On a positive note...

I just wanted to say that as long as we fight the good fight we will prevail. Liberals have been at the forefront of damn near every fight for progress since the Enlightenment, and Dammit, we won more of those fights than we lost. Sure their are bumps in the road (ERA, Reagan, etc.) but as long as we stick to the idea that we must move beyond the petty and provincial traditions of the past, do we lay the foundations of a brighter future. Rather than being dissuaded by the so called "in-fighting" and debates, I WELCOME them, they bring new ideas and rehashing of old ones to the table, to be scrutinized by all of us. We may be dismayed at the pace in which such changes are made, but the fact is that they WILL be made, there is no doubt. Conservatives live in the past and rarely learn from it, we live for the future and use the past as a guide to prevent those mistakes we made before from being made again. We fight for our future and the future of the entire human race, that the exchange of all ideas may be free and that the people will someday feel empowered to take control of their own lives and to bring about true peace, justice, and democracy, around the world. Rather than shy from controversy, we should embrace it, at the grassroots level, and bring the message out to all people that their are better ways to handle our conflicts. Through discussion and yes even compromise, we shall win, and the will of the people shall be heard again!

BTW I saw your thread the other night about the history of the US and how it aint picture pretty. Thanks.

I thought, with all the gloom and pressure on DU that everybody needed a little reminder to see what we are really about.

ON EDIT: About my other thread, I just wanted to remind people that it is not always good to dwell on the past, learn from it and then work to improve the HERE and NOW. One thing I notice with conservatives is that they have difficulty thinking outside of their perceptions, and therefore are resistant to new ideas. However, all we have to do is plant the seed, and see it grow. The setbacks we sometimes face are supposed to be a reminder that we must replant that seed again and again, so that it may bear fruit. Usually when that happens the cat is out of the bag, and cannot be put back, no matter how hard conservatives try to shove it in, it will resist. The key is to NEVER let up, and to get the MESSAGE out, we may disagree about specifics, but one thing should unite us and that is the exchange of ideas, and freedom of thought.

Ein one of the responders to your post is one of my good DU friends.

I hope that someday people, regular people, would actually realize that us so called "Leftists" actually have history to back us up. Another thing I hope will happen is the death of the idea that liberals are on the edges of society. Its true, that on most issues, the majority of people would support us in everything but name (damn RW propoganda). One thing I do find amusing is the Republican bashing of Hollywood Liberals, because, if you ever notice, most of the most popular political shows and movies have liberals as leaders that are RIGHT. Think "Bulworth", "The American President", "West Wing", even "Head of State", I liked that movie too (Chris Rock has my vote;)). If conservatives are translated so badly on screen, doesn't that tell you something about the political reality of America? None of these movies are minor, and most are popular, the problem is, of course, that even though many people agree with the messages protrayed in these movies and shows, they do not get out to vote. I find that saddening, but at the same time I'm hopful, that even these mediums can be tapped to motivate people.

One thing above all others have I learned, and that is that to motivate people, you must give them hope and inspiration, not fear.

Gives us hope that still yet we can turn this nation left. It seems you're from Missouri as well, may I ask where exactly?

I live in University City, Central West End of St. Louis.

You are absolutley right.

thanks! :-) :hi: :toast: :hi: :-)

This is great: "Rather than being dissuaded by the so called "in-fighting" and debates, I WELCOME them, they bring new ideas and rehashing of old ones to the table......"
:kick:

:kick:

Your observation "conservatives live in the past and rarely learn from it" - so true!

My high school-age daughter just pointed out to me that she can't understand why people would want to be conservative, because the dictionary definition of conservative is - as she put it - "bad."

That is fitting between conservatives and liberals. Which lasts longer, the unmoving Cliffs(Conservatives) or the Constantly Changing Ocean(Liberals) that beat against it? The answer is obvious.

ON EDIT: Another analogy popped into my head, conservatives are like horses in horseraces, with the blinders on they can only see ahead, and, therefore, cannot be distracted by the facts.

I have been at a loss to understand why we are supposed to be afraid to put our message out there. If you take the label off, many of those centrists support liberal ideals.

This election is ours to win. We just need to get out there and fight the good fight.

It would be a whole lot easier, though, if liberals didn't act like conservatives and support conservative policies.

Liberals move things forward, help society to evolve to something better.

But make no mistake about it. Steely resolve is necessary. Every now and then in the march of progress, tremendous sacrifices have to be made by liberals to move forward. Sometimes you have to face the dogs and the water hoses and the guns. This is why it's always amazed me that liberals are painted as weak. It takes no courage at all to sit behind the "might makes right" philosophy of conservatives.

Learn from the past, live in the present, and live for the future - not the other way around. At the dawn of the 21st century we need to remember and cherish what we've achieved - as well as understand what is yet to be done.

There are 6.3 billion people on the planet. Shatter national boundaries and you get a single planetary community that large, with the ability to care for most of its poor, the lack of a unified cultural tradition whose conservative proponents can use as a justification of oppression, and a completely free flow of people, money, and information. We don't need patriotism - we should care for every human being no the planet and view national structures as subordinate to people, not vice versa. We don't need nationalism - a communy of 6.3 billion people is stronger than a one of 300 million.