Honest and truthful dialogue is important between all sides and factions. Most importantly all factions, sides, and ideologies should be able to express the reasons for their belief in said ideologies.
Being able to express the truthful reasons for supporting a specific ideology lends itself to an objective dialogue based on ones moral compass, ones level of societal empathy, and much more. In fact when the truth of ones ideology is expressed, it can actually cause a reconsideration.
Speaking as a Liberal, one of the most impactful sequences on the series West Wing was the debate between Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda). Victor Sifuentes was running as the Liberal Democrat and Arnold Vinick as the Conservative Republican.
When Arnold Vinick pointed out that many Liberals feared the word Liberal so much so that they now refer to themselves as Progressives, Matt Santos shot back in the dialogue. “I know you like to use that word Liberal as if it were a crime.” He continued with realities too few are aware of.
The following truth, the following reality should roll of the tongue of every Liberal. It may actually grow the Liberal base, if not in labels at least in actions and in awareness.
The Liberal Statement
Abraham Lincoln, a Republican Liberal ended slavery in this country. Abraham Lincoln would not be allowed into today’s Republican Party. Liberals got women and African Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. Liberals created the Affordable Care Act that saved the lives and prevented the bankruptcies of millions of Americans. Conservatives opposed every single one of those programs. When you attempt to make Liberals ashamed of the Liberal label as if it were something dirty or something to run away from, real Liberals embrace their accomplishments and invite all to join the fold and wear that badge of honor.