What is a Bleeding Heart Liberal?

I often get called a "Bleeding Heart Liberal" by people I know, but I have no idea what it really means.


Am I a bleeding heart liberal simply because I am a Democrat? Are all Democrats bleeding heart liberals?


If I am a bleeding heart liberal should I be ashamed of it? Is it a bad thing?

What is a Bleeding Heart Liberal?
It is basically an insult. You are being labeled possibly because you believe in equal rights, justice, women's choice, racial equality and concerned for others.
Reply:It means you care about people and want to help them. It's a good thing, but the right tries to make fun of it because they don't understand.
Reply:It's conservatives' way of putting their spin on the truth, making it sound like it's a bad thing to care about your fellow human beings.
Reply:an imaginary phantom that "conservatives" have invented and yet fear
Reply:i saw somewhere, better to have a bleeding heart than none at all.
Reply:I don't know of a specific definition... my interpretation of that phrase is a political liberal who is ruled mostly by their emotions.
Reply:Bleeding heart liberals are Democrats that are alleged to be extraordinarily compassionate towards the poor and needy - the champions of the downtrodden. Whether they are really and truly that altruistic or just politics as usual is another matter
Reply:That would be a liberal with a ruptured aneurysm of the aorta.