An Open Letter To Republicans: Why Is "Liberal" Such A Dirty Word?

Wherever I go these days, be it on a street corner, in a bar, an airport, social media, a party, even a holiday gathering, I’m always confounded by the fact that conservatives seem to have as much, if not more, disdain for us liberals than we do for them. And I’m not sure why, considering most of the issues they stand for these days seem to be at the expense of someone else. Not every conservative is like this, mind you. I’ve met a few Republicans in my time who actually yearn for the days of Reagan, when being a conservative simply meant you were still human, you just wanted lower taxes.

Over the past decade, the divide seems to be getting wider, and, for all intents and purposes, it appears to come down to one simple principle: Those who support equality, and those who don’t.

So many of us, my friends included, seem to suddenly be willing to look the other way when it comes to the persecution or exclusion of others in exchange for financial benefit. Is that who we really are now? Is the bar that low? If so, that is a scary thought.

What is it about Liberals that scares you so? Is it that you think, if allowed, we’re going to reboot Hands Across America, Version 2.0, and seek to establish a communist/socialist regime of patchouli-wearing, VW Bus-driving, airheads singing Kumbaya all the way back to Woodstock? FYI, a good number of us can’t stand Phish, The Dead, Leftover Salmon, or any of those jam bands. We love expensive cars and money, as much as you. We just don’t believe in making it at the expense of someone else. And, as Jamie Lee Curtis so eloquently put it in A Fish Called Wanda, “The central message of buddhism is not ‘Every Man For Himself.’”

And, now that I have you here, why is it, every time I see a conservative news show, read a conservative blog, or hear one on the radio, it always has “America” in the title? i.e. “Conservatives For a Better America,” “Americans For A Better America”, etc. etc. Seems to me, if you’re against the basic principles this country was founded on - e.g. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness - then you’re actually against America, not for it, so you may want to think about retooling that title. Thus, every time you say “I hate Liberals,” you’re really saying, “I hate Americans.” Perhaps if you can show us where in the Declaration of Independence it says, “All men are created equal. Unless, they’re different from us. Then, fuck ‘em”, we would be more receptive to understanding your views. Until then...

And, what’s with the use of the word “Progressive” to describe your ideology? A bit hypocritical, dontcha think? After all, if given the chance, a majority of you would no doubt revert back to the good ole days of the Jim Crow Laws and push for the death penalty in cases of gay marriage and/or abortion. Is that progressive? More like regressive, if you ask me.

In closing, what we Liberals stand for is what America stands for: Equality for all, no matter your race, sex, creed, or color. Prosperity for all, no matter your race, sex, creed, or color. And happiness for all, no matter your race, sex, creed, or color. So, if that’s not what you stand for, next time you’re ready to curse us Liberals for being “too Liberal,” keep in mind, you’re simply saying we’re too American. And we’re just fine with that.