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Peace, My Friends
Author: BobR    Date: 01/28/2011 12:50:33

There's been a lot of talk over the last year or so about the fissures in the Republican party. There seem to be the "mainstream" Republicans and the extremists, mostly represented by the Tea Party, but there are others claiming to be Libertarian. It's hard to draw explicit lines; I see it in my head as more of a Venn diagram.

It only makes sense that we would have similar fissures on the Left. In our case, we have Democrats, socialists, and firebaggers (as well as left-leaning Libertarians). I can't speak for those in the right-wing spectrum, but I feel like for the most part, we on the left all want the same things (in some cases with the government's role being more or less), yet it seems we have much more heated fights about them.

What do we want? Economic and social justice, a clean environment with renewable energy sources, a strong safety net, health care for all, and peace in the world with a reduced military presence and role (I'm sure I've missed a few things). I personally would like to see all things we consider essential to our modern society managed by the government (at some level), rather than for-profit companies. Water is generally already a government service. Why not electric, gas, internet, and waste management? Of course - this goes for healthcare as well.

Is that socialism? To the extent of those services, yes, but it's certainly not complete socialism in the government. That pretty much leaves everything else to private enterprise.

And yet - because I don't give much credence to X-Files-style government conspiracy theories, I am called a sheep and naive. Because I believe in celebrating the victories we get and those that help deliver them, rather than bitch about what we didn't get and demonize those that "compromise", I am a deemed a sell-out or a corporatist.

How has it gotten so ugly? How can anyone see all of the progress made over the last two years and say Obama is "just as bad" as the Republicans? Why are some people so angry when progress is moving in the right direction? Sure there's more to be done. Change isn't clean nor easy. But there's been change all right. I used to think these people were simply PUMAs, but I don't know anymore. I think there are those on the left that feel anything short of 100% on their litmus test equates to 0%. To them it's black or white, not shades of gray.

They talk of revolution, violent protests, and 3rd parties, but the only thing that's appropriate is the non-violent protests taught by Dr. King. There is no 3rd party that is going to become strong enough to win the power of the gavel in Congress. Violent revolution is antithesis to our desire for peace.

Tearing down the leaders who are moving us in the right direction because they are moving us slower than some people would like is not helping either. In fact, it's helping the opposition (the 2010 election results are proof of that).

There is much talk of Beck, Limbaugh, etc. inspiring nutjobs to take violent action. We implore those more moderate on the right to castigate and shun them, to no avail. But who inspires those on the left to lash out at our leaders and fellow liberals? People like Hamsher, Greenwald, et al are the ones fomenting discontent. Will we take our own advice and castigate and shun these firestarters? Sadly, I doubt it. Calling them out as the "professional Left" led to the same type of "closing of the wagons" that happens when someone accuses Beck of instigating violence.

We need to be better than that. We need to bring peace to our own house. We need to practice what we preach.


 

63 comments (Latest Comment: 01/28/2011 21:48:29 by livingonli)
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