What is so difficult about using leftist instead of liberal when referring to authoritarian socialists?
Improperly using the word liberal when referring to authoritarian leftists insults potential allies in liberty.
There is a cold civil war being waged between the pro-liberty right and the authoritarian socialist-left. It’s a war of words that could change into a real conflict if certain issues aren’t resolved.
Leftists have learned how to weaponise the language to deceive the people and frame the debate to their advantage. That is why they are very careful in the terms they use to describe themselves and the issues at hand. They have done this by hijacking certain labels that are antithetical to their true belief system.
“The champions of socialism call themselves progressives, but they recommend a system which is characterized by rigid observance of routine and by a resistance to every kind of improvement. They call themselves liberals, but they are intent upon abolishing liberty. They call themselves democrats, but they yearn for dictatorship. They call themselves revolutionaries, but they want to make the government omnipotent. They promise the blessings of the Garden of Eden, but they plan to transform the world into a gigantic post office. Every man but one a subordinate clerk in a bureau. What an alluring utopia! What a noble cause to fight!”
Ludwig von Mises
[Emphasis added]
While they like to cast themselves as liberators, they seek to enslave the population under socialism. They call themselves ‘progressives’ while perpetrating collectivist ideas that are as old as time. Their base ideology always sets up an authoritarian elite that dictates how everyone is supposed to live their life while pretending to be ‘democratic’.
But one of their most egregious language transgressions is the use of the term liberal. This particular language deception on their part has been discussed a number places, most notably by Dennis Prager in a 5 minute video dissertation along with this column entitled:
Here’s the first thing to know: The two have almost nothing in common.On the contrary, liberalism has far more in common with conservatism than it does with leftism. The left has appropriated the word “liberal” so effectively that almost everyone—liberals, leftists, and conservatives—thinks they are synonymous.But they aren’t.
[Emphasis added]
It’s easy to use leftist instead of liberal, both are the same length and begin with the letter ‘l’
When you consider that both words start with the letter ‘l’ and are the same length, there is no reason to use the wrong word. Leftist properly describes the authoritarian socialists without any false implication of their true nature.
It’s just a question of discipline, choosing one word and sticking to it, instead of displaying a lack of intellect with the ‘word salad’ approach. Most knowledgeable people look down upon people who use leftists one moment, then ‘progressive’ the next, followed by liberal in another instance. One word covers the left side of the political spectrum, using several shows a decided lack of thought.
Note that both liberty and liberal have the same roots in the Latin word libertas, the Roman personification of freedom. This is in response to those who claim that word meanings have changed. The word liberty still means the same thing and wrongly applying this to the authoritarian left falsely implies they are champions of liberty when this clearly is not the case
Using the wrong term insults potential allies in liberty
Glenn Beck had the author on the inspiring #WalkAway article reported here by Lorie Wimble recently. At one point in the conversation, he tip-toed around the discussion of her political identity as to whether she fit into the true meaning of the word as being all about the rights of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. She responded that she believes in our fundamental liberties, being a centrist with some libertarian leanings.
Originally published on the NOQ Report
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