The Regressive Left

by Guest Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:12 am

Nothing tends to generate controversy on this or any other blog as much as a good dust-up between those representing “Left” and “Right” on the political spectrum. As with more ancient battles between religious believers, the stakes are high in such debates where people’s arguments tend to get bound up with important aspects of personal identity.

Even so, a fair amount of light can be generated during these kinds of heated debates. For example, in an ongoing exchange I had with an eloquent critic of the Left (who feels too many on our side ignore the Red side of the Red-Green alliance between Western Leftists and Islamists), our argument was much more of the Thesis and Antithesis leading to Synthesis variety than boring old head butting. In responding to Left-Right issues, I tend to focus on how we define what constitutes “The Left.” After all, Israel was founded by Labor Zionists whose Leftist political identities were as important to them as were their Jewish ones. And, in the decades following the foundation of Israel, it was Democratic politicians who could be trusted to support the Jewish state more than Republican ones.

That was then and this is now, I suppose. But even if we accept that times have changed, my opinions are still colored by the fact that in every BDS fight I’ve ever been involved with, my allies (just like my enemies) all considered themselves to be Left of center. And such a phenomenon makes sense if you consider the battles over BDS et al as representing a war of conquest of the Left end of the political spectrum being waged by the same people involved with the war for the elimination of the Jewish state. As is often the case, a phenomenon requires a name before it can be discussed and debated in concrete terms. And one that has started to gain traction recently, the “Regressive Left,” provides a powerful description of what might be going on in the wider political universe.

The term was first popularized by British ex-Islamist Maajid Nawaz to describe fellow liberals who refused to accept any criticism directed at minority communities, including the Islamist community he had fled. Before and after the term was coined, the concept of self-perceived Progressives participating in “regressive” behavior (like trying to shut down free speech and embracing bigotry) has been part of controversies that began to roil the Atheist community when some members started directing their ire at Muslims vs. Christians, Jews and New Agers.

Slowly but surely, the term has made its way into more conversations, especially during the current era of campus culture wars and street activism that seem to involve self-proclaimed Progressives engaging in reactionary behavior characterized by extremely troubling tactics. If you look closely at that behavior and those tactics, however, you will find elements quite familiar to those of us involved with fighting the global anti-Israel propaganda campaign over the decades. To begin with, Regressive Leftists seem to take for granted that those they are trying to impose their will upon are empathetic, especially with regard to issues of racism. At the same time, those demanding that everyone else fess up to their own flaws and make amends are entirely impervious to any criticism of their own bigotry.

If this sounds familiar, consider the dynamic we have come to expect from those pushing BDS in which the BDSers appeal to the public’s concern over the abuse of human rights, hatred directed at minorities or the suffering of others but become aggressively hostile at the merest mention of the fact that their movement and the nations and movements to which BDS is allied represent the best examples of those negative behaviors in the world today. Similarly, look at the demands Regressive Leftists place on the actions and thoughts that others are allowed to take and have (in the form of speech codes and demands that authority punish those with whom they disagree) while accepting no limitations whatsoever on their own behavior. And if campuses are the hothouses in which Regressive Left culture is being incubated, we are already seeing demands that such misbehavior not only be allowed but celebrated and subsidized.

Finally, the tolerance of coercion – even violence – as a way to “win the debate” seems to be going mainstream within the wider culture as the tactics used to shut down pro-Israel speakers are now being applied to others (including Presidential candidates).
This makes sense once you realized that the totalitarian minded have always used the Jews to push the limits of how much a society will tolerate extreme behavior, at which point such extremism becomes an accepted norm (or at least much harder to contain). And where this dynamic is playing out (within the Left) also makes sense once you realize the enormous amount of effort and resources anti-Israel forces have put into trying to turn the entire Left end of the political spectrum into their prison bitch.

Again, campuses are the best place to see this process in play as important causes like prison reform and campus rape must all take a back seat to the BDS agenda in the name of an “intersectionality” that couldn’t care less if partisan demands for endorsement of BDS drive others away from all those other causes. The aggression directed at anyone who dares mention that support for attacking Israel might be misaligned with other matters dear to the Left (notably gay rights) is another example of how priorities within the Regressive Left are driven by ruthlessness rather than concern for the weak and suffering. With this new vocabulary in place, the war within the Left can now be described and measured based on the level of progress the Regressive Left does or does not make in its attempted takeover of mainstream Progressive culture. It would be easy to say such a takeover has already gone too far, but I hesitate to say that we’ve reached the point of no return.

After all, when Josef Stalin played this same game last century, demanding that anyone who considered themselves Progressive who did not toe the Soviet line was a hypocrite and traitor, he had dozens of nations, hundreds of military divisions, and thousands of nuclear weapons to back up his threats. The Palestine uber alles brigade, in contrast, has nothing but their own socio-pathology which they use to manipulate the weaker willed. But just as a tough-minded generation of anti-Soviet Leftists (which included those aforementioned Zionists) kept Stalin at bay, so too can a truly Progressive Left take on the Regressive Left and win – if they have the will to do so (and support from us when they do).

http://divestthis.com/2016/03/the-regressive-left.html

by 'Wolfie Mon Mar 14, 2016 10:04 am

WHAT a load of brainless bullshit !!!

ONCE again we see the Doddery one proving just what a clueless and unthinking dolt he truly is at heart..

NOT happy with merely showing us how silly he can be with his mindless comtradiction in terms.
But then he has to constantly try to elevate himself by dredging up more and more of these ridiculous garbage blogs, and then cherry-picking sa9d nonsenseto prove the unproveable..

Rolling Eyes

by Guest Mon Mar 14, 2016 10:56 am

So you could not offer anything constructive but prove the article completely right

Debate the points, not have a hissy fit

by Victorismyhero Mon Mar 14, 2016 2:05 pm

If I were you didge, i'd thank wolfie for that confirmation of your post

How about a reasoned criticism of the O/P wolfie/ rather than what seems to be becomming the aussie style of debate

( that is to say:- rant rant rant rant rant The Regressive Left 1177314732

blether wibble squalk)

by Original Quill Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:09 pm

Didge wrote:Nothing tends to generate controversy on this or any other blog as much as a good dust-up between those representing “Left” and “Right” on the political spectrum. As with more ancient battles between religious believers, the stakes are high in such debates where people’s arguments tend to get bound up with important aspects of personal identity.

Nah...way overstated. Discussions on this site between the Left and Right tend to be the former teaching the latter what's what about politics.

We spend most of our time with the Left showing the Right how they have been led around like sheep by their RW opinion-leaders, who tend to (*ahem*) engage in fiction a bit too much.

Education is a slow, arduous process. It can be rather boring for those of us who would like to get on with life. Helping lesser climbers can really slow you down.

The Regressive Left Mountain-climbers-low-res-300x200

The Regressive Left Mountain-climbers-low-res-300x200

by Guest Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:24 pm

Original Quill wrote:
Didge wrote:Nothing tends to generate controversy on this or any other blog as much as a good dust-up between those representing “Left” and “Right” on the political spectrum. As with more ancient battles between religious believers, the stakes are high in such debates where people’s arguments tend to get bound up with important aspects of personal identity.

Nah...way overstated. Discussions on this site between the Left and Right tend to be the former teaching the latter what's what about politics.

We spend most of our time with the Left showing the Right how they have been led around like sheep by their RW opinion-leaders, who tend to (*ahem*) engage in fiction a bit too much.

Education is a slow, arduous process. It can be rather boring for those of us who would like to get on with life. Helping lesser climbers can really slow you down.

So you are basically admitted you cannot deny the problems within the left

Thanks

by Guest Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:24 pm

Lord Foul wrote:If I were you didge, i'd thank wolfie for that confirmation of your post

How about a reasoned criticism of the O/P wolfie/ rather than what seems to be becomming the aussie style of debate

( that is to say:- rant rant rant rant rant blether wibble squalk)

by Original Quill Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:31 pm

Didge wrote:
Original Quill wrote:

Nah...way overstated. Discussions on this site between the Left and Right tend to be the former teaching the latter what's what about politics.

We spend most of our time with the Left showing the Right how they have been led around like sheep by their RW opinion-leaders, who tend to (*ahem*) engage in fiction a bit too much.

Education is a slow, arduous process. It can be rather boring for those of us who would like to get on with life. Helping lesser climbers can really slow you down.

So you are basically admitted you cannot deny the problems within the left

Thanks

Well, it's boring having to hang back and lead the RW along. There's other more exciting stuff we could be doing.

But, you know, we're committed to helping the handicapped. Razz

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