few setbacks along the way, but we know that in the long term we will continue to win because it is what is natural. Of course, conservatives eventually catch up; you won't find many advocating slavery anymore. But to each current generation of conservatives, the current state of the world is always going down the toilet.

Why are you happy to be a liberal?

[Sandpiper]

1. Pretty much for the same reason as you

I'm happy to be on the team that's been on the right side of every social issue in history.

[drhilarius]

2. This is why I think the Catholic Church is really pulling for Bush.

Let it be known I'm not some random Catholic basher- I went to parochial school for 12 years then abandoned that foul institution. The Church feels this is the first time in Decades, perhaps centuries, to stick it to the groups that have pushed it closer and closer to irrelevance- Gays, Women, and, most of all, scientists. They see this as their one chance to take us back into the dark ages, when women knew their place and God was the explanation for every phenomenon we couldn't understand.

[WildEyedLiberal]

3. I think the fundies are a much bigger example of this than the Catholics

I am actually a recent Catholic convert, and while I have been disgusted at actions by the Church in the past few years (the sex abuse scandal, the denying communion to Kerry scandal), I do think that there is a significant place for social liberalism within Catholicism, which is what drew me to the Church. Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, Thomas Merton - Catholics who truly appreciated the meaning of Jesus' ultimate commandment to "love your neighbor." I agree that fundies of every stripe - Catholic, Protestant, or other - are vile and repugnant and want to take the world back to the stone ages.

I am glad to be a liberal because I am tolerant of others' ideas, opinions, beliefs, and lifestyles. To each his own. I am proud ot be a liberal because I believe it is every person's duty in life to give something back to the world. I am proud to be a liberal because I believe in standing up for what is right and good, regardless of the consequences.

So every time a freeper calls me a "librul," I take it as a supreme compliment.

[drhilarius]

6. I agree to an extent...

I just find the level of involvement this year to be disgusting. There are bishops, priests, using the pulpits to tell Catholics they are going to hell if they vote for Kerry. I think most people dismiss the fundies as a fringe group, particularly when they can witness their craziness firsthand, but the Catholic church has years of tradition, and that grants them a certain degree of authority. Furthermore, the church is definitely more liberal than other institutions, which is why this recent fundamentalist turn is very disheartening.
But, then again, I'm a recent apostate, so my post may have been nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction. I apologize if I offended you.

[WildEyedLiberal]

7. No offense taken, friend

And I completely agree with your reponse. I joined the church in early 2002, and I can't remember if that's when the sex abuse crap was starting to hit the fan, or if it was after that - but the political involvment of the bishops this year has been revolting. To treat John Kerry, who, from what I know of him, is a "good Catholic," as a heretic because of ONE of his political stances is beyond the pale. I am so disappointed in what the Church is doing. And you're right in that, because it is a more legitimate entity, the Church's word carries more weight than that of the fringe fundies. Why aren't they full-scale condemning the war, like the Pope did? It is incredibly frustrating, to say the least.

Fortunately, most rank-and-file Catholics don't fall for that type of shit. Those who are Republicans because of abortion were going to vote for Bush before the bishops opened their yaps. And those who are liberal-leaning or moderate don't really take their political cues from the bishops. That's one thing I've noticed about average Catholics; generally speaking, we tend to be a lot less cultish in the sense that we slavishly adhere to dogma or to the pronouncements of a church leader than the fundies. I mean, I know one Catholic who thinks birth control is a sin. So, as far as actual impact on the election, I think it will be negligible at best. But I 100% agree with you that it's crap, and I can see why you would want to dissociate yourself from it.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

10. Thank god for that

Thank god for that "less cultist" part. I hope you are right. I was forced into catholicism as a baby, and shed it as fast as I could as an adult, so, I am out of touch with how Catholics view politics. But they should pay taxes. Yes, they should. They do nothing to earn their money, and they play politics with it and horde it at the vatican instead of giving it to the poor. For people who swore an oath of poverty, they sure seem to live well, especially the elite catholic clergy. What I always wondered is why any single human thought they were more in communication with god than the rest of us? Why do Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses knock on my door? Did they think there was a "great truth" they noticed but I was too dumb to pick up on? Why do catholics confess to a priest? Exsqueeze me, but when I want a conversation with god, I do not require a middleman or interpreter, for I am as beloved of god as the next human. I am shocked at what a public issue religion has become. We shouldn't even know what the religions of the candidates are, it is not public business, and should not be of public interest. Remember secular government? I hopefully anticipate a day when voters will utilize logic over prejudice. I am hoping people will keep their religions off of me. I don't mind if people have religions, I just want them kept off of me. Please. And thanks. Hey guys, speaking of cults, try a google search for "Rev Moon Emporer of the Universe". The propaganda machine is keeping this quiet, but Moon, who of course is close friends with the Bush family, actually recently had himself crowned "Emporer of the Universe" in Washington. Yep, hard to believe, but true. The crown was placed on his head by two US Congressmen. Moon's cult has tax free status too. That has got to stop.

[Sugarbleus]

4. Wow, I totally agree. Thanks for being candid

The "Church" is becoming ..well um...less helpful. It's stuck in the past and it's lost it's "salt". They know we know that and that's what's making them foam at the mouth.

I'm not a catholic, but the same holds true for most all organized religions; I've come from the protestant fundie/evangelical sect. I'm done with that system also.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

9. Hey! I am a parochial school grad too!

Nobody has more right to bash catholicism than parochial school grads...yes, it's true, we will never forget what the nuns taught us when they hit us with that ruler, nun of this, nun of that, when they damned us to hell, when they told us we were born evil, that we sinned daily even if we didn't, and generally took out all their unspent pent up aggressions of every kind upon us. But you have to admit, those frustrated, downtrodden, oppressed, mean old broads sure could teach school. Every school board in the country should take a hint from their requirement of our endless repetition of lessons. Why are churches tax exempt again? I mean, if they are gonna play politics, shouldn't they pay taxes while they are at it?

[Skittles]

5. we are not stupid, ignorant assholes

no INDEED

[Is It Fascism Yet]

8. Bravo!

Bravo! I agree completely! My fav reason to be happy to be a liberal is because "liberal" comes from the word "liberty" and thats what it means to me, one who favors civil liberties over corporate greed! Let the neocons give up their liberties, I will keep mine!

[VOX]

11. Happy to be a liberal because **fear** doesn't drive my thinking...

Make no mistake, I do fear what's being done to this country by the right wing, and something's gotta be done about that.

But I don't choose to live my life in a perpetual state of fear -- fear that someone's getting a better deal somewhere, or fear that an angry God will be punishing me, or fear that the poor are taking my hard-earned money, or that terrorists will suddenly take over some rural town.

I don't need Rush or Hannity or Faux, etc. to play on my fears and to tell me what to think.

I thank God that I'm not wearing the millstone of fear, anger and frustration that so typifies the average right-winger.

[Is It Fascism Yet]

12. great reason

great reason! and great kerry edwards photo! Never saw that one before, it's inspiring, there IS hope!

[enigma-e]

14. You forgot ...

I thank God that I'm not wearing the millstone of fear, anger and frustration that so typifies the average right-winger.

Don't forget hate. Pure and bitter hate. Makes you wonder how those folks get around w/o growing an ulcer in no time...

[newyawker99]

24. Hi enigma-e!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Lexingtonian]

13. because it's more real

The world is the world, mud and stars and much heartbreak, and it is unredeemed.

To be a liberal it helps to have seen death up close and been able to let it go, let it be. Life is to be lived, demands to be creative, or at least productive.

To be a liberal means you have at some time truly, fully, deeply, been in love and been unable to forget all that it taught. Which is that in order to be truly alive that you have to let other people be free, have to help them grow as only they alone know they must, and come to appreciate most what they give freely in return. Find their creativity a source of joy and a source of hope. Feel that whatever bit of things we get done, in some way it serves the end of liberation, of redemption, of human life.

[drhilarius]

16. Well said! Completely agree...

You touch on something that interests me.

Fundamentalists, and even non-fundie neo-conservatives who have "christian values", believe in a a god who will reward them for a good life in a boundless, joyful heaven, which contains a happiness we could not find on earth. And yet they are terrified of death, even though that death, according to their own theology, will bring them closer to their god. They, of course, know this isn't true, so they give up some liberty, some life, to protect themselves for the death they fear.

Accepting that i will one day day was probably the first step i took toward becoming a liberal. It taught me to enjoy this life as fully as i can, because there are no second chances above. Since i only have this life, this earth, to enjoy, I do everything i can to make it more enjoyable for everyone.

[Lexingtonian]

17. very true.

I've wondered about the same thing. I suspect they don't actually trust that Heaven is a particularly good place for them and the Love of God is something they have probably never felt quite sure of. Not because He can't or doesn't give it, it's more that they are ashamed of themselves falling so short at it, maybe feeling unable to respond to something so...alien to them now. It might explain their wierd guilt trips. And for all their Creationist leanings or beliefs, the part of Genesis they evidently reject is God's verdict over the world so created: 'It was (is) good.'

Strictly speaking I don't know whether there are or aren't second chances. But people who have lived life to fulfillment of what they truly sought don't need any and don't seem to worry too much about the answers to such questions. Maybe that's the best to answer to live.

[Vickers]

15. Beacuse in order to believe their bullshit I'd have to take my Ka-Bar

knife, show it in to my eye and gouge out most of my brain, and frankly, I'm not prepared to do that.

[annabanana]

18. I'm happy because I can sleep at night.......

not burdened with the horrors of what this administration has visited on the world!

[Skidmore]

19. Liberals have learned that there is nothing as free or as powerful

as the human mind. Regardless of the constraints on thought, so much of what we label as freedom now has been kept alive throughout history by those who remembered and learned from the past. You can take away all my physical freedom and stifle my ability to speak, but you cannot take away my thoughts and my ability to learn how find new avenues to express myself and to impact the world. I love it that liberals respect this powerful aspect of being human and choose to foster it.

[LiberalPersona]

20. I'm simply happy to have a mind

that's free from foreign persuasion, and to be capable of understanding what the consequences are of my actions. To be able to see how versatility in life should be allowed to flourish, not to be forced to obey the will of the majority or the masters.

[flobee1kenobi]

21. I'm happy to be a liberal

simply because I "get it"
I understand that the USA is not the only country on the planet
I understand that to live the american dream sometimes requires others help
I understand that peace comes not from eliminating opposing views, but embracing them.
I understand that if the US as a whole is doing well,I as an individual, will do well. And it takes everyones contribution to make it happen.

Garrison Keillor said it best-The Republican party has become the"Screw you"party
The fact that I, and others on this board, realize these things, gives me hope that the situation will eventually get better.

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

22. Because I always want to feel appreciative and grateful for everything

I never want to have a sense of entitlement or get that "I got mine" attitude.

My work requires me to read about what goes on in less fortunate parts of the world. I know how lucky I am to have food, shelter and so on compared to many, many people. What I have comes from working for it, but also from getting a public education, my dad being able to go to college on the G.I Bill, and lots of other liberal policies. It comes from people sacrificing their lives to defend Democracy and fighting for women's and civil rights and worker's rights.

Our generation has been given so much by other people, so we ought to pass that on.

[flobee1kenobi]

23. EXACTLY^^^^

Once "I get mine" I have the ability to help someone else "get theirs"
Its called progress and republicans "just don't get it"