Being conservative is Unamerican?

[hazellazer]

I'm a liberal myself however, as I looked up the definition I found that the definition of conservative was:

Quote:

Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.

I began to think. If the founding fathers favored traditional values, why would we have become a democracy? Since we began as the colonies of a monarchy, so wouldn't monarchy be traditional?
Why would we have revolted at all if we didn't want change?

[mitoguard]

Seems that way, but isn't. Most of those I know who are Conservative under that definition do not oppose change, just want it very gradually. The Conservative would most likely have moved to Canada where they managed to get independance without fighting. (Calls for applause of Canada) Of course this doesn't make Conservatives Un-American just not believing military force should have been used to bring about change, this of course being under the assumption of Conservative at the time, today's Conservatives may be more or less stubborn in their opposition to dramatic change than those of 200 years ago

[Steve Sage]

xBakaTulipx

I'm a liberal myself however, as I looked up the definition I found that the definition of conservative was:

Quote:

Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.

I began to think. If the founding fathers favored traditional values, why would we have become a democracy? Since we began as the colonies of a monarchy, so wouldn't monarchy be traditional?
Why would we have revolted at all if we didn't want change?

they really weren't strong belviers in "traditional" rights some weren't even Christians. This was the age of Englightment were equal rights for me and reason were both sumperme. The revilation was a classical liberal movement

[Kel-Tec]

xBakaTulipx

I'm a liberal myself however, as I looked up the definition I found that the definition of conservative was:

Quote:

Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.

I began to think. If the founding fathers favored traditional values, why would we have become a democracy? Since we began as the colonies of a monarchy, so wouldn't monarchy be traditional?
Why would we have revolted at all if we didn't want change?

uhh some people have the idea to want change, others have the idea to keep things the same


and that is conservative in the traditonal sense, i doubt you will find any real classical conservatives anymore, like me im a classical liberal, but in the new post reagan administration sense, hell no i dont follow their damn trends


they do this through voting, ohh and by the way we are not a democracy but a republic

[Darth_Nader]

xBakaTulipx

I'm a liberal myself however, as I looked up the definition I found that the definition of conservative was:

Quote:

Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.

I began to think. If the founding fathers favored traditional values, why would we have become a democracy? Since we began as the colonies of a monarchy, so wouldn't monarchy be traditional?
Why would we have revolted at all if we didn't want change?

the beauty of the definition of Unamerican: you cant be one just for your opinion.

[Darth_Nader]

Kel-Tec

ohh and by the way we are not a democracy but a republic

democratic republic, Why its any better than the old roman empire

[Kel-Tec]

Darth_Nader

Kel-Tec

ohh and by the way we are not a democracy but a republic

democratic republic, Why its any better than the old roman empire

thats kind aimplied but yeah we are a democratic republic


and we are a helluva lot better than those damn romans

[Alliecat]

Those conservatives don't exist anymore. They used to be more traditional, moral, family oriented, but now, thanks to Reagan who has purged the Republican party of any wussy's calling themselves repub. who aren't, they have gone farther right than anyone thought possible.

THey areno longer republicans, what they are, I can guess at, but I'm still not sure myself.

The corporate Elites? That would make sense. Republicans (and yes, Democrats are now all fake too and have jumped into the Repub. band wagon) ((Well, all the Dems. in the senate))
The whole opose change- They do oppose it, unless they really want something, like oil from another country, or trade routes to another country, then its - change or war!

[limbodog]

Liberal and Conservative no longer mean Liberal and Conservative. Because they are used to compartmentalize one's opponents, they have broadened in scope until they essentially mean "Anything I (the speaker) don't like".

I've noticed it more from the right. I see "liberal" used to describe a Frankenstein's Monster amalgamy of communism, drug use, cowardace, theft, and homosexuality. But the left does the same and "conservative" is typically just a placeholder for Nazi KKK member.

[Sebi]

Please somebody tell me the definition of "unamerican". Is being an American a value of some kind?

[ninjabastard jr]

xBakaTulipx

I'm a liberal myself however, as I looked up the definition I found that the definition of conservative was:

Quote:

Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.

I began to think. If the founding fathers favored traditional values, why would we have become a democracy? Since we began as the colonies of a monarchy, so wouldn't monarchy be traditional?
Why would we have revolted at all if we didn't want change?

Liberal and conservative depends on the time and place. The founders at that time were radically liberal. However, the people after them become conservative because they believed in those same ideas and wanted gradual change. And I hope you're not insuating that conservatives are unamercian.

[Caytlin Fox]

Being conservative, by your definition, is not necessarily a good thing.

Some ideas are good. These ideas should be upheld and cherished. Some ideas, however are really dumb. Like taxation without representation. 3nodding

The American founding fathers fought for what they believed in, and afterwards the American conservatives fought in different ways to defend it.

I don't believe that all change is bad, but I have yet to see a better idea than marriage. Or representative government.

[Dynamo Kiev]

Alliecat

Those conservatives don't exist anymore. They used to be more traditional, moral, family oriented, but now, thanks to Reagan who has purged the Republican party of any wussy's calling themselves repub. who aren't, they have gone farther right than anyone thought possible.

THey areno longer republicans, what they are, I can guess at, but I'm still not sure myself.

The corporate Elites? That would make sense. Republicans (and yes, Democrats are now all fake too and have jumped into the Repub. band wagon) ((Well, all the Dems. in the senate))
The whole opose change- They do oppose it, unless they really want something, like oil from another country, or trade routes to another country, then its - change or war!

And you know every Republican in this country to back that up, right?

[look215]

mitoguard

Seems that way, but isn't. Most of those I know who are Conservative under that definition do not oppose change, just want it very gradually. The Conservative would most likely have moved to Canada where they managed to get independance without fighting. (Calls for applause of Canada) Of course this doesn't make Conservatives Un-American just not believing military force should have been used to bring about change, this of course being under the assumption of Conservative at the time, today's Conservatives may be more or less stubborn in their opposition to dramatic change than those of 200 years ago

you aplause Canada , but really what is considered liberal in the states is Conservative here. But still the conservative party here in canada sneds a shiver down my spine. I really think that in this hugely changing time we have no room for conservatism, especially since a majority of people are more centrist and handle things on an issue by issue basis.

[le petit arsenic]

dear lord.

"conservative" is a word that means something different in a political context, as most words in a political context do. the definition of the word "liberal" also means "a large amount." irrelevant in a political context, yes?

"conservative" in america refers to constitutionally conservative, or the belief that the government's powers should be limited to those enumerated to those in the constitution. despite the unfortunate cultural coincidences regarding the christian right, it has nothing to do with "not wanting change" aside from the desire to not restructure the government. i.e the fundamental belief that the government is there to protect life, liberty, and property, and do very little else, which is exactly what the founding fathers believed.

hence why president bush and his administration are very poor conservatives, as is a large faction of the republican party today. but that's another argument entirely.