What’s in a name?

I sat there watching President Obama’s inauguration speech (transcript here) and listening carefully to his vision for America. Then of course, after the speech came the pundits. Ugh. The worst part of every single political event. But what struck me was the idea that President Obama’s speech was the “most liberal”, “most progressive” speech EVAR, and was solely meant to be divisive.

Here’s the headline in my hometown LA Times following the speech: In Obama's inaugural speech, a sweeping liberal vision

Allowing that "our journey is not complete," President Obama offered a robust liberal vision of America in his second inaugural address, embracing gay rights, action on climate change and a substantial role for government even as he acknowledged the challenges of a bitterly divided nation. (emphasis mine)

At a time when we should be overflowing with pride in our political system - one that was designed to give us all a voice, our first instinct is to look for our differences rather than our commonalities. To look for those wedges to drive between us rather than glue to hold us together.

I started thinking about what it meant to be labeled as a liberal or a progressive.

Most Americans agree with the President’s thoughts as outlined in the speech.

(source: ThinkProgress)
To me, that says “mainstream”. Not “liberal”.

Is it liberal to want equality for all under the law?

Is it liberal to want the same autonomy over my body that you have over yours?

Is it liberal to want all people to be able to marry the person that they love?

Is it liberal to want children to grow up in a loving home, regardless of who their parents are, as long as they are loved, well-cared for, and their needs met?

Is it liberal to want to drive on a road without potholes, on a bridge without fear of its collapse, to ride on a mass-transit system rather than a crowded highway?

Is it liberal to want my children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren to grow up in a world where they can view the glaciers, where their every season isn’t plagued by drought, fire, hurricane, flood?

Is it liberal to want the freedom to worship G-d in my own way, regardless of whether that is the same way that you worship G-d?

Is it liberal to want to be able to call my god G-d while you call yours Jesus, while someone else calls him Allah, while someone else calls him Buddha, while someone else calls her Goddess, and while someone else doesn't use that terminology at all?

Is it liberal to want society to contribute back to me, after I’ve spent a lifetime contributing to society?

Is it liberal to wish for diplomacy rather than a rush to war? To use my words rather than my fists, just like my parents taught me?

Is it liberal to want the Statue of Liberty to mean what it says? To welcome immigrants to our country?

Is it liberal to have a family when I want to, not when someone else tells me to?

Is it liberal to not want to be shamed when someone else does wrong to me?

Is it liberal to want my children to live in a world where guns aren’t necessary? Where they can go to school and play and learn freely, without an armed guard to remind them that their life may be in danger every single minute?

Is it liberal to want my next door neighbor to be prohibited from amassing an arsenal of military-grade weaponry?

Is it liberal to wish to enjoy my body in the same way that human beings have been enjoying their bodies since the beginning of humankind?

Is it liberal to not want to be shamed for enjoying my body and my feelings?

Is it liberal to want my children to receive a good education; one that encourages them to think independently and that doesn’t rely on someone else’s view of G-d?

Is it liberal to want to earn the same wage for doing the same work as my neighbor?

Is it liberal to want to earn a living wage?

Is it liberal to want to be able to send my children to college?

Is it liberal to seek knowledge?

Is it liberal to want to use the knowledge we gain for the good of all our people rather than to line the pockets of a few?

Is it liberal to want my children to learn the perils of unprotected sex?

Is it liberal to wish for someone else to not label me based upon their own beliefs, but rather to judge me for how I treat others, for my contributions rather than my deficits?

Is it liberal to want us to treat each other as we would wish to be treated? With respect, with understanding, with compassion, with a helping hand, with love?

I don't believe these things make me liberal. I contend these things make me human.

These are the things that President Obama talked about in his inauguration speech. Do they make him liberal? I don't believe so. I contend they make him human.

If most Americans agree with the ideas in his speech, does that make most Americans liberal? I think most Americans wouldn’t agree with that name/label. I think they believe they are simply human.

Names and labels have a way of taking the humanity out of our positions. Will we think that there are different paths to get to those ideals? Surely. But does that mean we should label those ideals as anything other than human values? I don’t think it does.

Governments should not be run like a business. Businesses exist to make money. Governments exist to care for their citizenry. And while we should strive to pay for our programs the best way that we can, the goal of government is not to turn a profit. The goal is to do what it takes to care for its people.

Does that make me a liberal? Fine then.