Calling All Angry Liberals

by Greg M.

Being a liberal is a four letter word in some places in this country. In other places if you are not a liberal, you are automatically labeled as a redneck who enjoys guns and are a racist. As the divide in political ideology in this country continues to grow, we must be mindful about not only our differences, but in ways we can come together. Therefore, it is essential for us liberals to understand why we hold the beliefs that we do.

What makes a person a liberal? Being a liberal means that we hold the viewpoint that society should strive to become a place where all people are equal. Liberals are usually the first to embrace new ideas, and at times view traditional values as outdated and unnecessary.  Liberals often view themselves as activists of one cause or another. Whether it is education, religion, the environment or health care, liberals hold strong beliefs that people must come together to create a better world. 

Someone becomes an angry liberal when they become vocal advocates and engage in discussions with people that do not share their views. Becoming an angry liberal does not even necessarily mean that you are angry. Rather you are a product of what our society has created through the various ways that we interact with each other on a daily basis. Today we have a variety of places where we can voice our opinions. With the growth of social media over the last decade, anyone can post or comment anything that they want in a variety of places. Many times, it can be done anonymously. This has created an environment where people can say almost anything without having to worry about retribution. Due to this reality people will say things that they would never say to someone they know in person. 

It seems that while social media has brought our society closer together, it has also torn us further apart.

When an angry liberal voices their concern, they do so because they see something wrong with the views of others. When people disagree with one another, it is extremely easy to get personal or insult another person’s intelligence. We are all guilty of this, and it is not difficult to become involved in this type of discussion without even knowing it.

Angry liberals are the most outspoken among us and are the first to speak up when there are issues in society that are examples of injustice.

It seems that while social media has brought our society closer together, it has also torn us further apart. The ability to hide or block people on social media is important, but at times just further keeps us in our own bubble. When we can acknowledge others and their viewpoints and understand why they believe what they do, we can talk about issue in a more productive way. 

​Does that mean it is important for us to not become the angry liberal? Absolutely not, in fact it is essential for you to stand up and advocate for what you believe is right. Over the next four years with President Trump, we are going to need angry liberals to speak up when they perceive injustice. Angry liberals are the most outspoken among us and are the first to speak up when there are issues in society that are examples of injustice. Angry liberals were some of the earliest abolitionists, and they were on the picket line fighting for worker's rights. It is important to not stay silent because it is the vocal minority that can at times speak for the silent majority. 

It is easy to hold the belief that our voice will not change anything so we avoid even taking part in the conversation. People are often worried that they are being judged by their peers and will not speak out. This is a dangerous practice. When people stop paying attention to what is going on around them, it creates an atmosphere where no one is held accountable for their actions. Angry liberals’ are essential because they pay attention to issues that are important to them and not only educate themselves, but they believe it is important to educate others even when it might lead to confrontations with others. To promote real change it is important to speak out but it is also important to do so in a way that promotes further discussion.

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