Monday, July 19, 2004

The L Word

The Washington Post offers analysis of the dirty, dirty way "liberal" sounds when you say it in your best Karl Rove voice:

This year's presidential campaign marks the latest effort to hurl the L-word -- the most familiar and, on some occasions, most lethal spear in the Republican arsenal. President Bush's campaign spokesmen have called the Democratic ticket of Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) and Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) the most liberal ticket in U.S. history.


First of all, I don't think people keep spears in arsenals anymore. Second, it's only lethal because we let it be known that it's so, because we let it be, let it hurt us. I'd argue this all night myself, but my man Aaron already said it better:

"We all need some therapy, because somebody came along and said "liberal" means soft on crime, soft on drugs, soft on Communism, soft on defense, and we're gonna tax you back to the Stone Age because people shouldn't have to go to work if they don't want to. And instead of saying "Well, excuse me, you right-wing, reactionary, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-eductaion, anti-choice, pro-gun, 'Leave it to Beaver' trip back to the fifties," we cowered in the corner and said "Please, don't hurt me." No more."
—The West Wing