Mensch tracht, und Gott lacht

Thursday, April 14, 2005

The Lost Project of Reclaiming Liberalism

The good Mr. Karnick dreams of reclaiming the word "liberal" for people with opinions like his own. He is right to want to do so because at one time men like him and even Ronald Reagan would have easily qualified for the label.

Writing for The Weekly Standard, Joel Engel takes yet another shot at explaining why today's "liberals" don't deserve the appellation they now own. Here's a sampling:

Depicting Condoleezza Rice in editorial cartoons as a big-lipped mammy who speaks Ebonics to her massa is many things (offensive, sickening), but it is not liberal.

and a bit more . . .

Referring to illegals as "undocumented workers," and to those who'd like to enforce immigration laws as evil and racist, is many things (self-destructive, short-sighted), but it is not liberal.

Joking about Charlton Heston's Alzheimer's because you don't abide his politics is many things (cold-hearted, intolerant, sophomoric), but it is far from liberal.

No comments: