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 By Jack Lepiarz Mar. 1, 2006 Some people call liberals, "left wing wackos," and say that they are out of the loop and unrealistic. Other people call those to the far right, "fascists," saying that right-wing extremists are authoritarian "nazis" that seek to take away our freedom and get rich in the process. And then, somewhere in the middle, we have the moderates--or as I like to call them, most of America. Some people try to pass off America as a conservative nation. In some ways and on some issues, that is true. More often than not, however, ideology is often split relatively evenly. Oftentimes (although not always), Americans will have a reason for what they believe in. Liberals believe that abortion should be legal so that a woman can have control over her body, whereas conservatives believe that abortion should be outlawed so that we do not condone the practice of taking human life. Both sides have understandable points of view--if you take the time to understand them. Somebody once told me, "It is impossible to hate someone if you know their story." That is my point. I see articles written by conservatives--namely Ann Coulter--that do nothing but denounce any and all things liberal. It's a shame, really. On the other hand, liberals do the same in their constant demonizing of anyone Republican. In an attempt to help both sides understand the other side better, I'd like to try and explain both sides. On September 14th, 1960, John F. Kennedy explained the concept of liberalism. 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, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal." There isn't really much to elaborate on there. Kennedy sums up what liberalism is perfectly. A liberal is someone who seeks to reform government and make the lives of of the people a little easier. I think that everyone can at least understand that viewpoint. Most people do want to help others. That's what the liberal platform is all about. On the other hand, we have conservatives. Conservatives believe in traditional family values and financial independence. That is something that any warm-blooded American can understand. It's the basic idea of the American dream and the idea of "rugged individualism." When you really break it down, both sides want the same thing. We both want security, we both want to help others, and we all want to make America a better place. Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing, but there's also a saying that goes along the lines of, "If you don't have anything kind to say, then don't say anything." I implore everyone to learn more about the other side of an issue. It's easy to dismiss George W. Bush as an idiot when you don't understand why he condones this whole UAE security deal. When you understand the other side and their beliefs, you're better able to communicate with them as people. It's that simple. ------------ About the author: Jack Lepiarz is a senior at Madison High School. Born in Waco, Texas, he lived with the Big Apple Circus for much of his early childhood, eventually moving to Madison, New Jersey, where he now resides. Although he is often described as stubborn and egotistical, he tries to keep an open-mind towards new ideas and treat people the way he would like to be treated. Email: Jackwuzhere42@aol.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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