There is so much ranting and raving these days from the political right about the alleged evils of liberalism — many even equating it with full-blown socialism. But, like so much of the misinformation and disinformation being bandied about, that’s just bullshit.

Because the word “liberal” is derived from the Latin adjective “liberalis,” meaning “befitting a free person,” or “noble.” But far be it from the uneducated MAGA masses to check their facts before shooting off their big mouths.

Eleanor Roosevelt, on the other hand, was a woman who always did her homework. And this is what she had to say about it, at a time when Donald Trump was still an obnoxious teenager bluffing his way through high school, and well before many of his current followers were born:

“Long ago, there was a noble word, ‘liberal,’ which derives from the word ‘free.’

“Now a strange thing happened to that word. A man named Hitler made it a term of abuse, a matter of suspicion, because those who were not with him were against him, and liberals had no use for Hitler.

“And then another man named McCarthy cast the same opprobrium on the word.

“Indeed, there was a time — a short but dismaying time — when many Americans began to distrust the word which derived from ‘free.’

“One thing we must all do. We must cherish and honor the word ‘free’ or it will cease to apply to us.

“And that would be an inconceivable situation.”

– Eleanor Roosevelt, “Tomorrow Is Now” (1963)

Adolph Hitler and Senator Joseph McCarthy: These are the role models being emulated by today’s opponents of “liberalism.”

And if that doesn’t scare you out of your senses, nothing will.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/2/26