To the editor:

For the past decade, many Americans have come to believe that being a “liberal” is akin to devil worship or hating America or … actually, I’m not really sure why it’s become such a frightening word. Perhaps we have let it be defined as something it is not.

Here are a few dictionary definitions of liberal: “favorable to progress or reform; of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies or monarchies; free from prejudice or bigotry; open-minded or tolerant.” Gasp! Horror! We must be protected from these things!

I, for one, am tired of liberal politicians trying to explain why they are not liberal — what is there to be ashamed of? George Will’s last column implies that there is some kind of screening process at colleges and universities that filters out conservative or opposing thought at all levels. Having spent my entire professional life working at colleges and universities, I would say the only thing screened or filtered out is small-minded, cruel and intolerant thought.

I’m not surprised Democrats outnumber Republicans seven to one in the humanities and social sciences but I’m sure the opposite is true among executives at Halliburton, the pharmaceutical companies and many other corporations. Why is there no outcry to get more Democrats into corporate America? I guess the bottom line is, I’d rather have a bleeding heart than no heart at all.

Marilyn Woodward,

Lawrence