Liberals come in different forms just as conservatives have different perspectives. Charles Murray argues in a recent op-ed that: “not everyone on the left wants to quash dissent.” He makes a distinction between liberals and progressives. While some might disagree with his definitions, I think most of us would agree that there are significant differences between two groups often given the designation of liberal or progressive.
He explains that: “liberalism has nothing in common with the political mind-set that wants right-of-center speakers kept off campus, rationalized the forced resignation of a CEO who opposes gay marriage, or thinks George F. Will should be fired for writing a column disagreeable to that mind set.”
As a Christian speaker on college campuses, I appreciated that liberal professors would often invite me or other people on our speaking team to address the course topics from a Christian perspective. But there were others (professors and administrators) who did all they could to prevent us from speaking at all on campus. Eventually their numbers and influence grew so much that we rarely had opportunities to speak on college campuses.
We see these two camps in action today in the political arena. Liberals support the right of debate and dissent. Charles Murray uses the example of liberals who gave money to the ACLU in the 1970s even when it defended the right of neo-Nazis to march.
Contrast that with progressives who historically “were in favor of using the state to mold social institutions in the interests of the collective.” Progressives today want to shutdown any debate and demonstrate an intolerance greater than the intolerance they accuse conservatives or Christians of exercising.
Like I said, some may not accept his particular definitions of liberal and progressive. Charles Murray, nevertheless, has reminded us of the difference between these two groups. One camp allows debate even if when the views expressed are antithetical to their position on policy issues. The other group works to stop debate and marginalize anyone who may disagree with them.