We often see and hear some of our fellow Americans labeled as "liberals" and certain viewpoints or opinions sometimes disparaged as "liberalism." The Latin root of those words is "free." Here is how liberalism is actually defined:

Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual , liberty , consent of the governed and equality before the law . Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but they generally support individual rights (including civil rights and human rights ), liberal democracy , secularism , rule of law , economic and political freedom , freedom of speech , freedom of the press , freedom of religion , private property and a market economy .

Most of this sounds pretty good to me, and you may also support most or at least some of those rights. If so, as Jeff Foxworthy would say You miiiggghhhttt be a liberal!

David Stene lives in Pelican Lake, Minn.

This letter does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Forum's editorial board nor Forum ownership.

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Letter: If you agree with these principles, you might be a liberal - INFORUM