Calling all Conservatives...

Lash wrote:

If I HAD to pick one, it would be Oprah Winfrey...

Good observation and a good choice.

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<well, thank you>

<smiles at gunga>

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You folks are being very helpful. Thanks again kindly. (Nice to see Tom Joad, lash).

Any other figures, from your history or from the arts that seem particularly heroic? Though my twin and I grew up in Canada, our fondest wish at about 10 was the coonskin cap.

And how about the movie and tv world? I always thought some actors/roles seemed particular representative of american values.

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I forgot one of the defining Americans of the modern era...

His story is one that could ONLY happen in a country that offers the limitless opportunity that ours does.

He came to America, a penniless Austrian bodybuilder.

He got involved in the movie business, became one of the richest and well loved actors in Hollywood.

He he worked for and became of of the most famous Republicans in California and was a well loved friend of President Reagan.

He married into the most Democratic family dynasties ever seen.

He was then elected as Governor of the largest Democratic bastion state in the country.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the living embodiment of the American Dream:Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger[/i][/u]

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blatham--

I'm waiting for the unfolding of your evil plan to characterize conservatives. I don't know how much longer I can wait. Please give.

What is your thesis?

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lash

Actually no plan at all to characterize conservatives in an evil light. I'm at the beginning stages of research for a book, but it isn't about conservatives at all. This exercise was just a bit of 'brainstorming' (I hate that term) to assist me.

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<kicks can>

Thought I'd get a big secret.

Good luck with your book. I'm sure it'll be fair and balanced...

<smiles>

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Quote:

<kicks can>

Lash...that's very funny indeed! As a reward, you get the scoop.

I have this notion, you see, that the term 'liberal' has been much maligned, mainly as a purposeful strategy. So many folks I see arrive here have a sadly deficient education in American history, and have gotten much of their sense of American political past from folks like Rush. It is such a sadly impoverished view of your country and of the ideas and values that have moved and inspired it. If one reads the words and speeches of Lincoln, for example, one is constantly bumping into ideas and values which Rush, if he didn't know their source, would castigate as 'bleeding heart' or some such. It was this Christmas when I was thinking about the classic American Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life, and thinking of all the 'red state' families plunked in front of their TVs on Christmas day or some day around it, specifically to watch this old masterpiece - a tale of a classic American liberal - that this contradiction and the plan for the book crystallized.

Thanks for your good wishes. I do know they are sincere. Let me return such.

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Remember that "liberal" has a different meaning in U.S. politics from its historical, European context. Your archenemy Rush would closely approximate the original definition of that term.

Jimmy Stewart's brother in the film was a Naval Aviator. Can I play him?

Will you be the angel?

Who gets Lionel Barrymore's part?

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I really think more liberals listen to Rush than conservatives. They quote him here all the time.

I remember when the word liberal was really spoken with a condescending tone. But, blatham, it's the policies associated with the term that pack the punch. It happened after Carter.

He made such a mess of everything, he gave liberal policies a very bad name. Across the board.

What surprised me was how liberals starting stepping away from the term. They sort of gave in to the definition Republicans were assigning.. I think if they'd been strong in conviction of who they were and what they stood for--no one could have manipulated them so easily.

Down to the bottom of it--I think that's really the problem. The Dems lost their identity.

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blatham wrote:

Quote:
<kicks can>

Lash...that's very funny indeed! As a reward, you get the scoop.

I have this notion, you see, that the term 'liberal' has been much maligned, mainly as a purposeful strategy. So many folks I see arrive here have a sadly deficient education in American history, and have gotten much of their sense of American political past from folks like Rush. It is such a sadly impoverished view of your country and of the ideas and values that have moved and inspired it. If one reads the words and speeches of Lincoln, for example, one is constantly bumping into ideas and values which Rush, if he didn't know their source, would castigate as 'bleeding heart' or some such. It was this Christmas when I was thinking about the classic American Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life, and thinking of all the 'red state' families plunked in front of their TVs on Christmas day or some day around it, specifically to watch this old masterpiece - a tale of a classic American liberal - that this contradiction and the plan for the book crystallized.

Thanks for your good wishes. I do know they are sincere. Let me return such.

I think you are undoubtedly correct in your thesis - and I believe it has been written about before - many words and names get baggage and opprobrium added to them in this way.

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deb, lash, and george

Thanks for your help, guys. I understand if I come up with a simple thesis, it may well be wrong. And if I get the history in error, I hurt the endeavor.

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Oh - I think the demonization of liberal in the USA over the last - what? - 30 years - but accelerating out of sight in the last few - a very interesting and significant political phenomenon, Blatham!!!

I just think it no orphan.

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deb

Corollaries elsewhere, you mean?

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Sure - words get demonized - like communist, feminist - other political terms...liberal is a fascinating one, though, seeing how incredibly far the demonization has taken it from its origins.

Happens fro the left, too.

It happens in other ways, too - "silly" used to mean innocent, that sort of thing - or the opposite - "naughty" was once a seriously bad thing to be.

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In the 60s and prior to them, conservatives were demonized the same way. Lumped with the John Birchers and ridiculed. I didn't approve of it then and as a liberal I certainly don't approve of the practice in reverse.

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BM

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deb

Oh, I see. You weren't referring to geographical distribution of this redefinition/demonization of the particular term in question, rather to the commonality of terms/notions being redefined downwards. Yes.

But for me, an interesting aspect of my thesis is that there is a broad distribution of this redefining in the western world. England, Canada, Australia (yes?).

George and others will likely place the cause for this in the evolved discovery of the failings of liberalism. I'm of a different opinion, at least at this point.

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edgar

Yup.

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ps...on another thread, a newbie named Owl has posted a link to a discussion board run out of PBS. Looks pretty good, I do say.

http://discussions.pbs.org/

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