What do Conservative-leaning people in Western countries...

[SpeedRacer 1]

think of Liberals in extremely anti-Liberal countries?

I was thinking of this because of the protesters in Iran. Many of whom are young, urban, college-educated. They are largely campaigning for a more liberal government.

In Iran there are also those Conservative Iranians who support the current government & disagree with the protesters, because they believe the current government will protect their religious values and stand up against the West who would try to push their country around.

So what do Conservatives think of the protestors in Iran? Do you truly sympathize with them, or are they our "useful idiots?"

Speed Racer
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[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

That's one of the problems with the "liberal" and "conservative" labels.

Is asking for free and fair elections "liberal"?
Or accountability and transparency of gov't?

I tend to be more of an "anti-extremist".

The exterme ends of communism (like Stalin) or facism (like Hitler) look pretty similar to me.

Although it isn't an absolutely true saying, the fact that free and "liberal" democracies rarely wage war on each other is pretty accurate.

Personally, I wish the protesters in Iran the best. They seem to have lost the right to free speech, press and assembly in the process of having the election stolen.
Go figure.

It's interesting how they have adapted. First using the internet, then cell phones and texts, then (as each technology is blocked) shouting from the rooftops.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[SpeedRacer 1]

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The exterme ends of communism (like Stalin) or facism (like Hitler) look pretty similar to me.

Although it isn't an absolutely true saying, the fact that free and "liberal" democracies rarely wage war on each other is pretty accurate.

I agree with all of this.

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[kallend 2,230]

The only trait conservatives have in common is the urge to help people less fortunate than themselves ... to stay that way.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Royd 0]

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The only trait conservatives have in common is the urge to help people less fortunate than themselves ... to stay that way.

Liberals have really planted the flag, on the hilltop, on the War on Poverty, haven't they....Sure hate to lift that constituency out of the doldrums of poverty.

[airdvr 210]

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The only trait conservatives have in common is the urge to help people less fortunate than themselves ... to stay that way.

That's some funny shit right there! How's that War on Poverty working?

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[Zep 0]

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The only trait conservatives have in common is the urge to help people less fortunate than themselves ... to stay that way.

I think you've been away from Europe to long, years of incompetent lefty governments have left the workers poorer
than any conservative government ever did

Gone fishing

[loumeinhart 0]

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The only trait conservatives have in common is the urge to help people less fortunate than themselves ... to stay that way

wow

You just said that as a Conservative (political affiliation) I posess a "trait" to help people stay less fortunate than me.

Can you show me how I "help" people stay less fortunate than me? How about you? I guarantee that you have more wealth than me. You are a college professor right? Why can't I have a job like yours? Why can't I have what you have Kallend?

[captain1976 0]

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Many of whom are young, urban, college-educated. They are largely campaigning for a more liberal government.

Most college educated people are liberal. They are products of the school systems which taught them that way.

Conservatives can also be college educated but there was generally a gap in our education where we had a chance to see the real world and how Liberals like to share our wealth.

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[SpeedRacer 1]

so then, do you think the Conservatives in Iran are the more realistic ones? Should the Liberals in Iran stop all their protesting?

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[ryoder 1,590]

Trying to compare liberals/conservatives in one country with those of another is meaningless.
In a nutshell, the liberal wants to make changes, while the conservative wants everything to stay the same.
What that really means can only be measured by examining the situation of the specific country.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[SpeedRacer 1]

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Trying to compare liberals/conservatives in one country with those of another is meaningless.
In a nutshell, the liberal wants to make changes, while the conservative wants everything to stay the same.
What that really means can only be measured by examining the situation of the specific country.

That's true. For example, a liberal in the USA is generally considered to be left of center and a conservative is right of center. When the USSR was abandoning Communism, the conservative there wanted to keep it in place, while the Liberals wanted a new system.

Conservatism though generally means you support your country's tradition, and are resistant to change and treat outsiders with a healthy level of suspicion. You don't want foreign countries influencing your own country too much, and you want your leader to take a strong adversarial stance against other countries that don't share your country's way of life.

So that describes Conservatives both in the USA and in Iran.

So my question is: what are the liberal protestors in Iran to Western conservatives? Do they think the protestors are really just "useful idiots" who will weaken Iran so we can take over? Or do they think the protestors really have the right idea & would make Iran a better place?

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[captain1976 0]

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so then, do you think the Conservatives in Iran are the more realistic ones? Should the Liberals in Iran stop all their protesting?

I wouldn't consider any officials in Iran Conservatives, rather they are fanatics, and I wouldn't insult the protesters by calling them liberals.

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[ryoder 1,590]

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So my question is: what are the liberal protestors in Iran to Western conservatives? Do they think the protestors are really just "useful idiots" who will weaken Iran so we can take over? Or do they think the protestors really have the right idea & would make Iran a better place?

What would you say about a guy who (in chronological order):
1. Opposed an established secular gov't.
2. Helped overthrow that gov't, and became a high-ranking official of a new religion-based gov't.
3. Lost his support when the head of the revolution died.
4. Years later began protesting against same gov't which he had helped create.

It is funny that many people today look at Mir-Hossein Mousavi as a liberal,
but he was once a right-hand man of Ruhollah Khomeini,
which would make him a hard-line conservative.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[ridestrong 1]

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The only trait conservatives have in common is the urge to help people less fortunate than themselves ... to stay that way.

but you can help people less fortunate by giving them free stuff.... right??? or does that just make them more content to stay as they are... receiving hand-outs.

We have all seen this video (attached below) seems like an unproductive mentality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8rTb3jI

It would be great if poverty was non-existent but that will never be the case.

also unproductive--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJdu-HCyGZE

*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.*
----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.----

[Laszloimage 0]

For example: Rush Limbaugh is a well known conservative but he's also pretty fanatic.

...don't worry I still think the current Iranian goverment/power is wrong!

[SpeedRacer 1]

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so then, do you think the Conservatives in Iran are the more realistic ones? Should the Liberals in Iran stop all their protesting?

I wouldn't consider any officials in Iran Conservatives, rather they are fanatics, and I wouldn't insult the protesters by calling them liberals.

Liberal is not an insult. Look it up.

The USA was radically Liberal when it was founded.

Liberal means opposition to authoritarianism and orthodoxy.

The Taliban-style Government is an example of a society where Liberalism is wiped out.

The word "Liberal" has been abused over the last 20 years to the point where so many people don't even know what it means anymore. Try opening up a dictionary.

Rush Limbaugh has over the last 20 years brainwashed people into believing that Liberalism is bad straight across the board.

You might make that argument for that one type known as "welfare- state liberalism," but what about the other forms of liberalism?

In short, it is not an insult to call the protestors in Iran 'Liberals", it is in fact accurate, since they are protesting for a more Liberal (less authoritarian) form of government.

They are not looking for government handouts, they just want more freedom.

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[rehmwa 2]

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They are not looking for government handouts, they just want more freedom.

the good kind of liberals, not like what we seem to have - as we have people on both the left and the right that have liberal ideas right along that description


(nice post)

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[SpeedRacer 1]

I feel that in the 90s & 2000s, the right wing pundits have FUBARed the definition of "Liberal".

Just like in the 60s and 70s, the Far Left pundits FUBARed the definition of "Fascist". Labeling anyone they disagreed with a "fascist". (ie, corporations, police who arrest criminals, people who make a lot of money, whatever)

Once you fuck up the definiton, you can twist things up any way you like.

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[ryoder 1,590]

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I feel that in the 90s & 2000s, the right wing pundits have FUBARed the definition of "Liberal".

Another word they FUBARed is "neoconservative".
It used to mean "newly conservative", but now it just means "war-mongering interventionist".

Example; This used to be funny:

Neoconservative: A liberal who just got mugged.
Neoliberal: A conservative who just got arrested.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Andy9o8 3]

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I feel that in the 90s & 2000s, the right wing pundits have FUBARed the definition of "Liberal".

Just like in the 60s and 70s, the Far Left pundits FUBARed the definition of "Fascist". Labeling anyone they disagreed with a "fascist". (ie, corporations, police who arrest criminals, people who make a lot of money, whatever)

Once you fuck up the definiton, you can twist things up any way you like.

They took their cue from the 1950's, when conservatives labeled everyone that disagreed with them "Communist" and/or "un-American". (Buncha fascists...)

[Amazon 7]

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I feel that in the 90s & 2000s, the right wing pundits have FUBARed the definition of "Liberal".

Just like in the 60s and 70s, the Far Left pundits FUBARed the definition of "Fascist". Labeling anyone they disagreed with a "fascist". (ie, corporations, police who arrest criminals, people who make a lot of money, whatever)

Once you fuck up the definiton, you can twist things up any way you like.

They took their cue from the 1950's, when conservatives labeled everyone that disagreed with them "Communist" and/or "un-American". (Buncha fascists...)

Gee it seems that was still happening in the last decade. A LOT

a Quote from Wiki

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President George W. Bush, in an address to a joint session of Congress on September 20, 2001 said, "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

At least he changed commies to terrorists.. but the implied un-americanism was loud and clear... and we got good old McCarthism back in America with the Patriot Act.. and the Iraq War... a hot war instead of a Cold War.

[Channman 2]

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The only trait conservatives have in common is the urge to help people less fortunate than themselves ... to stay that way.

but you can help people less fortunate by giving them free stuff.... right??? or does that just make them more content to stay as they are... receiving hand-outs.




We have all seen this video (attached below) seems like an unproductive mentality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36x8rTb3jI

It would be great if poverty was non-existent but that will never be the case.

also unproductive--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJdu-HCyGZE

And thats just two examples of a Liberal education.

[Channman 2]

> "...Liberalism is bad straight across the board."

I would agree that Liberal Leftest are nothing more than a Cancer in any society.

> 'Liberals", it is in fact accurate, since they are protesting for a more Liberal (less authoritarian) form of government.

They are not looking for government handouts, they just want more freedom.


Well, I think I can wrap my hands around this...(less authoritarian form of government), and more freedom is exactly what I want. But American Liberals, Progressives, Leftest seem to me, want something entirely different.

[kallend 2,230]

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> "...Liberalism is bad straight across the board."

I would agree that Liberal Leftest are nothing more than a Cancer in any society.

> 'Liberals", it is in fact accurate, since they are protesting for a more Liberal (less authoritarian) form of government.

They are not looking for government handouts, they just want more freedom.


Well, I think I can wrap my hands around this...(less authoritarian form of government), and more freedom is exactly what I want. But American Liberals, Progressives, Leftest seem to me, want something entirely different.

Well, wrap your hands around this. My household income and net worth is in the top 2%, I probably pay more tax than 98% of the whiny tea-baggers, I'm not asking for a hand out, and I'm sure you'd call me a liberal.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.