Do you consider
yourself to be conservative or liberal? Are you unsure where the boundaries are
between the two? Were you at one time liberal or conservative and now find
yourself on the opposite end of the spectrum?
Ed Feulner, the founder of The
Heritage Foundation, may have some help for you. In an article titled “Liberal
in Name Only,” Mr. Feulner offered his analysis/opinion on the subject.
“Do you support free speech,
individual liberties and protections for private property? You must be a
liberal. Did that last sentence cause you to do a double take? I’m not
surprised.
“I’ve been reading a new book,
`The Closing of the Liberal Mind,’ and it shows that much of what passes for
liberalism today is, historically speaking, anything but. Moreover, many who
call themselves conservative today would have been considered `liberal’ if they
lived in the time of the Founding Fathers.
“This distinction isn’t mere
semantics, however. The shift I’m describing goes right to the heart of the
political and culture wars that rage around us today. Author Kim Holmes
demonstrates why the authoritarian stance adopted by many liberals today – as exemplified
by speech codes, trigger warnings, boycotts and shaming rituals – is in fact
more accurately described as illiberalism.”
Mr. Feulner offered the
following quote by a well-known politician as evidence that things are fairly
messed up now days. Can you identify the
politician? “I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you
disagree with this administration, somehow you’re not patriotic. We should
stand up and say, `We are Americans, and we have a right to debate and disagree
with any administration.’”
It definitely sounds like a
Republican, but it was Hilary Clinton in 2003 referring to the George W. Bush
administration. From her statement, it sounds to me that many people enjoy
sounding conservative even when they are not.
Here is the link for the rest of Mr. Feulner’s article.
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