Here in the US, the Republican political party is called conservative and the Democratic party is called liberal. These two words have meanings.

Definition 1 for conservative at Oxford Languages is: "Averse to change or innovation and holding traditional values… Definition 2 is: "(In a political context) favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas.

Okay. And then we have Republicans in Congress labeling Democrats “the enemy.” The traditional term for the other political party (in the US and some other countries) is “the loyal opposition.” There’s nothing conservative about painting the half the country that you disagree with “the enemy.”

We have some prominent Republicans admitting that Hitler had a point as well. Nothing traditional in that. Heck, in Germany this might require a prison sentence. They’re also in a moral uproar over immigrants. Even legal ones.

And then we have Democrats. They support LGBT rights and the self determination of pregnant women. There have been abortions almost as long as there have been births. There is something very traditional about abortion.

We also have the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” There are no exceptions here. It doesn’t say “unless you are gay,” or anything similar.

We’ve also got Republicans firebombing and having shooting sprees. (Yes, there is the occasional Democrat here, but it’s the exception that proves the rule.) These, like many of their other actions are radical, not conservative.

Radicals by definition are not conservative. By definition, radical means: “a person who advocates thorough or complete political or social reform; a member of a political party or part of a party pursuing such aims.”

Let’s think a bit about how overturning Roe v. Wade after 50 years is a radical change. How about all those new anti-transgender laws that are being signed into law?

I’m a trans dyke who’s married. Marriage is utterly conservative. While we might not want to admit it, gay folk have been around forever too. So traditional.

So what’s up with those radicals? Why are they demanding to live in the 1950s? Turning back time 70 years is quite radical and puts all of society in turmoil. These are not the plans of conservative people.

  • vegivamp@feddit.nlEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    radical răd′ĭ-kəl adjective

    1. Arising from or going to a root or source; basic.
2. Departing markedly from the usual or customary; extreme or drastic.
3. Relating to or advocating fundamental or revolutionary changes in current practices, conditions, or institutions.

    I believe 2. is the most common colloquial use. It is perfectly possible to be a radical conservative; and I would actually argue that conservativism is a radical ideology, given that the world at large wants to make progress.