WHAT A TRUE LIBERAL IS...

This is me, Joe Knudson, with my dog Oscar.   I AM A LIBERAL (Oscar could definitely confirm this if needed), but I bet many of you do not know what that term really means.  I am attaching below a summation of what being a liberal means to the majority of individuals I know claiming that distinction.

This summation is virtually me word, for almost word, the writing even sounds like it was written by me, but it wasn't in its entirety.  It's nice for a change to find something summarized by others that sums oneself up so succinctly, without having to take the time other than to edit to reflect closer my own thoughts and opinions.  Many believe the summation you are about to read was written by Ron Howard, actor, director, and producer, but it wasn't, even though credit many times is given him.  Before I post anything anywhere, I check my facts totally, including all sources; I give credit where it is due and necessitated,  You should always know when you are reading something portraying my thoughts, opinions, and summations, they are my thoughts, opinions, and summations; if they are the total or partial words of someone else, I will disclose that to you. 

The summation below was originally written by Lori Gallagher Witt several iterations back and sums up what being a liberal truly is, with that summation depicting my liberalism (content has been edited to more clearly reflect my own personal beliefs, with open and implied consent by any and all contributors):

I'm a liberal, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it means. I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along these same lines:

1. I believe a country should, among many other responsibilities, take care of its weakest citizens to a certain degree. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. 

2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow that's interpreted as "I believe Obamacare is the end-all, be-all." This is not the case. I'm fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it's impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws, but I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes "let people die because they can't afford healthcare" a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I'm not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.

3. I believe education should be affordable. It doesn't necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I'm mystified as to why it can't work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.

4. I don't believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don't want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this.  I just have a problem with a society with inequitable laws allowing a handful of people to possess the majority of the wealth, while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can't afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their fair share would go a long way toward alleviating this. Some think believing that makes me a communist?  Absolutely not!

5. I don't throw around "I'm willing to pay higher taxes" lightly. If I'm suggesting something that involves paying more, well, it's because I'm fine with paying my share as long as it's actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or the unnecessary bombing of other countries while Americans die without healthcare.

6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting fast food workers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multi billion-dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn't have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.

7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians of any denomination from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is - and should be - illegal). All I ask is that Christians of any denomination recognize *my* right to live according to *my* own religious beliefs. When I get upset that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I'm not "offended by Christianity" -- I'm offended that you're trying to force me to live by your religious beliefs. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia law on you?  This country was founded by our forefathers with the concept of separation of church and state.  The word God and certain other religious terminology was not a part of the original documents that our forefathers drafted forming our great nation; that wording you see now in certain places was added many, many years later.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally). I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

10. I don't believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED certain limited regulations to prevent companies from cutting corners, to prevent environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It's not that I want the government's hands in everything, I just don't feel we should have to take a company at their word that their products/practices/etc. are actually SAFE and legal. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with certain regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they're harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies do their own thing, with many times the total regard to profits taking precedence over the safety of our citizens or the adherence to established laws.

11. I believe our current administration is operating within a certain degree of fascism.  Not because I dislike them or because I can’t get over an election, but because I believe in the facts and the actions that have been taken and how too many of them are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.

12. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and is more pronounced under the current administration, which means those with privilege -- white, straight, male, economic, etc. -- need to start listening, even if they don't like what they're hearing, so we can start addressing this problem within our society that's causing people to be so marginalized.

13. I am not interested in coming after your guns, nor is anyone serving in government. What I am interested in is the enforcement of present laws and enacting new, common sense gun control regulations. In line with this, we must address the problem of home grown terrorism.

14. I believe in so-called political correctness, but I prefer to think it’s social politeness; it’s the polite thing to do. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less harmful than the one you're using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person?

15. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. I also believe in scientific facts and global warming.

16. I believe that women and any minority class should not be treated as a separate class of citizens. They should be paid the same as anyone who does the same work, and should have the same rights as any other citizen, as well as be free from abuse or discrimination of any form.

I am a liberal partly because I believe human consideration and decency should occupy a place in the chain of events, rather than sole precedence given to the almighty dollar or to your varied personal political and religious beliefs.  In other words,  I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable alternative to your product of individual discrimination as a result of certain social or religious beliefs incorporated in your actions affecting others, nor to your excessive lust for wealth accomplished by breaking or getting around the laws, while trampling on others.  I believe in prosperity, just not at the unethical, illegal, and discriminatory expense of others in the process...

This is a sampling of what being a liberal is to me.  I actually edited much more than I intended, but I wanted my true feelings to emerge to others in print!  I appreciate your taking the time to read this...

                              Joseph C. Knudson