How come the people who attack Liberals know the LEAST about liberals?

Question

Do they intentionally lie or are they ignorant of Liberalism?

Answer 1

I think the trouble starts for the people who attack liberals in knowing the least about life (economics, science, sociology, law). They consequently don't understand how liberals view the world, how it works, and how liberty and justice for all can be achieved within our natural constraints.

Answer 2

Actually the definition of Liberalism has changed in the last 50 years.

Classical Liberalism is what many would consider Conservatism Today.

Modern or Neo-Liberalism is much closer to the Socialist Idea.



The key is to look at the how each group wants the Government to be run, and run society.



Neo-Liberals want more Government Regulation of Commerce. More Government Aid to go to the people. Redistribution of wealth. "Tax the Rich." Government Mandated Redefinition of Society.



Classical Liberals do not want more government control over society. They believe that the people themselves are a better catalyst for Societal Improvement than Government.



I am not saying that either is wrong, but it is a difference in world view.



I would consider myself a Classical Liberal, however not entirely. Many of my views correspond to those of many of the founding fathers, if one were to read their writings, particularly Thomas Paine.

Answer 3

They are just more comfortable parrotting what they hear on Faux Snooze (Fox News). Since Liberals are traditionally the people who have open minds, and will actually research the things they are interested in, I am not surprised that the "anti-Liberals" just say the same old things about us that they have "learned" from hate-mongers, and NOT anything they have taken the time to study themselves.



I use the term "anti-Liberals" and not "Conservatives" because I have actually read intelligent remarks made by Conservatives. And, while I usually disagree with them, they can actually back up some of their statements with facts, and will allow for argument and differences of opinion. These are people that one can, at least, have discussions with! The "anti-Liberals" who generally post comments on Y!A are people who have no thoughts of their own, and no basis for their statements other than things they have heard from the fools on talk radio who make millions by stirring up so-called controversy. They like things the "way they are", and are terrified of any sort of change. They never seem to consider that "change" could bring benefits.





edit: I must disagree with the asker on one thing, though. Liberalism CAN have something to do with taxes---it depends on what sort of Liberal one claims to be. There are social Liberals, and there are fiscal Liberals, and there are various and sundry combinations.



But I totally agree that most of the bashers of "liberals" on Y!A have little or no idea of what "liberal" means, and I KNOW they have no idea of what I believe in!!!

Answer 4

I was raised in a middle class home, Dad belonged to the union and they fought for fair wages skilled labor. Mom was a Catholic that gave up her church and Dad was a Protestant...they allowed me to choose and I looked at both deciding my own faith not based on any man's opinion of it. I traveled and worked many different places. I have had to adapt to different areas and people, the worst to adapt to is a closed society in a small, red neck town....they are fearful of outsiders and anything they don't recognize, even if you know a person there for years you will always be an outsider. Liberals are not the people you see burning flags or parading in gay marches...a Liberal is simply someone who cannot abide with intolerance and cannot allow himself to determine what others do with their lives as long as what they do doesn't hurt others....that the problem with Conservatives they need to determine what is good for others in ways that do not hurt others, like religious views for example....I've seen so many answerers say that since another persons religious actions insult them, they should be prevented from doing so....How can you make another person believe in your god and how can you make them believe in your little red neck town without opening up and letting others in.....it's all about intolerance of others....I can hear a Conservative thiinking about what I'm saying (if he even got this far) that I am intolerant...yes I am...I am intolerant of intolerance.

Answer 5

because of fact it proves that abstinence is the message of Hypocrites and Ignoramuses. inspite of the reality that I trust religious conservatives who choose to undertaking the youngsters to postpone sexual intercourse for a at the same time as, I completely disagree with their message that a condom is a provision for sin. I deliver my Christian acquaintances to the internet website decrease than which debunks the whole ingredient against premarital intercourse interior the Bible. That way they have no excuse to no longer help complete intercourse education.

Answer 6

Well to their credit I don't believe they are lying. What their problem is they get all of their knowledge from pundits who use nothing but exaggerations, hand selected information, and straw man arguments which they repeat ad nauseum until their listeners can think of nothing else. Case in point, one of the answerers directly quoted Ann Coulter. It's to the point where if anyone in the 'Politics' section uses anything but Fox or a conservative blogger as a source they are instantly eliminated from consideration due to 'liberal bias'. You might even be able to say they are brainwashed. I still have an impossible time trying to figure out how these people can get all of their information from one place and claim that it is law, and yet when liberals listen to multiple news sources and make judgments from that it is illegitimate.

Answer 7

People usually do not understand what they attack. Its no different when the people on here attack conservatives they have no idea what we actually stand for. And whats worse is that the people who use these boards to attack each other have no desire to know anything about what they are attacking and its true on both sides.



example= libtards are socialists

example= neocons are all gay

Answer 8

The word liberal has been demonized as baby killer and some sort of pro-islamoterrorist.



I get into yahoo answers fights daily it seems saying "I love my 4 year old son and I'm pro choice why are pro life people saying I hate babies?"



To which the reply from someone rational is "you've been lied to into thinking abortion helps mothers"



so, the propoganda war has targeted the word liberal, its the rush machine

Answer 9

First poster, if you think American Liberalism is Socialism, your pretty damn wrong. Compared to European liberalism, its so wishy-washy and just..not liberal.



Honestly people, terminologies, learn them!

Answer 10

I think you’re missing the basic point of the attacks. Their purpose is just to blindly attack liberals and knowing anything about liberalism is not necessary for that purpose. Some attackers are knowledgeable and just intentionally lie, as you see from many of the posts on Yahoo Answers, but knowledge is irrelevant to their ideological venom.

Answer 11

liberal= democrat, democrat equals= liberal morals, liberal morals= being soft on our enemy because they think they can rationalize with crude backward violent thugs.Patron saint of liberals...Neville chamberlain, you liberal pukes will be the cause of the decline of western civilization, you have no idea how dark and cruel many parts of the world are especially in the mid east, Afghanistan etc, they will feast on you weak anti war liberals and overrun us in the distant future. the meek shall not inherit the world, you libs have all the criticism and no solutions...sitting on your fat over educated *** pontificating to us, God bless president bush and our troops.

Answer 12

The same term many use for conservatives can efficiently be used for the liberals of today.

neolib

Answer 13

Sometimes people over react when they feel threatened. Other times, they just don't care that they display their ignorance for everyone to see.

Answer 14

Don't blame individual hatchlings. I prefer to think of them as victims of the void that is the one mind of all hatchling.

Answer 15

It's called M-O-B-O-C-R-A-C-Y.



this is exactly why Plato did not choose democracy as his ideal form of government. He feared that the city-state would be taken over by its most stupid citizens.



Right now, we have a KAKISTOCRACY, which is "government by the worst citizens".



With a few more Karl Roves and Rush Limbaughs to beat the mob into a froth of irrational hatred, we could move to mobocracy soon enough.



Too bad, America once held great promise as a nation to lead the world. Now it seems to be governed by greedheads who are supported by a raging mob of people who don't have a clue what's going on in the world.



Once our middle class is finally annihilated, we'll be one great big Banana Republic, with a corrupted ruling class, a second level of a small number of very rich people supporting the corrupted leaders, and after that a huge mob of ignorant peasants.

Answer 16

For example? Oh, I see, another whine from a Liberal.



ADDED: Asker, you need to study the terms fiscal and social. With Liberalism, there is much interplay. You cannot implement your social plans without fiscal ones.

Answer 17

i would say it is because of the people who are the face of liberals. moveon,dailykos,media matters, elf,alf,san francisco,and the code pinks of the world are the liberals spokespeople. i do not hear alot of libs criticising these groups so most people can only assume they are you and vice-versa. just like most think limbaugh and hannitty are the reps mouthpiece. funny but ignorance perpetuates the problem.

Answer 18

I lived in DC for 30 years Its crawling with liberals, its sickining, Educated in public schools run by liberals,my job is full of liberals and socialists. I know Liberals, plus most of my girlfriends have been libs( libs are not pruds but,nasty little sluts, a good thing) So I know libs.

Answer 19

Liberalism is a sin. Move to Denmark and leave the intelligent people alone

Answer 20

I as a conservative attack liberals all the time. I know exactly how they work. I do not pay attention to what they say, but what they do. I expose liberals for the socialists they are. So I guess I know the least because I do not believe what they want me to.

Answer 21

I grew up under socialism and Chairman Mao.

I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area and Berkeley for two years. I also lived in LA where my brother-in-law is a popular entertainer and met many people that are in "the industry (Hollywood). I've been surrounded by Liberals and lefties of every stripe for all my life.

And I've come to one conclusion.

These people are so stupid, if they had any brains they'd be Republicans!

Answer 22

They need a scapegoat to hide their presidents failed policies.

Answer 23

Because we want to distance ourselves from the far left sect of crazy liberals. I know they're crazy, so I don't care to know anything about them. You may not be on the far left side so don't get insulted. The far left attack the President in so many nasty ways, violent verbiage, wanting him dead...it's pathetic & way over the top.

Answer 24

I don't know that I would agree with your premise. It seems to me that the the people who support liberals know the least about liberalism.

Answer 25

Okay, you tell us, Sunshine. What is a liberal?

Answer 26

It can work both ways.

Answer 27

I disagree.



Many people who criticize Liberals used to be Liberals.



I am in that category.



I don't hate them.



I just enjoy a good debate.

Answer 28

the people today that call themselves liberals know the least about it.



If they had any brains they would realize they are socialists



Once again the people that call themselves liberals today are socialists.



Its true liberalism and socialism are two different things.



Perhaps you need hooked on phonics so you learn to read.

Answer 29

I don't generally "attack" liberals but I live in the middle of one of the few Blue counties in the country and know them well. I feel well versed in their opinions and certainly feel I can address them....