"I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony"

"Now I've got a hammer/and I've got a bell/and I've got a song to sing/all over this land/it's the hammer of justice/it's the bell of freedom/it's a song about love between my brothers and sisters/all over this land"

"Imagine all the people/living lives in peace/you may say I'm a dreamer/but I'm not the only one/I hope someday you'll join us/and the world will live as one".

A long time ago, liberals were presented to us as people who lived in esoteric, communal bliss. They spoke for peace, love and understanding. While this was actually a fantasized view of a culture that was, in fact, much different, it is true that at least outwardly liberals at one time spoke for peace, love and unity.

I was born in 1970, almost exactly 9 months after Woodstock. My dad was a "liberal", and claimed to espouse many "hippy" views. As I grew, I began to see more and more of the truth behind the myth of the man I once admired.

You see, to him, unknown children in Nicaragua mattered; his own did not. He was content to allow the state to raise us while he concentrated on efforts that brought him more praise. And beneath his outward profession of love was a seething hatred of anyone who would dare question his interpretation of the way things should be. To doubt that we should surrender our liberties to a socialist machine was the pinnacle of stupidity, to question the validity of his stance only went to show your ignorance on the subject matter.

And yet, I thought he was an anomaly among liberals. Until my aunt severely reprimanded me for refusing to concede to her viewpoint of absolute abortion on demand. It wasn't enough to grudgingly concede a woman's right to choose; I was still wrong unless I demanded a woman's right to kill her unborn child on a whim. And yet, I still thought they were anomalies.

Then, through my college years, I was friends with the leader of the socialist party in Oklahoma, as well as several members of the gay/lesbian groups on campus. Same group, same results. By this time, I started to think I was just drawn to the "kookish elements" of the left.

Through the internet, I have begun to see a broader cross section. You know what? the hatred and intolerance for others who don't hold to their view still holds as a universal. Their idea of tolerance does not extend to the other end of the political spectrum; they DEMAND tolerance while refusing to cede it.

While the 60's "flower children" weren't usually what they presented themselves to be, they at least had something to sell. Peace, love, unity...who wouldn't want that? But today's liberal has reached out in desperation; as the public has begun to see the weakness in their house of cards, they've begun lashing out in a vain attempt at self preservation. This has served to show their seamy underbelly to every fence sitter along the way.

Sure there are exceptions. There are always exceptions, otherwise, stereotypes would always be accurate. But if those exceptions don't do something fast to reclaim the left from these vitriolic idiots, there will be nothing of the left remaining to salvage.