Progressive?
Who allowed these people to co-opt the word “progressive”? Since when did a group of ill-tempered, generally juvenile and always myopic individuals, lacking in common sense get to wear the banner of “progress”? Isn’t there some sort of lexicographic police force that monitors this type of thing? Shouldn’t syntax officers break down their doors, and shout: “Halt!…Put down that adjective!…Back away from that deception!… Put your fallacies in the air!… Don’t utter another spurious syllable!…You are charged with semantic piracy!… You’ll go before the terminology tribunal!… And, then, it’s off to the vocabulary jail with ye!”
I’ve been waiting for widespread wording arrests like these to be made, but, so far, no perpetrator has even been detained, let alone incarcerated. Where ARE the authorities when you need them?
Anyway, the term “progress” is a word that is beloved by all. Whom, after all, WOULDN’T want to be “progressive”? In the past, however, the term would always imply change in a positive direction. Or movement along a favorable trajectory. Or improvement in some fashion or another. This usage is, arguably, innapropriate with “progressives” of today’s America. Why so?
Well, despite their chosen moniker, America’s “progressive” contingent is not about making progress at all! It has been said that the progressive agenda on minorities and inner cities, for example, is DESIGNED to keep minorities unproductive, impoverished and, therefore dependent on governmental largess doled out most vigorously by the Democratic Party (thereby keeping a large voting block loyal Democrats). Whether their program is on purpose or not, it clearly has been an abject failure. So, I would ask: where’s the “progress” in “progressive”? In many other instances of failed progressive policies, progressives keep advocating for more of the same policies that have already been tried and failed. In fact, in my opinion, they’re fighting the same battles of the 60’s and 70’s. And, they’re fighting battles which, largely, THEY’VE ALREADY WON! (SOMEONE ought to tell them!). Consider, that, with the combined administrations of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, “progressives” have been in charge of our vast nation for SIXTEEN of the last TWENTY FOUR years! Also, note that most of America’s big cities are run by minority (and predominantly progressive) mayors! Note that many city police forces are also headed by minorities. Note too that American academia panders just about exclusively to the “progressive” agenda. Note that major American media is nearly unanimously “progressive” in orientation. In other words, “Progressives” have, generally, been RUNNING things for the past quarter century. So, if “progressives” are disappointed in the state of today’s America, they should be unhappy with… THEMSELVES! They should look in the mirror! (There’s no limit to the value they would derive from self awareness.). They should do some rethinking! And they should carefully re-evaluate that program of theirs that just doesn’t seem to result in…, well, you know,…progress!
(P.S.: Thanks L.R.M. for the theme used above!).