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What Kind of Person Calls Himself 'Progressive'?
American Thinker ^ | September 14, 2007 | James Lewis

Posted on 09/14/2007 5:17:38 PM PDT by neverdem

We all want progress. We may disagree whether gay marriage or drug legalization constitutes progress or not. But we all want better things for the world -- better food, better health and well-being, scientific and technical advances, wiser political systems, more peace and freedom,  more happy children, more humane treatment of animals, more tolerance, more prosperity for the world, you name it. That's called being a decent person.

So what kind of person has to label himself "Progressive?" Obviously somebody who believes he (or she) understands real progress better than the rest of us. Because if you are a Progressive it implies that everybody else, let's face it, is a Regressive, or maybe just a Stagnant. It's a smirky, self-flattering way of saying you're a lot better than the rest.

So what kind of ego needs do you have to have to call yourself that? And what do you believe about others? In fact, Progressives must believe that other people are worse than they are; that  only they can Save the Planet, or create Peace on Earth, or Solve Inequality, or whatever sin bedevils mankind.

Like the preacher who is focused on nothing but sin, Progressives must emphasize the alleged flaws of other people. They need to pinpoint those flaws, to feel important. Because Progressives make it clear that the real obstacle to Progress is Other People. In fact, if you really ask a "Progressive" what other people are like, you're likely to hear that much of humanity is either ignorant or evil.

The word Progressive first became popular in the late 19th century, but has now been adopted as a popular synonym for "socialism."   Americans tend not to like socialism, associating it with the Soviet Union and other bad characters. But "Progressivism" sounds fine. So it is a euphemism for something people fear; a cover-up label.

The odd thing, of course, is that real progress in the world  is almost never achieved by self-proclaimed "Progressives." They generally make things worse rather than better. (See all the mad utopian schemers from Bin Laden to Stalin and Ahmadi-Nejad.) As a group, they are strikingly ill-equipped to even understand the world in any depth. Rather, it's farmers, business people, engineers, teachers, laborers, scientists, soldiers, cops, doctors, writers, inventors, all of whom create real progress --- or who keep the world from sliding back into barbarism.

All the radicals in the world together have not created as much economic progress as the inventor of Diet Coke or the Post-It Note. I'm sorry, but it's plainly true. So the "Progressive" ego trip is really only  an ego trip.

The same thing goes for "post-modernism," and so many other labels on the Left. If you're a "post-modernist," you plainly imply that everybody else is past it: dead and gone. The Progressive part of the world has moved beyond modernism, or whatever ism is to be surpassed. Well, why would you believe something as obviously false as that? Basically, to flatter yourself and your fellow deludees.

The "in" thing is to be "post." Various Left movements love to call themselves "post-industrial," "post-structural," post this, post that. It all means, "you're a dead White male, and your time is past and buried."

So what kind of person needs to believe that? What kind of shriveled self-respect makes you want to feel that nobody is as Progressive and "post" as you are? What school curriculum has taught you to have such contempt for others?

Or take "anti-racism." If you define yourself as an "anti-racist," it means that a lot of others must be a racists, right? But how do you know that? Not many people go around wearing Kluxer sheets. You have to want to believe it, or to be more ready than the rest of us to point your finger at suspects. You're a racist! You're a homophobe! Ultimately, in many cases, being a white middle aged male is enough to make one suspect. Since the Archie Bunker series All in the Family, Hollywood and television have adopted a visual code for evil (white, fat, middle-aged, male) and good (non-white, slim, young, and/or  female). Watch CSI and you'll see the code working.  And with that little piece of "Progress," the Left has created its own racism, judging people purely by their appearance. The new racism is just as invidious as the old kind, and it is much more pervasive, being propagated by high-tech media.

It's all very childish, with very pernicious effects. It cultivates an accusatory, suspicious sense of victimhood and rage at the rest of humanity. And being based on mere appearances, it is incredibly superficial.

All of Political Correctness, the dominant cultural theme of the Left, depends upon such allegations and accusations. It is incredibly shallow and superficial - but it is also very effective as a power-play. If you can put the world at a disadvantage by implicitly accusing them of sin, you can also manipulate and oppress others, conscious of your own moral superiority. Evidence is not required. It is the pervasive McCarthyism of the Left.

I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt. If they don't talk like haters, I'm happy to believe they're not haters. Most people want the best for humanity, and appealing to their goodness seems kinder than accusing them of evil.

James Lewis blogs at dangeroustimes.wordpress.com/


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: alinsky; gramsci; liberals; progressive; thirdsector; thirdway
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1 posted on 09/14/2007 5:17:44 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem
People who call themselves "Progressive" are socialists who haven't got the guts to admit they're Socialists.

People who call themselves "Socialist" are communists who haven't got the guts to admit they're Communists.

People who call themselves "Communists" are mass-murders who haven't got the guts to admit they're Mass Murders.

2 posted on 09/14/2007 5:24:24 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: neverdem

There is nothing “progressive” about the same old warmed over leftist philosophies of socialism. It is more accuratley “regressive.” They want us to regress to a time when 30 million people starved to death in the Soviet Union, to a time when 2 million people were slaughtered in the killing fields of Cambodia, to all the horrific effects of the Leftist agenda and all the damage it has done to our world.


3 posted on 09/14/2007 5:26:49 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (Take the wheel, Fred.)
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To: neverdem
progressive = cowards
middle of the road = cowards
undecided = cowards
4 posted on 09/14/2007 5:26:54 PM PDT by svcw (There is no plan B.)
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To: neverdem

Idiot comes to mind.


5 posted on 09/14/2007 5:28:27 PM PDT by doc1019 (Fred Thompson '08)
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To: DuncanWaring

LOL!


6 posted on 09/14/2007 5:29:37 PM PDT by neverdem (Call talk radio. We need a Constitutional Amendment for Congressional term limits. Let's Roll!)
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To: neverdem

Leftwing DemocRAT Liberals that are ashamed of being Leftwing DemocRAT Liberals.


7 posted on 09/14/2007 5:30:02 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (The DemocRATS own failure and defeat. Success and victory really depresses them.)
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To: neverdem

> ... but has now been adopted as a popular synonym for “socialism.”

No, it was adopted as a cover by commies back in the
1920s, just as reality of the various experiments was
beginning to become a bit too obvious.

Those who presently call themselves “progressive” are
either ignorant of political history, or know full
well and hope the listener is. Frankly, it’s usually
the former, since yer typical collectivist, having
little use for actual truth, is weak on actual history.


8 posted on 09/14/2007 5:34:06 PM PDT by Boundless (Even "fair and balanced" is still half lies.)
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To: neverdem

Good article. The Left name calls and accuses to stop the argument.....they call you a bigot hoping you won’t speak up about the racism in quotas or the drain Illegals have on this society. They scream that you want to destroy the planet when you want to discuss the inconsistencies of global warming. Shut up the opposition/make victims. Classic socialism.


9 posted on 09/14/2007 5:34:47 PM PDT by socialismisinsidious ( The socialist income tax system turns US citizens into beggars or quitters!)
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To: Boundless

Thanks for the history lesson. The word ‘progressive’ smacked of smugness to me but I couldn’t figure out why. Now I know.


10 posted on 09/14/2007 5:39:19 PM PDT by originalbuckeye (I want a hero....I'm holding out for a hero (politically))
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To: neverdem
They are “progressive” in the sense that tertiary syphilis is “progressive.”

Lesse - they don’t like being called “socialists” or “liberals.” What term will they crap on after they’re finished with “progressive”?

11 posted on 09/14/2007 5:39:33 PM PDT by decal (If at first you don't succeed, blame President Bush.)
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To: DuncanWaring
At one time Republicans had a branch that called itself "Progressive" ~ and what they did was come up with the idea that the best way to manage the Pacific basin was to disarm the United Kingdom and its fleet and allow the Japanese Empire to "build up" until it was equal to the United States in the region.

The result was the Pacific War phase of WWII.

The leftwingnut "Progressives" haven't demonstrated themselves to be any smarter than the Republican Progressives.

Don't listen to any of them.

12 posted on 09/14/2007 5:41:14 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: neverdem

Nuff said?

13 posted on 09/14/2007 5:42:56 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (If martyrdom is so cool,why does Osama Obama go to such great lengths to avoid it?)
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To: neverdem

a progressive is a murdering, lying, thieving communist who wishes not to admit that he is a murdering, lying, thieving communist who will murder, lie and steal at the drop of a hat, if only the population were not allowed to have guns.


14 posted on 09/14/2007 5:43:15 PM PDT by ripley
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To: neverdem
What Kind of Person Calls Himself 'Progressive'?

Oh, good; an easy question. The answer is "closet communist."

15 posted on 09/14/2007 5:43:33 PM PDT by hsalaw
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To: neverdem
Hollywood and television have adopted a visual code for evil (white, fat, middle-aged, male)...

Ouch!

16 posted on 09/14/2007 5:46:13 PM PDT by HoosierHawk
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To: Gay State Conservative

a progressive is a bag that catches all of the filth of failed ideas of equality, love of mankind and social justice perpetrated by authoritarian toadstools who hate equality, hate mankind and hate social justice as they eternally strive for them.


17 posted on 09/14/2007 5:49:34 PM PDT by ripley
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To: neverdem

A Nancy boy?


18 posted on 09/14/2007 5:59:30 PM PDT by 359Henrie (We need Gen. Curtis Le May, Liberals give us Gen. Wesley Clark.)
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To: neverdem

I’m sure we could find thousands of examples of communists referring to their “progressive policies” or the New York Times referring to their various beloved communist dictators’ policies as “progressive”, etc.

Intersperse these written quotes with video of Hillary insisting she’s a “progressive” and it will make a great campaign ad next year.


19 posted on 09/14/2007 6:03:26 PM PDT by Perchant
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To: DuncanWaring

Re: Your Post #2

Exactly.


20 posted on 09/14/2007 6:05:21 PM PDT by ought-six ("Give me liberty, or give me death!")
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