Proud to be a Liberal
I have to write this. I am feeling more and more that I must say what I believe politically.
Yesterday, as I watched the tributes to Sen. Ted Kennedy I wondered why it had fallen out of fashion to be political or patriotic, especially for those of us on the left. Why has the word liberal become a curse? As I listened to the tributes to Sen. Kennedy it strengthened my resolve to say what I believe and to do what I can.
Today Arianna Huffington wrote about the spirit that died with Kennedy, the spirit to help the less fortunate and the least among us:
Ted Kennedy and the Missing National Conversation
Being a liberal is not about spending other people’s money, it’s about taking care of other people. Here’s another quote from Ted Kennedy:
During my service in the United States Senate, I have often been called a Liberal, and it usually was not meant as a compliment. But I remember what my brother said about liberalism shortly before he was elected president. He said: “If by a Liberal, they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind… Someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions… Someone who cares about the welfare of the people—their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties…Someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and the suspicion that grips us… If that is what they mean by a Liberal… Then I am proud to say I am a Liberal.”
Finally, in a day of tributes, this is the one I heard on the radio as I was falling asleep from one of my favorite Air America hosts, Nichole Sandler.
Rest in Peace, Senator Kennedy, may we, as a country have the courage to continue the work that you have just begun.
