What is a liberal?

Today whilest I was supporting the need for children who's parents are in prison to be bussed into the most appropriate school at the cost of the tax payer someone called me a liberal, my initial reaction was to agree but, when I came home I was a little perturbed by this flippant remark.

My worrying interpretation was that of a do gooder type person, someone who is excessively sympathetic toward those who claim to be underprivileged or exploited, therefore not expecting those individuals or groups of people to take responsibility for their actions.

So, I looked up on google what liberal meant, it's actually quite hard to find a straight forward meaning without becoming embroiled in politics. Eventually I did find one and breathed a sigh of relief.  In an online dictionary it means not  limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry and or favouring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.

I think basically that it means open minded or progressive in their views, tolerant of others and their views. A Thesaurus lists similar words as humanitarian, catholic, tolerant, enlightened and broad minded. Phew, I can cope with those definitions. 

I know that I do have a tendency to fight for those, especially children who are under privileged or exploited, but I also think that we all have to take responsibility for our own actions.