I get pretty tired of seeing conservative types across the internet badmouthing “liberals.” Not that I would ever tell them not to do it — that wouldn’t be very liberal of me. The real problem here is that the Democratic Party of the United States has co-opted the term liberal to mean, well, basically whatever they want. Anything but what it actually means, that is.

The definition of “liberal”

Here are some definitions from around the web (I’m only including those that relate to politics).

From dictionary.com:

favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism, especially the freedom of the individual and governmental guarantees of individual rights and liberties. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties. favoring or permitting freedom of action, especially with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: of or relating to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.

From the Oxford Dictionary:

Willing to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one’s own; open to new ideas Favourable to or respectful of individual rights and freedoms (In a political context) favouring individual liberty, free trade, and moderate political and social reform

From Webster:

Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion; not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the constitution or administration of government; having tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party. One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig.

From Merriam-Webster:

not bound by traditional ways or beliefs

From Wordnik:

Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.

I could go on.

None of those definitions says “freedom to kill others,” or “freedom to incite violence.” Almost unanimously, every definition you will find for liberal revolves around an individual’s rights and freedoms — in other words, it’s the opposite of authoritarian.

Now I don’t know about you, but it sounds to me like if someone says “don’t say that word,” or “don’t act that way,” or “don’t think that thought,” or if they’re willing to use violence up to and including murder to enforce their beliefs, then that person is not very liberal in any meaningful sense of the word. Sound like anyone you know (or maybe that you’ve seen in the news or on YouTube recently)?