Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This being a Liberal’s Gun Corner, we’re going to talk about that. The description, “Liberal” can mean several things to different sets of people. To some, it means the Democrats and their platform. To others, it means fiscal and moral irresponsibility, socialism, and not taking responsibility for one’s own life. To yet others, it means other things.
In this podcast, our very first, we tackle that very question, and you may be surprised by what you hear. This is my statement of what Liberalism is and my case for it. We won’t always agree on this show, perhaps most of all in this first one. But it’s irresponsible to attempt to go forward if we don’t define our basic concept of what Liberalism is. Here, we basically set the tone for what this Liberal’s Gun Corner is going to be about. Hopefully you’ll consider the case we make here, with an open mind.
Safe shootin’,
– T
Just finished listening to this episode and find your words compelling. I have been a Republican (left leaning) for many years bur never bought into the “Rush” crowd or way of life. The only Republican President I ever voted for was Regan. My feelings and beliefs are a lot like yours, free speech, equal rights, I believe in the message of Dr. King, I believe in the Second Amendment and yes I’m white. I do not believe in the policies of the current administration and feel that Mr. Obama has done more to hurt and separate this country than help it. I do believe he is doing a better job than Bush but not by much. I recently became a registered Libertarian and feel their beliefs in Liberty follow my own. Many of the things you state and believe in follow the Libertarian Party and I would like to know your points of view on Libertarians.
Howdy Cowboy T,
Thanks for the episode. I enjoyed your show very much and I’m very interested to see where you go from here. I also must admit that I am very curious to see what you pick for your theme music. Part of me is expecting Journey for obvious reasons. LOL
Hi, Cowboy T. I lived in the SF Bay area for about 20 years (Redwood City). The people I encountered who described themselves as ‘liberals’ did not sound a lot like you. So I guess I need to ask “What differentiates (in your lexicon) a progressive, a liberal, a libertarian, a socialist, a facist?” Or are all of these labels too misused to be meaningful?
I’d also be interested in where you fall on one of those ‘political quizzes’ like: http://www.politicalcompass.org/
My result: Left/Right 3.25, Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.79
Looking forward to hearing more.
Hi, Cowboy T. Ran across this post by another confessed liberal and why he’s a concealed carry person. Enjoy!
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/08/fred-rowley/a-liberal-academics-first-year-of-concealed-carry/
I just recently figured out how to do the “Notify me of new posts by email”, so I’ll see these a lot sooner from now on.
The problem, I think, is that too many talking heads want to create their own little boxes for us. Once upon a time, I wasn’t pro-gun, either. I came to this realization in relative opposition of how I was raised to believe about guns. I still believe in the live-and-let-live philosophy that’s so prevalent on the Peninsula and in Marin, and I knew a lot of people just like that growing up. They *don’t* want the government telling them who they can and cannot love. They *don’t* want to be told to “shut up” by the government. They want the liberty to just be themselves.
Why do they often vote for anti-gun Democrats, then? I’ve been asked that a lot, and I’m going to address that very point on a future show.
Just listened to your podcast Cowboy T. Your definition of Liberal, is the just the way I have believed. The traditional honest liberal. As a conservative, I have had many liberal friends all my life. (56 years old now) My liberal friends and I of course did not agree on much, but we remained friends, because we understood what freedom was all about. Unfortunately today there are many people out there who call themselves liberal, but have adopted certain behaviors. One is, if you disagree with them, they want to shut you down. Their tolerance is only for their ideas. You accept what they want, or they will destroy you. As for gun rights, many that call themselves liberal, want to strip all of us of Second Amendment freedoms. The Democrat party and Barrack Obama and company have made statements to this effect and adopted it to their platform. If you are for Second Amendment rights, there is no way you could support either of them. I have never understood some of my liberal friends who are very supportive of the Second Amendment, and who would never give up that right, vote for people who would take it away as fast as they could. I welcome your show, and hope you can change the minds of other so called liberals, about the Second Amendment and what it means. I think that with more conservative, liberals, and whomever can better understand the Second Amendment, will embrace it instead of oppose it.
Once again Webster splits from the rest of the English speaking world.
We speak a dynamic language, the meanings of a given word will shift may times over the years.
Strictly speaking a “liberal” is someone who has split from the convention.
During the time of America’s founding the founding fathers were liberal.
Today we strive to conserve what they created.
These labels are relative to the times, changing and evolving with us.