by El Zorro Viejo (aka; Jim)

"Everything and anything has been discussed but their record,' said former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of the Democrats, joining a string of Republicans accusing Kerry of trying to obscure a career-long record of liberalism."

This quote comes from an article on the Earthlink news service, but I'm sure that most other news sources have the same quote tucked away someplace. Since FDR's victory in 1932, Republicans have been working to portray "liberals" as people who spend their time devising ways of taxing you and, thus, separating you from your money. They have focused almost exclusively on the transfer payments from the rich to the poor as the sole raison d'etre of the politically liberal.

I think it is about time that we started to contest this image. Liberalism is not about transfer payments. Liberalism is about putting into practice the ideal that "all men are created equal". Now, Coservatives don't like to hear this. They especially don't like for the general populace to hear this. This is because they don't think that "all men are created equal." They think that they are the "natural ruling class" and that the rest of us should be happy toiling in their vinyards. The political right hates the middle class and would be happy to see the return of feudalism as the dominant cultural norm. Feudalism: that's where the elite 10% rules the 75% peasantry and 15% townsfolk (read middleclass).

This is the drum we "liberals" need to start pounding. Am I a liberal? Damn Straight! and I'm Proud of It! I think that all American Citizens (to start with) should have equal dignity and equal access to the playing field. I think that government service should be just that: service. Not a license to get rich or to impose your ideology on the rest of your fellow citizens. I think we should make it a national priority to narrow the gap between the richest 10% and the poorest 10%. Fuck the selfish bastards who want to subrogate the rest of us to their wills. I want to see the rich go from shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations. I wanna see society churn so there is no...repeat no hereditary aristocracy in this country. If I want to see what the aristrocracy is doing, I'll read some Brit tabloid and live vicariously through them. I want to see every kid in this country get a first-class education. I want to see every citizen of this country guaranteed adequate food, shelter, clothing and state-of-the-art medical care. When that happens, then you can start spending on the vacation chalet in Aspen or the 25 foot hole-in-the-water also known as a recreational boat. However, if there is an old lady in this country who has to eat cat food to get by, or who has to choose between rent and medicine, then you don't get to spend on yourself in ways Veblen called "conspicuous consumption".

Yeah, I'm a liberal, and I'm fucking proud of it. And when you go to that mainstream protestant church, or Catholic church, or synagogue, or mosque, or temple or golf course or of yours this coming weekend, just remember that God is a liberal. Read any religion's primary religious book (bible, Koran etc..) and be able to tell me differently.

I happen to be a Christian...at least I would be if I was actually sure there is a God...and one of the things that I abundantly clear is that Jesus was not only a liberal, but a radical one at that. Anyone who professes to follow Christ and is not a raving liberal is surely a hypocrite who will be judged accordingly. God, I am soooo glad that I am not Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson. They are so going to burn in hell...if there is such a place.

Anyhow, ignoring the last two paragraphs, it is time we "liberals" stood up and started to proclaim that this is a good thing and something to which all citizens should aspire. We are the ones who want to make sure that you have the most freedom possible to pursue your happiness. So, let's beat that drum and make being a Conservative something akin to picking your nose and eating it...something that you want to keep hidden deep in some closet.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. ©El Zorro Viejo 2002-2005