Who's on First
LEONARD PITTS JR.: Can't handle the truth? Just find a version to your liking
February 14, 2006
This article really made me think. I am a liberal. While writing this statement, I wondered what does the word liberal mean according to the dictionary. What does conservative mean?
Liberal
2 a: marked by generosity: openhanded
b: given or provided in a generous and openhanded way
c: ample; full
3 obsolete: lacking moral restraint: licentious
4: not literal or strict: loose
5: broad-minded; especially: not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms
synonyms: broad-minded, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, radical, unconventional, unorthodox
related words: advanced, contemporary, modern; forbearing, indulgent, lenient, permissive, tolerant; extreme; impartial, objective, unbiased
near antonyms: hard, rigid, strict; doctrinal, dogmatic; bigoted, intolerant, narrow-minded; reactionary
antonyms: conservative, conventional, nonprogressive, old-fashioned, orthodox, traditional
Reflection on my interpretation of the word liberal: Open-minded (but only to what I consider like minded liberal ideas); accepting the fact that human beings have the right to determine their own values; people who live in this world will respect other human beings; there are enough resources for all people (if others have resources, it does not mean there is less for me); people have the right to make their own choices; (to be continues as I continue to reflect on this thought).
Conservative:
1: preservative
2 a: of or relating to a philosophy of conservatism
(2): progressive conservative
3 a: tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions: traditional b: marked by moderation or caution
synonyms: old-fashioned, orthodox, reactionary, traditional, unprogressive
related words: conventional; faithful, loyal, steadfast, true-blue
near antonyms: extremist, radical, revolutionary; nonconformist
antonyms: liberal, nonorthodox, nontraditional, progressive, unorthodox
Reflection on my interpretation of the word conservative: Like to keep things static; believe that their way is the only way; closed to new ideas; desire to conserve wealth for themselves; feel comfortable with the status quo.
I realize I am prejudiced against conservatives. When I read the article, Can't handle the truth? Just find a version to your liking, my prejudice became more apparent to me. I have some conservative friends. When they quote Rush Limbaugh to me, I immediately dismiss what they have to say as being biased even though some truth may be weaved into their statements. Yet I listen to Air America Radio, Real Time with Bill Maher, or anyone who has an opinion similar to mine, although I know they favor a "liberal view", I basically give most of what they say extreme credibility.
As Leonard Pitts Jr. states, "Where have you gone, Walter Cronkite?"
"Wherever he went, he apparently took with him the concept that decent people could interpret the same objective, verifiable facts differently and have -- that phrase again -- an honest disagreement about them. Now we have facts created for us according to our politics. Now we have "truth" that belongs in quotation marks.
And the result is predictable, isn't it? We still have plenty of disagreement, but there's nothing honest about it."
February 14, 2006
This article really made me think. I am a liberal. While writing this statement, I wondered what does the word liberal mean according to the dictionary. What does conservative mean?
Liberal
2 a: marked by generosity: openhanded
b: given or provided in a generous and openhanded way
c: ample; full
3 obsolete: lacking moral restraint: licentious
4: not literal or strict: loose
5: broad-minded; especially: not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms
synonyms: broad-minded, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, radical, unconventional, unorthodox
related words: advanced, contemporary, modern; forbearing, indulgent, lenient, permissive, tolerant; extreme; impartial, objective, unbiased
near antonyms: hard, rigid, strict; doctrinal, dogmatic; bigoted, intolerant, narrow-minded; reactionary
antonyms: conservative, conventional, nonprogressive, old-fashioned, orthodox, traditional
Reflection on my interpretation of the word liberal: Open-minded (but only to what I consider like minded liberal ideas); accepting the fact that human beings have the right to determine their own values; people who live in this world will respect other human beings; there are enough resources for all people (if others have resources, it does not mean there is less for me); people have the right to make their own choices; (to be continues as I continue to reflect on this thought).
Conservative:
1: preservative
2 a: of or relating to a philosophy of conservatism
(2): progressive conservative
3 a: tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions: traditional b: marked by moderation or caution
synonyms: old-fashioned, orthodox, reactionary, traditional, unprogressive
related words: conventional; faithful, loyal, steadfast, true-blue
near antonyms: extremist, radical, revolutionary; nonconformist
antonyms: liberal, nonorthodox, nontraditional, progressive, unorthodox
Reflection on my interpretation of the word conservative: Like to keep things static; believe that their way is the only way; closed to new ideas; desire to conserve wealth for themselves; feel comfortable with the status quo.
I realize I am prejudiced against conservatives. When I read the article, Can't handle the truth? Just find a version to your liking, my prejudice became more apparent to me. I have some conservative friends. When they quote Rush Limbaugh to me, I immediately dismiss what they have to say as being biased even though some truth may be weaved into their statements. Yet I listen to Air America Radio, Real Time with Bill Maher, or anyone who has an opinion similar to mine, although I know they favor a "liberal view", I basically give most of what they say extreme credibility.
As Leonard Pitts Jr. states, "Where have you gone, Walter Cronkite?"
"Wherever he went, he apparently took with him the concept that decent people could interpret the same objective, verifiable facts differently and have -- that phrase again -- an honest disagreement about them. Now we have facts created for us according to our politics. Now we have "truth" that belongs in quotation marks.
And the result is predictable, isn't it? We still have plenty of disagreement, but there's nothing honest about it."
This scares me! I realize I am guilty of this too and I don't think that fits in with my definition of a liberal.
Naomi
