Definition of liberal: one who is open-minded; an adherent of liberalism, especially in individual rights.

While the above may be the Webster’s definition, it has become an anachronism, because one thing today’s liberals are not is open-minded. Nor are they concerned about the individual rights of those with different opinions. The thousands of protesters coming to New York City to protest the GOP convention are not content to carry signs or shout out loud. They have devised tactics to wreak havoc on the Republican delegates. They claim they will show these Republicans that they are not welcome in New York.

Mayor Koch has been eloquently urging his fellow New Yorkers to show the delegates hospitality because it’s good for tourism and our economic recovery. Even though he does not agree with President Bush on even one major domestic issue, he is still supporting him for re-election because of Mr. Bush’s strong commitment to fighting terrorism. But the protesters aren’t interested in what’s good for New York or, for that matter, what’s necessary for our national security. Their hatred of George W. Bush is so great that they are taking steps that are bordering on the criminal. The sad part is that some of these protesters are New Yorkers who should know firsthand what a devastating economic hit our town took from the attacks of September 11.

Anti-Bush Internet hackers managed to hack into the e-mail of the Protest Warriors, a group of counter protesters planning to come to New York with signs supporting Mr. Bush. The vicious hackers then forwarded the personal info, including cell numbers, passwords, and addresses, of the lead organizers of PW to anti-Bush Web sites. They also listed the entire e-mail list of PW and urged their cohorts to flood those on the list with e-mail. The hackers also included the e-mail addresses, fax numbers, and phone numbers of the various contacts of the Republican National Committee and the official George W. Bush re-election staff and urged that these be flooded, too. The hackers claim this is not cyberterrorism but electronic civil disobedience. Seems to me there may be laws against inciting mass e-mail, faxes, and telephone calls with nuisance connections. If there aren’t there should be.

Cyberterrorism is just one of the many tactics the protesters will use to nullify any fun the Republicans plan to have in this great city. The Village Voice reported last week that a number of New Yorkers, including one Mary C. Matthews, plan to take a Trojan Horse approach by volunteering at the convention. She was quoted as saying, “I’m mobilizing a group of female comediennes to faux volunteer and pass out fake maps, T-shirts, buttons, restaurant, and hotel info.” She went on to say that she was inspired by the Ed Koch ad that said, “Some people don’t know uptown from downtown.” Ms. Matthews thinks it’s a great idea to make sure that those people get misdirected. I used to be proud to say I was a native. New Yorkers used to be cool. Now we’re rife with hotheads.

Who can blame these protesters for stifling any remonstration to their own protest? They’re just following the example of the Kerry campaign. Moveon.org, an organization that ran ads comparing Mr. Bush to Hitler, received $20 million from Democrat billionaire George Soros, who has pledged to defeat Mr. Bush. The mainstream press did not make much about their hateful ads. But when Swift Vets’ for the Truth ran anti-Kerry ads, the liberal journalists swooped down to connect them with the Republican campaign.

On “Meet the Press,” Tim Russert interviewed John O’Neil, the co-author of “Unfit for Command,” and instead of addressing the substantive charges in the book, he kept trying to tie the Swiftvets with the GOP. The Kerry campaign has also asked Regnery Publishing to withdraw “Unfit for Command,” claiming it contains lies about Mr. Kerry’s service in Vietnam. Isn’t book-burning a bad thing?

The mainstream press may have once again taken up arms against Mr. Bush by branding the Swift Vets as liars and pawns of the GOP. I don’t feel like going back to the Vietnam era because once was enough. However, since Mr. Kerry decided to make his four months in Vietnam the highlight of his campaign, he can’t complain if other veterans take issue with his version. The problem isn’t whether he was heroic in Vietnam. It’s that once he got home, he became Jane Fonda.

Maybe by next week, the Vietnam battle will be over and the delegates can start discussing the real issues – like where can we go to have fun in the Big Apple? Here’s one suggestion that is absolutely safe for all Republicans. The Right Stuff Comedy Show is in town starting tomorrow and will be performing at the Laugh Factory in Times Square through September 2. Showtime is 7 p.m. and tickets are only $20, and delegates may get discounts. Conservative comics like Julia Gorin, Jeff Wayne, Chris Warren, and Steve Eblin will be joking about gun control, capital punishment, and the Democrats in a provocative, clean, and wickedly funny manner.

There will be no Trojan Horse protesters there, but if they happen to show up by mistake, who knows? Maybe these comics can laugh some sense into them.