Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Bob Stannard, a lobbyist and author. This piece first appeared in the Bennington Banner.
According to Webster’s Dictionary synonyms for the word “liberal” are as follows: broad-minded, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, radical, unconventional, unorthodox.
According to Webster’s Dictionary synonyms for the word “conservative” are as follows: archconservative, brassbound, button-down (or buttoned-down), die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-fashioned, old-line, old-school, orthodox, paleoconservative, reactionary, standpat, traditional, traditionalistic, ultraconservative, unprogressive.
Much to the chagrin of some, our country is changing. It appears as though the more educated we become the more tolerant, and perhaps, liberal we become. A few weeks ago our Supreme Court heard two cases on the issue of gay marriage. This would have been unthinkable only a few years ago, but nonetheless the court of today heard the arguments for and against.
According to a CBS News Poll of March 20-24 of this year 53 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage. This same poll showed that 33 percent of Americans who now support same-sex marriage once held the opposite view and have changed their minds. Apparently they have become more liberal.
It’s enough to make one wonder just how long will it be before an openly gay person will hold the position of president of the United States and married to his/her same-sex partner.
It didn’t seem like it was all that long ago that the Watts Riots in Los Angeles occurred. For you kids reading this the year was 1965, Aug. 11-17. Six days that struck terror in the hearts of all Americans. The riots were over race discrimination. Blacks and Hispanics were being prevented from buying or renting property in certain areas of the city adding to the tensions. The riots were the result of an arrest of a young black man for allegedly driving while intoxicated. It was enough to result in 30,000 to 35,000 people rioting; something that was heretofore unheard of. These folks had had enough and fought back the only way they knew how.
The bloody fight for civil rights paid off. The people who were held down under the thumb of oppression in the 1950s and ‘60s today can hardly believe that an African-American is president of the United States.
It’s enough to make one wonder just how long will it be before an openly gay person will hold the position of president of the United States and married to his/her same-sex partner. That seems unimaginable today, but no more so than electing a black president did to the people of Watts 50 years ago.
Important changes only happen in this country, because of people who refuse to accept the status quo. Important changes happen because people evolve from being more conservative to being more liberal. Conservatives don’t wish to see things change. They would prefer things stay just as they are (or perhaps more accurately stated, as they once were). Liberals tend to not be satisfied with the way things are and push for change and therein lies the rub. Most people have trouble with change.
Change is disruptive. You can hear conservative old timers say, “I always done it that way ‘cause that’s the way I always done it. No need to do it different.”
Why not? Just because it’s never been done that way before? Is that the best we can do or hope for? It’s odd, really, when you think about it. Change occurs every second of every minute of every day yet we abhor change. We don’t want to see that man or woman marry someone of the same sex. We don’t want things to be any different than they were yesterday, but yesterday’s gone. Sure you can try as you might to hang onto it, but it’s in your rear view mirror and tomorrow is a “day’s gonna bring about a change” (old blues lyric).
Think about it. Where do you come down on change and which mindset, conservative or liberal, is the one most likely to create some upheaval that may very well result in a much better world? As is always the case, the choice is yours to make. You can stay stuck right where you are or you can be brave, be liberal and stand up and say “hell no” to the status quo.
The following quote written by noted liberal, Lawrence O’Donnell Jr. sums it up.
“What did liberals do that was so offensive to the Republican Party? I’ll tell you what they did. Liberals got women the right to vote.
Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote.
Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty.
Liberals ended segregation.
Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act.
Liberals created Medicare
Liberals passed the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
What did Conservatives do?
They opposed every one of those things, every one. So when you try to hurl that label at my feet, ‘Liberal’, as if it were something to be ashamed of, something dirty, something to run away from, it won’t work, because I will pick up that label and I will wear it as a badge of honor.”
Ten years from now life will be different. Ten minutes from now life will be different. Will you be open or resistant to change? Will you roll the dice, stand up and speak out or simply sit back and hope things stay the same?
