In The Netherlands and a lot other Eururopean countries, a liberal is someone who belongs to a liberal party (in my country at this moment one of the parties in the government), which is mostly to the right of the political spectrum (OK, still considered leftish by American Republicans). I'd like to think of a liberal to be (mostly) a polite person, who thinks about values in life, who thinks a government (or person or company) should spend no more money than what comes in, who values order and justice and human rights, and who wants to give the poor, helpless and needy a good treatment and decent life.

I'm a liberal and proud of it. I've had Americans laugh in my face because of such a statement. I guess many American Republicans would think I am a communist. Tsk....

Update: There are liberals who are atheist, christian, muslim or hindu. Some liberals are conservative, others are extremely progressive or kapitalistic. I am a moderately progressive, moderately kapitalistic and radical;y atheistic liberal, I oppose fascism and communism, I oppose criminal behavior, slavery, poverty, greediness, hatred and bigotry. I am my own boss and I decide on my own actions. I say what I think I need to say, and sometimes that has to be blunt, and sometimes it needs to be political correct. I do not believe in supernatural beings or an afterlife; death is the end and the purpose of life is to live life in a good way, helping others and trying to make the world a better place. Helping others with words, money, deeds, and being generous with help. Being remembered as a good person, maybe because of what I did, what I wrote, what I said and what I made, would be my reward, and I hope I realise it just before I die, so I can die happy and free. That is liberal for me: being free, and helping others to be free, in mind and in body.

I've been liberal long before i learned the word is used in politics

$$ dict liberal
--- [from web1913] ---
Liberal \Lib"er*al\ (l[i^]b"[~e]r*al), a. [F. lib['e]ral, L.
   liberalis, from liber free; perh. akin to libet, lubet, it
   pleases, E. lief. Cf. {Deliver}.]
   1. Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman;
      refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean;
      as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or
      studies. `` Liberal education.'' --Macaulay. `` A liberal
      tongue.'' --Shak.

   2. Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman;
      generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver. ``
      Liberal of praise.'' --Bacon.

            Infinitely good, and of his good As liberal and free
            as infinite.                          --Milton.

   3. Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient;
      abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a
      liberal discharge of matter or of water.

            His wealth doth warrant a liberal dower. --Shak.

   4. Not strict or rigorous; not confined or restricted to the
      literal sense; free; as, a liberal translation of a
      classic, or a liberal construction of law or of language.

   5. Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in
      spirit; catholic.

   6. Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint;
      licentious. `` Most like a liberal villain.'' --Shak.

   7. Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in
      political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion;
      not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the
      constitution or administration of government; having
      tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished
      from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal
      thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party.

            I confess I see nothing liberal in this `` order of
            thoughts,'' as Hobbes elsewhere expresses it.
                                                  --Hazlitt.

   Note: Liberal has of, sometimes with, before the thing
         bestowed, in before a word signifying action, and to
         before a person or object on which anything is
         bestowed; as, to be liberal of praise or censure;
         liberal with money; liberal in giving; liberal to the
         poor.

   {The liberal arts}. See under {Art}.

   {Liberal education}, education that enlarges and disciplines
      the mind and makes it master of its own powers,
      irrespective of the particular business or profession one
      may follow.

   Syn: Generous; bountiful; munificent; beneficent; ample;
        large; profuse; free.

   Usage: {Liberal}, {Generous}. Liberal is freeborn, and
          generous is highborn. The former is opposed to the
          ordinary feelings of a servile state, and implies
          largeness of spirit in giving, judging, acting, etc.
          The latter expresses that nobleness of soul which is
          peculiarly appropriate to those of high rank, -- a
          spirit that goes out of self, and finds its enjoyment
          in consulting the feelings and happiness of others.
          Generosity is measured by the extent of the sacrifices
          it makes; liberality, by the warmth of feeling which
          it manifests.

--- [from web1913] ---
Liberal \Lib"er*al\, n.
   One who favors greater freedom in political or religious
   matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer;
   in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so
   called. Cf. {Whig}.

--- [from wn] ---
liberal
     adj 1: showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad
            political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a
            liberal newspaper"; "tolerant of his opponent's
            opinions" [syn: {broad}, {large-minded}, {tolerant}]
     2: having political or social views favoring reform and
        progress
     3: tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism,
        orthodoxy, or tradition [ant: {conservative}]
     4: given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous
        goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded
        host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday's child is loving
        and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent
        gift"; "her fond and openhanded grandfather" [syn: {big},
        {bighearted}, {bounteous}, {bountiful}, {freehanded}, {handsom
+e},
         {giving}, {openhanded}]
     5: not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been
        told"; "a free translation of the poem" [syn: {free}, {loose}]
     n 1: a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and
          reform and the protection of civil liberties [syn: {progress
+ive}]
          [ant: {conservative}]
     2: a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and
        self-regulating markets
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People who've taken politics courses are aware of what the terms liberal and conservative actually mean. Due to the media's redefinition of these terms, though, it's necessary to adapt to their common usage when discussing things with people who haven't taken politics courses.

It doesn't make sense to hold a debate with someone when you're speaking different languages, nor does it make sense to spend energy debating over the language, if it is not directly related to the debate.

I'm glad, that the Nederlands have preserved its true meaning, though.

If you want to learn more about Capitalism, capitalism.org is a good place to go. :)

funny, I'd always associated conservatives and rights with the politcal correctness, and liberals and lefts with freedome of speech and so on.
((points out that he's an american...))

and on an entirely different note, for some reason, it seems that the largest amount of profanity on PM is in the nodes that are discussing censorship in some way or another