What does "bleeding heart" mean in American English?
bleeding heart
it's usually coupled with "liberal," so as to make "a bleeding heart liberal," an individual who is probably pacifist, tolerant, etc.
I'm fairly tolerant, I eat organic food, etc., but I am not a bleeding heart liberal. Most liberals I know are
a. the intellectual elite who want to manipulate dumber people
b. would-be intellectuals who think that they are more cultured than others.
c. social liberals who haven't thought things through to the obvious conclusion (curtailing of liberty for almost everyone)
d. silly people who are waiting for the government to mommy them.
e. who who like French (no, that's just a joke I threw in there.)
f. Hollywood silly butts and "artists" (some are artistes)
h. union members who have to tow the line to get the pay
I know about liberals. I have them in my family. I've worked with them. I've been friends with several and I really liked them. I don't think that they are cool anymore. I'm not in college.
a. the intellectual elite who want to manipulate dumber people
b. would-be intellectuals who think that they are more cultured than others.
c. social liberals who haven't thought things through to the obvious conclusion (curtailing of liberty for almost everyone)
d. silly people who are waiting for the government to mommy them.
e. who who like French (no, that's just a joke I threw in there.)
f. Hollywood silly butts and "artists" (some are artistes)
h. union members who have to tow the line to get the pay
I know about liberals. I have them in my family. I've worked with them. I've been friends with several and I really liked them. I don't think that they are cool anymore. I'm not in college.
"Bleeding Heart Liberal"
There are a lot of nice qualities associated with 'bleeding heart liberals'. Recently the British government has protested strongly to China about the execution of a British man for bring four kilos of heroin into China.
I don't think most British people would support the British governments stance on this topic. If someone does something dangerous and foolish there is a possibility that they will be killed.
I am very pleased that China has a one child per couple policy. It contrasts strongly with American attitudes towards abortion. I think that the American attitude is indefensible. However the American arguments against abortion tend to be very well presented by very powerful lobby groups.
The 'pro-life' groups would not like to be described as 'bleeding heart liberals'. This term 'bleeding heart liberal' is used to describe the political groupings in Western (European and American) countries.
The term 'Liberal' used to be used a lot in South Africa as an insult to describe the political opposition to apartheid.
The armed opposition to apartheid were described as 'Communists'.
'Bleeding Heart' possibly suggests that Liberals are in some ways fellow travellers with Communists; both 'Reds'.
There are a lot of nice qualities associated with 'bleeding heart liberals'. Recently the British government has protested strongly to China about the execution of a British man for bring four kilos of heroin into China.
I don't think most British people would support the British governments stance on this topic. If someone does something dangerous and foolish there is a possibility that they will be killed.
I am very pleased that China has a one child per couple policy. It contrasts strongly with American attitudes towards abortion. I think that the American attitude is indefensible. However the American arguments against abortion tend to be very well presented by very powerful lobby groups.
The 'pro-life' groups would not like to be described as 'bleeding heart liberals'. This term 'bleeding heart liberal' is used to describe the political groupings in Western (European and American) countries.
The term 'Liberal' used to be used a lot in South Africa as an insult to describe the political opposition to apartheid.
The armed opposition to apartheid were described as 'Communists'.
'Bleeding Heart' possibly suggests that Liberals are in some ways fellow travellers with Communists; both 'Reds'.
To reinforce the point that I am making, I noticed an advert on the side of Anitmoon. President Obama dressed to look like a doctor, with the slogan below:
Obama Care
STOP HIM!
Vote Here Now!
That is an interesting example of an American lobby group using its financial muscle to try to influence public opinion. I suspect that health care for all would be described as the sort of policy favoured by 'bleeding heart liberals'. Health care only for wealthy people could be described as 'the American Way' or obscene!
Obama Care
STOP HIM!
Vote Here Now!
That is an interesting example of an American lobby group using its financial muscle to try to influence public opinion. I suspect that health care for all would be described as the sort of policy favoured by 'bleeding heart liberals'. Health care only for wealthy people could be described as 'the American Way' or obscene!
<<It contrasts strongly with American attitudes towards abortion. I think that the American attitude is indefensible. However the American arguments against abortion tend to be very well presented by very powerful lobby groups. >>
I support abortion. Not because I think abortion does not constitute real murder, but I support it precisely because I think it IS murder! I am not pro-choice, I'm pro-death.
I am also pro-death penalty, not because I think it is a fair punishment, but precisely because I think it ISN'T a fair punishment!
I also support runaway capitalism. Not because I think it is a good system that leads to prosperity, but precisely because I think it is a SHIT system that brings only suffering!
I support abortion. Not because I think abortion does not constitute real murder, but I support it precisely because I think it IS murder! I am not pro-choice, I'm pro-death.
I am also pro-death penalty, not because I think it is a fair punishment, but precisely because I think it ISN'T a fair punishment!
I also support runaway capitalism. Not because I think it is a good system that leads to prosperity, but precisely because I think it is a SHIT system that brings only suffering!
A "bleeding heart" is someone who is overly sympathetic or empathetic, especially as it relates to some over some particular cause. It can be associated with anything, not just politics. It comes from the expression "(my) heart bleeds for (you)", which translates roughly as "(I) really feel your (pain/plight/sorrow/etc.). (You may substitute the pronoun and object of your choice).
Your Aunt Sally may have a soft spot for animals, and her heart bleeds for the stray pets put to sleep in shelters every day. Or your cousin may be stricken with tears when hearing about children starving in some refugee camp. If they seem to take it to extremes or become more emotionally affected than normal about some cause or another, people may refer to them as "bleeding hearts". This phrase has a certain amount of negative connotation, which can be mild -- "Aunt Sally is a real bleeding heart when it comes to stray puppies and kittens; she's forever giving money to one animal charity after another!" -- to seriously contemptuous, as when people use it as a political epithet. (Liberals are labelled as "bleeding hearts" by their political opponents because they are seen by their detractors as being overly sympathetic to the poor, the helpless, the environment, etc. and are actually willing to spend tax money on them.)
Your Aunt Sally may have a soft spot for animals, and her heart bleeds for the stray pets put to sleep in shelters every day. Or your cousin may be stricken with tears when hearing about children starving in some refugee camp. If they seem to take it to extremes or become more emotionally affected than normal about some cause or another, people may refer to them as "bleeding hearts". This phrase has a certain amount of negative connotation, which can be mild -- "Aunt Sally is a real bleeding heart when it comes to stray puppies and kittens; she's forever giving money to one animal charity after another!" -- to seriously contemptuous, as when people use it as a political epithet. (Liberals are labelled as "bleeding hearts" by their political opponents because they are seen by their detractors as being overly sympathetic to the poor, the helpless, the environment, etc. and are actually willing to spend tax money on them.)
I think people should help those in need-but not through taxes. People should do it willingly. This is the problem. People are no longer Christian in their thinking-even if we use "Christian" in the British sense of the word, so the government thinks that it has to force people to help others through taxing them (whether or not some ALREADY help the poor, animals in need, etc.) I know that some people who are not "liberals" give a lot of money to help others. I also know that some people who have political power on the so-called Left give relatively little in the way of charity (as far as tax-deductible charity anyway).