The central point of my essay was that the Right has pulled the Center too far to the right; and if we need any further proof of that, simply look at our political language (as will history).

The "ideal" candidate, for either party, is generally described as "conservative" on fiscal matters and "moderate" on social issues. The conventional wisdom is that it is not only "politically incorrect" but also political poison to be branded "liberal" on any issue (when absolutely necessary, one may gingerly call one's position "progressive"). As things stand, that is not an unreasonable conclusion.

However, a great political party gets out in front and leads the nation; it does not achieve greatness by merely pandering to the lowest common denominator of existing public opinion. Although not all Democrats are liberals, nor should we be of but a single mindset, why must "liberalism" be so roundly condemned, even by ourselves, as a dirty word? Is "liberalism" something to be ashamed of? Is "liberalism" a foolish or immoral creed, inherently repugnant to Americans?

In 1960, when he was running for President, John F. Kennedy was asked, "What is a liberal?" He answered: "I believe in human dignity as the source of national purpose, in human liberty as the source of national action, in the human heart as the source of national compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our invention and our ideas...For liberalism is not so much a party creed or set of fixed platform promises as it is an attitude of mind and heart, a faith in man's ability through the experiences of his reason and judgment to increase for himself and his fellow men the amount of justice and freedom and brotherhood which all human life deserves...For the liberal society is a free society, and it is at the same time and for that reason a strong society."

The United States of America was founded upon quintessentially liberal principles, of which it has been a champion in the world ever since.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to bravely seek religious freedom and a new life in the wilderness of a New World.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to establish effective services for all the public, from the post office, public libraries, paved roads, and city lighting to public hospitals and police and fire-fighting forces (Thank you, Dr. Franklin).

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to break away from the monarchy of the Mother Country in order to establish the modern world's first great democratic republic.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to establish a Constitution (much imitated around the world) with a separation and balance of powers within the federal government and between the federal and state governments as well as a Bill of Rights for its individual citizens.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to establish public education.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to free the slaves.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to extend voting rights to non-landowners, to African Americans, to women, and to 18-year-olds.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to establish laws protecting workers in the workplace and consumers in the marketplace.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to bust trusts.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to devise federal regulations to protect the banking and investment industries and, hence, the life-savings of our citizens and the economic life of our nation.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to create Social Security.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to fight and defeat worldwide the forces of Fascism (the most extreme wing of the Right, just as Anarchy is the extreme wing of the Left).

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to rebuild our former enemies after World War II and, thus, not repeat our mistake after World War I.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to establish the United Nations, to increase international cooperation in solving fundamental human problems and in guaranteeing basic human rights and, thus, to help prevent future, potentially apocalyptic world wars.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to devise safe and effective methods of birth control.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to outlaw racial segregation and to protect voting rights.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to go out of our way to care for the least of our brothers and sisters.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to create Medicare.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to vow to set foot on the Moon and to achieve that daring dream, as old as mankind.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to establish the EPA and to try to protect Mother Earth from rapacious interests.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to protect a woman's right to choose to do as she wishes with her own body...and it will be liberal -- that is, open-minded -- thinking that will eventually resolve the remaining debate on "when does truly human life begin?" (Here's a "Fact of Life": Truly human thought, feeling, and awareness -- that is, "brain life" -- develops neurologically in the third trimester, remarkably in line with the limits established by Roe vs. Wade and analogous to the defining of human death as brain death).

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to end a war with no end in Southeast Asia.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to expose and root out corruption at the highest levels of government.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to at least try to guarantee equal pay for equal work by both the sexes.

It was liberal, not conservative or moderate, to outlaw discrimination based upon marital status, sexual orientation, or physical abilities.

It was inherently liberal, not conservative or moderate, to extend human knowledge -- and, thus, power -- to billions worldwide via the Internet (just ask anyone denied such information by the censors in a dictatorship).

Of course, conservatism has its uses -- as by balancing budgets, we can afford to sustain progressive causes -- as does moderation -- anything can be taken to extremes.

But the fact remains, without liberalism, America would not have become the America we know and love today.

Let us not be radical, but let us not be ashamed to call ourselves liberal whenever we strive to increase human liberty. We must not insult our liberal heritage by taking for granted the benefits of hard-fought struggles down through human history. To do so is to invite the center to be pulled ever farther to the right, upsetting whatever balance of power there is in the country, to an end as un-American as every enemy we have ever fought.

If we do not defend liberalism, who will?

Sincerely,

Doug Drenkow

A Moderate Liberal