The Imploding Left
A few days ago I, quite unwittingly, conducted an experiment in the breakdown of civil discourse. On a popular social media platform I had posed a question for discussion regarding certain trends in English grammar, specifically with regard to certain pronouns. I won’t rehash the discussion that ensued, but let it suffice to say that opinions were sharp. What took me by surprise was how quickly the discussion devolved into the sort of nasty exchange one would expect from James Carville and Ann Coulter. What shocked me was the fact that all of the participants identified as leftist progressives.
This is not the first time in recent months I have noticed a breakdown in the ability of the Left to work together for a greater good. I would expect such things from the Right. Their coalition never has made any sense. What on earth do Christian fundamentalists, racists, stingy Tea-baggers, and greedy hedonists have in common? When they snap at each other I expect it to be vicious. When the Left starts throwing blows, it leaves me shaking my head. We are supposed to be the ones who promote equality, tolerance of ideas different from our own, empathy and understanding for people with different life experiences. We are supposed to be able to debate with civility and intellect.
At a time when we should be as unified as possible, it seems that we are fracturing worse than the other side. All three branches of the federal government and the majority of state governments are under extremist Right wing control. Yet we pick at each other over petty issues. Why, and why now? Perhaps it is because we have no leadership. Before this year we had a national leader who held us together, gave us hope in a brighter future. Since January the Progressive movement has had no banner around which to rally, except the banner of opposition to the current regime. Certainly there is plenty to oppose about the current regime, but being against something or someone is not a cause worthy of bringing people together. Yes, those of us on the Left can all agree that fascism is wrong, but what do we offer in its place? If the answer is a Left wing movement that hatefully argues over pronouns, I doubt we will garner much support.
The problem is not just a disagreement over pronouns. It actually goes much deeper and in a much more perilous direction. Recently fellow Progressives attacked Hillary Clinton for not condemning sexual assault quickly enough. Personally I think Hillary’s track record on such topics speaks for itself. It would be like criticizing the Pope for not asserting the divinity of Christ often enough. She didn’t need to make her position on sexual assault any clearer.
That particular attack revealed an element of the fracturing left that could quickly go in a direction much more dangerous than the regime we oppose. It is that tendency among extremists on both sides of the political spectrum to purge all but the “purest” elements of their movements. It would have been a Maximilien Robespierre beheading someone that disagreed with him about the use of pronouns. A Joseph Stalin might have shot someone that didn’t condemn Harvey Weinstein quickly enough or forcefully enough.
Democrats, Progressives, Leftists, Liberals, whatever label we go by, we should all agree on certain things. Language should never be used to oppress, regardless what grammatical rules a person chooses to follow. Sexual assault is never acceptable, but we condemn it in a manner we each find appropriate. What we should never do, especially in the name of Liberalism, is condemn each other for not being pure enough. I will not wear a scarlet letter simply because I choose to follow certain standard rules of grammar.
President Roosevelt (FDR) understood best how a Progressive coalition could govern. President Obama understood this too. If Obama had another four years, he might have forged a lasting coalition like FDR’s, and we certainly wouldn’t be in the mess we are now. The Roosevelt coalition was slightly left of center. It was just left enough to keep pulling the country towards greater equality, elimination of injustice, environmental responsibility, and away from the ravages of fascism. It was close enough to center to bring in a majority of the electorate. What we need now is the kind of Progressive leadership FDR and Obama gave us, and we need to sideline the would-be guillotine operators.
At a time when we have a lunatic carrying around the nuclear codes, and congressional leaders that are trying to figure out the most efficient way to snatch food from the mouths of starving children, the Progressive movement can ill afford this kind of internal bickering. The next election cycle is nearly upon us, and at least four Democratic Senate seats are in peril. Yes, we need to debate issues and debate them vigorously. Vigorous debate and personal attacks, however, are not one and the same. We must turn away from narrow minded, so-called Progressives that threaten our very existence. We must quickly find those leaders who will be worthy successors to Barack Obama.
https://www.bluewatertales.com
This is not the first time in recent months I have noticed a breakdown in the ability of the Left to work together for a greater good. I would expect such things from the Right. Their coalition never has made any sense. What on earth do Christian fundamentalists, racists, stingy Tea-baggers, and greedy hedonists have in common? When they snap at each other I expect it to be vicious. When the Left starts throwing blows, it leaves me shaking my head. We are supposed to be the ones who promote equality, tolerance of ideas different from our own, empathy and understanding for people with different life experiences. We are supposed to be able to debate with civility and intellect.
At a time when we should be as unified as possible, it seems that we are fracturing worse than the other side. All three branches of the federal government and the majority of state governments are under extremist Right wing control. Yet we pick at each other over petty issues. Why, and why now? Perhaps it is because we have no leadership. Before this year we had a national leader who held us together, gave us hope in a brighter future. Since January the Progressive movement has had no banner around which to rally, except the banner of opposition to the current regime. Certainly there is plenty to oppose about the current regime, but being against something or someone is not a cause worthy of bringing people together. Yes, those of us on the Left can all agree that fascism is wrong, but what do we offer in its place? If the answer is a Left wing movement that hatefully argues over pronouns, I doubt we will garner much support.
The problem is not just a disagreement over pronouns. It actually goes much deeper and in a much more perilous direction. Recently fellow Progressives attacked Hillary Clinton for not condemning sexual assault quickly enough. Personally I think Hillary’s track record on such topics speaks for itself. It would be like criticizing the Pope for not asserting the divinity of Christ often enough. She didn’t need to make her position on sexual assault any clearer.
That particular attack revealed an element of the fracturing left that could quickly go in a direction much more dangerous than the regime we oppose. It is that tendency among extremists on both sides of the political spectrum to purge all but the “purest” elements of their movements. It would have been a Maximilien Robespierre beheading someone that disagreed with him about the use of pronouns. A Joseph Stalin might have shot someone that didn’t condemn Harvey Weinstein quickly enough or forcefully enough.
Democrats, Progressives, Leftists, Liberals, whatever label we go by, we should all agree on certain things. Language should never be used to oppress, regardless what grammatical rules a person chooses to follow. Sexual assault is never acceptable, but we condemn it in a manner we each find appropriate. What we should never do, especially in the name of Liberalism, is condemn each other for not being pure enough. I will not wear a scarlet letter simply because I choose to follow certain standard rules of grammar.
President Roosevelt (FDR) understood best how a Progressive coalition could govern. President Obama understood this too. If Obama had another four years, he might have forged a lasting coalition like FDR’s, and we certainly wouldn’t be in the mess we are now. The Roosevelt coalition was slightly left of center. It was just left enough to keep pulling the country towards greater equality, elimination of injustice, environmental responsibility, and away from the ravages of fascism. It was close enough to center to bring in a majority of the electorate. What we need now is the kind of Progressive leadership FDR and Obama gave us, and we need to sideline the would-be guillotine operators.
At a time when we have a lunatic carrying around the nuclear codes, and congressional leaders that are trying to figure out the most efficient way to snatch food from the mouths of starving children, the Progressive movement can ill afford this kind of internal bickering. The next election cycle is nearly upon us, and at least four Democratic Senate seats are in peril. Yes, we need to debate issues and debate them vigorously. Vigorous debate and personal attacks, however, are not one and the same. We must turn away from narrow minded, so-called Progressives that threaten our very existence. We must quickly find those leaders who will be worthy successors to Barack Obama.
https://www.bluewatertales.com
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