--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people ask me if I'm liberal or…" description: "\"When people ask me if I'm liberal or conservative, I say, 'Yeah.' I'm both of them. To be a liberal means to be open-minded and generous and open to ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/adam-hamilton-12592_aside_when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-con_1169771.png" --- # When people ask me if I'm liberal or conservative, I say… ![“When people ask me if I'm liberal or conservative, I say, 'Yeah.' I'm both of them. To be a liberal means to be open-minded and generous and open to new ideas. And to be conservative means to hold onto things that are important, things that shouldn't be cast aside.” quote by Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/adam-hamilton-12592_aside_when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-con_1169771.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/adam-hamilton-12592_aside_when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-con_1169771.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/adam-hamilton-12592_aside_when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-con_1169771.png) > “When people ask me if I'm liberal or conservative, I say, 'Yeah.' I'm both of them. To be a liberal means to be open-minded and generous and open to new ideas. And to be conservative means to hold onto things that are important, things that shouldn't be cast aside.” [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker embraces both liberal openness and conservative preservation, seeing value in each stance. **In simple terms:** Being both open and protective. Key Takeaway Balance openness with preservation. Themes open-mindedness generosity tradition balance politics Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal identity - political discussion - social media - community dialogue Key Concepts moderateism ideological synthesis Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply both perspectives in decision making? - When does balancing become compromise? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex issues, ignoring nuanced differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [New ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) [Open minded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-minded/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I think the press, by and large, is what we call "liberal". But of course what we call "liberal" means well to the right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-think-the-press-by-and-large-is-what-we-call-liberal-but-of-course/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I'm undoubtedly a liberal, which means that I'm in almost total agreement with the Eisenhower-era Republican party platform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/i-m-undoubtedly-a-liberal-which-means-that-i-m-in-almost-total/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Order, for a liberal, means only peace; and the hope of a profound peace was one of the chief motives in the liberal movement.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/order-for-a-liberal-means-only-peace-and-the-hope-of-a-profound-peace/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [I'm not one of those people that wears something once and tosses it aside. I wear my shoes until they beg to be thrown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/i-m-not-one-of-those-people-that-wears-something-once-and-tosses-it/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [Just honest. To me, being 'politically incorrect' means the opposite of being political -- which means to spin everything. That's all it's ever meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/just-honest-to-me-being-politically-incorrect-means-the-opposite-of/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [To me, conservative means believing in a minimum amount of government and a maximum amount of freedom - and keeping government out of people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-nofziger/to-me-conservative-means-believing-in-a-minimum-amount-of-government/) [Lyn Nofziger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-nofziger/) > [For me, I think being a conservative means you are focused on all four key principles: strong defense, lower taxes, less spending, and defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jordan/for-me-i-think-being-a-conservative-means-you-are-focused-on-all-four/) [Jim Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jordan/) > [To me, to be a conservative means to conserve the good parts of America and to conserve our Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/to-me-to-be-a-conservative-means-to-conserve-the-good-parts-of/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > ['Conservative,' to me, means someone that has an appreciation for the Constitution, that has an appreciation for a limited government and has an appreciation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/conservative-to-me-means-someone-that-has-an-appreciation-for-the/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [I don't know what compassionate conservative means. Does it mean cutting kids out of after school programs, Does it mean drilling in the arctic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-what-compassionate-conservative-means-does-it-mean/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The word conservative means discriminatory practically. It's a form of political discrimination. What do the Republicans run on? Against gay marriage and for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/the-word-conservative-means-discriminatory-practically-it-s-a-form-of/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [What the word conservative means is not putting things back but conserving them. There are things that are threatened and you love them, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/what-the-word-conservative-means-is-not-putting-things-back-but/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I'm a one-nation Conservative and that means exactly what it says on the tin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/i-m-a-one-nation-conservative-and-that-means-exactly-what-it-says-on/) [Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/) > [The fossil fuel industry has made advocating alternative energy sources a liberal/conservative thing, and an ideological battle, when it should really be about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/the-fossil-fuel-industry-has-made-advocating-alternative-energy/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [I reject the idea there are just two sides. I think that with the amount of ideas and thoughts there are, it's not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-reject-the-idea-there-are-just-two-sides-i-think-that-with-the/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) ## More by Adam Hamilton > [If 'everything happens for a reason,' then every act of evil is ultimately God's doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/if-everything-happens-for-a-reason-then-every-act-of-evil-is/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [When my kids were growing up, I wanted their teachers to teach them science, reading, math and history. I also wanted them to care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/when-my-kids-were-growing-up-i-wanted-their-teachers-to-teach-them/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [Frequent prayer has great value. On its surface, this sounds simplistic. But if we're to keep prayer at the forefront of our ministry, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/frequent-prayer-has-great-value-on-its-surface-this-sounds-simplistic/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [“As Donald Trump was campaigning for the Republican nomination for president in 2016 he was asked, “Have you ever asked God for forgiveness?” He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/as-donald-trump-was-campaigning-for-the-republican-nomination-for/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [The senseless killing of 20 children and their teachers and principal at Sandy Hook Elementary School was not part of God's grand plan. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/the-senseless-killing-of-20-children-and-their-teachers-and-principal/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [I suspect that here theists and atheists would agree: Human beings have within them the ability to choose evil or good. We wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/i-suspect-that-here-theists-and-atheists-would-agree-human-beings/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [God seldom suspends the laws of nature, just as God does not remove free will to keep evil people from doing evil things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/god-seldom-suspends-the-laws-of-nature-just-as-god-does-not-remove/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [The Bible calls us to love our neighbors, and to do justice and love kindness, not to indiscriminately kill one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/the-bible-calls-us-to-love-our-neighbors-and-to-do-justice-and-love/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [Learning to read the Bible in the light of the times in which it was written is critical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/learning-to-read-the-bible-in-the-light-of-the-times-in-which-it-was/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [Why did the earthquake and tsunami occur in Japan? Was it the act of an angry God? No, it was the result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/why-did-the-earthquake-and-tsunami-occur-in-japan-was-it-the-act-of/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [We don't need mandatory, non-sectarian prayers read over the loudspeaker to 'put God back in schools.' God never left the schools. God is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/we-don-t-need-mandatory-non-sectarian-prayers-read-over-the/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [I am a follower of Jesus Christ. The Bible is my primary way of knowing Him and what it means to follow Him. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/i-am-a-follower-of-jesus-christ-the-bible-is-my-primary-way-of/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [“The human authors and editors of the Old Testament brought their own experiences and presuppositions to the task of writing. We don’t often think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/the-human-authors-and-editors-of-the-old-testament-brought-their-own/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [God's role in superintending our world and our lives is neither absentee landlord nor micromanager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/god-s-role-in-superintending-our-world-and-our-lives-is-neither/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [I am a pastor, and I teach and preach the Bible to my congregation every week. But the Bible is not a manufacturer's handbook.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/i-am-a-pastor-and-i-teach-and-preach-the-bible-to-my-congregation/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) [Explore all 54 Adam Hamilton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) ## More Aside quotes > [The hypocrisy and false piety of the deniers aside, the relationships of gays have no effect on heteros. Especially all the heteros who've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/the-hypocrisy-and-false-piety-of-the-deniers-aside-the-relationships/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [Maitre d's are at the financial spigot of the restaurant, meaning they control who gets in and who doesn't, but aside from that, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/maitre-d-s-are-at-the-financial-spigot-of-the-restaurant-meaning-they/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > [“If he’s hot, they’re willing to put aside a little thing called age.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-peebles/if-he-s-hot-they-re-willing-to-put-aside-a-little-thing-called-age/) [Chrissy Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-peebles/) > [I pushed everyone aside for you & you pushed me aside for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blondie/i-pushed-everyone-aside-for-you-you-pushed-me-aside-for-everyone/) [Blondie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blondie/) > [Politics has come to resemble a cynical team game played by politicians, while the public has been pushed aside as if sitting on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edi-rama/politics-has-come-to-resemble-a-cynical-team-game-played-by/) [Edi Rama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edi-rama/) > [Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/be-not-the-first-by-whom-the-new-are-tried-nor-yet-the-last-to-lay/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [When I was starting out, when I put aside my career as an economist. I looked at every book, went to every show, did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastiao-salgado/when-i-was-starting-out-when-i-put-aside-my-career-as-an-economist-i/) [Sebastiao Salgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastiao-salgado/) > [We should always be learning. However, we must be careful not to set aside our faith in the process, because faith actually enhances our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/we-should-always-be-learning-however-we-must-be-careful-not-to-set/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [“Step Aside For What's Inside”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-sharukh/step-aside-for-what-s-inside/) [Syed Sharukh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syed-sharukh/) > [I think the men in L.A. are very rugged, good-looking. Men in New York look metro with their manis and pedis and their Bruno…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-stanger/i-think-the-men-in-l-a-are-very-rugged-good-looking-men-in-new-york/) [Patti Stanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-stanger/) > [Aside from being bad sportsmanship - Romney basically said Obama won by cheating - he was displaying the same obtuseness about the wants and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/aside-from-being-bad-sportsmanship-romney-basically-said-obama-won-by/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [You can't stop me, so step aside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-briggs/you-can-t-stop-me-so-step-aside/) [Shannon Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-briggs/) > [I thought this was the most incredible opportunity. Because 'Planet Of The Apes,' aside from the fantasy element of talking apes, is such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-reeves/i-thought-this-was-the-most-incredible-opportunity-because-planet-of/) [Matt Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-reeves/) > [“Aside from myself, there was no sign of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/aside-from-myself-there-was-no-sign-of-me/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Writing a novel is a huge adventure; when it's going well it's more fun than fun. When it stutters to a halt put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-moggach/writing-a-novel-is-a-huge-adventure-when-it-s-going-well-it-s-more/) [Deborah Moggach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-moggach/) Browse all 201 Aside quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When people ask me if I'm liberal or conservative, I say, 'Yeah.' I'm both of them. To be a liberal means to be open-minded and generous and open to new ideas. And to be conservative means to hold onto things that are important, things that shouldn't be cast aside.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Hamilton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-conservative-i-say-yeah-i-m-both/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aside" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-conservative-i-say-yeah-i-m-both/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/adam-hamilton-12592_aside_when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-con_1169771.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/adam-hamilton-12592_aside_when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-con_1169771.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b37/adam-hamilton-12592_aside_when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-con_1169771.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people ask me if I'm liberal or conservative, I say, 'Yeah.' I'm both of them. To be a liberal means to…” — Adam Hamilton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Hamilton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When people ask me if I'm...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-conservative-i-say-yeah-i-m-both/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/when-people-ask-me-if-i-m-liberal-or-conservative-i-say-yeah-i-m-both/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```