I'm going to rant about liberals. Now, I'm quite liberal myself (and a lifelong Democrat), so this may seem an odd topic. But if you can't critique yourself, how can you hope to critique others? This post treats primarily what I term "intolerant liberalism," the idea that the left in America today has insidiously and subconciously become that which it decries the most: an institution that smugly and self-righteously declares itself correct, and in some cases seeks to limit the freedom of those who disagree.

An interesting illustration of this may be in regards to smoking. Now, I personally think cigarettes are abhorrent and a massive public health risk (and I would use solely the latter justification for legally restricting their use). But on the D.C. Metro there is a new campaign, "www.bobquits.com" and the signs include things like, "Quit, Bob, Quit," and "Man Saves Own Life". While the cause of helping smokers quit is admirable, the methodology is quintessential 21st century liberal: assume the moral high ground and patronize those you purport to help. Similar techniques can be seen with regards to gun control. It's almost as if the liberals are benevolenty choosing to show smokers the light.

[Addendum 6/26: Smokers, almost to a man, know damn well that smoking is bad for them. This wasn't the case 50 years ago, but at this point, shouting the dangers from rooftops isn't going to raise a whole lot of awareness. It just adds to the irritating nature of the argument.]

These smug overtones leave a bitter taste in many peoples' mouths, especially those who see themselves on the recieving end of the condescending message. This, i submit, is why liberals are seen as elitist - there is no folksy appeal in telling someone declaratively that what they're doing is wrong and that they need to fix it. Moreover, it gives the conservative propaganda machine an unending source of fodder to paint liberals as weak northerners from the upper crust of society who choose to make themselves feel better by raising up their lesser bretheren.

If liberals are to have their message ring clear across the nation, they must take a hard look at the paradigms and connotations used to convey that message. In public discourse, how you say something is nearly (if not more) important as what is being said. Liberals must construct arguments built on logic, fact and an understanding that others may - and are allowed to - disagree. An ethic of liberalism which doesn't come across as heavy-handed and a moral missive from On High has a far better chance of sticking then "Quit, Bob, Quit."

Next Time: The Death of Free Speech
Related Link - posted by Elliot H. @ 10:42 PM