| Topic: |
Sociology > Education |
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| Date: |
06 Aug 2007 11:15:33 AM |
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I Don't Dislike Democrats, - I Oppose the Progressive-Left |
I Don't Dislike Democrats, I Oppose the Progressive-Left
Frank Salvato, Managing Editor
July 27, 2007 www.newmediajournal.us/staff/fsalvato/08032007.htm
Too often those who opine on political matters make the mistake of
directing their criticism - or accolades - toward a generalized group
when in fact the comments are meant for a more specific faction
commingled within that group. I, at least on a few occasions, stand
guilty as charged. This type of generalization has contributed to the
coarse ideological divisions in our country and has become the modus
operandi of politicos and pundits alike, from all avenues of political
thought. At a time when our nation is embroiled in a critical struggle
for survival and in an effort to realize a more cohesive American
political and social culture, I believe it may behoove those of us who
scrutinize and maintain a comprehensive understanding of politics and
events surrounding the elected-class to start correctly identifying
the groups with which we take issue.
For the record, the Progressive-Left is an aggressive faction
currently ensconced within the Democrat Party. Where most Progressive-
Leftists are Democrat (some of the more extreme are Green and even
Socialist or Communist), most Democrats are not Progressive-Leftists.
In fact, where mainstream Democrats and Republicans are concerned, we,
as thoughtful Americans, have much more in common than not, explaining
why an overwhelming majority of the American public considers
themselves moderate or mainstream in their political leanings.
I do not dislike Democrats. The realty of the matter is that I have
many friends who are Democrats. While I have many differences with
their ideology and their views for how best to execute the caretaking
of our government and country, I don't dislike them as people. In
fact, I embrace and appreciate the opportunity to engage in thoughtful
and intellectual debate on issues important to our nation with those
of differing opinions. When two or more patriotic and sincere parties
set out to express their ideas and concerns regarding the stewardship
of our government and the path forward for our nation it can only be
described as the quintessential American political experience.
In many cases, when the elected class engages in honest debate, where
the true goal of the matter is the well-being of our country and our
people, it produces a positive and quality product. Honest,
impassioned debate is what established the floors of the US House of
Representatives and the US Senate as two of the greatest debating
platforms in history.
But political debate - true, honest, sincere, genuine, open political
debate - can only be achieved when the parties involved possess all of
the aforementioned prerequisites; truth, integrity, sincerity,
substance and frankness. When one party is disingenuous or has
ulterior motives or has the best interests of special interests at
heart, the product almost always produces something that is far from
that which facilitates the well-being of our nation. Insincere
political debate almost always comes at the detriment of the American
people; it almost always indicates a desire to place the welfare of a
political party or ideological faction above the process of good
government for all Americans.
Both the statesman-like qualities of the thoughtful elected class as
well as the ugly qualities possessed by those who practice special
interest and opportunistic politics can be found on both sides of the
aisle. But nowhere in American politics is the hideous quality of the
narcissistic and self-serving more evident than among those who take
pride in calling themselves part of the Progressive-Left.
I oppose and hold ideological contempt for Progressive-Leftists. I
abhor their penchant for stopping short of examining all of the facts
regarding the issues they deem important and I detest their self-
instilled, over-inflated sense of self-esteem which enables them to
believe they should dictate to the rest of the world not only what is
acceptable and what is not, but how we should live our lives.
At almost every turn, this malicious group of egotists twists and
contorts the tenets instituted by our Founders and Framers in an
effort to place their ideology above the principles set forth by our
founding documents, our Charters of Freedom. They ignore the true
intent behind much of the founding dogma, intent born of great
political philosophers such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes and even
Cicero and Aristotle, critical thinkers who influenced our Framers.
Instead they replace this doctrine with the failed theories of the
Marxist/Leninist era, self-deprecating political canon that advances
the false hope of attaining equality at the redistribution of wealth
and the promotion of class warfare while establishing an elitist class
that rules over those who have had "equality" thrust upon them.
Today's Progressive-Left can also be addressed as the American Fifth
Column. This political faction, through their statements, deeds and
demands, evidences a clear lack of intellectual vision, an inability
to see beyond their immediate goals or to ascertain the consequences
of their actions and demands. They operate with an analytical capacity
seldom seen in anything other than the temper tantrums of a spoiled
three year-old. And just like that spoiled three year-old, those of
the American Fifth Column, the Progressive-Left, insist without
reservation that they are not only correct in their avenue of thinking
- no matter what the subject - but that anyone who opposes them is
wrong, ignorant of the truth and uninformed of reality.
The caustic anti-war contingent - epitomized by groups such a CodePink
- has no answer to questions raised about the likelihood of an all-
encompassing Iraqi genocide should US and Coalition Forces leave that
theater pre-maturely. In fact, judging from comments made by Senator
John Kerry denying the Southeast Asian genocide perpetrated after the
US exit from Vietnam, many among the Progressive-Left would accept a
limited genocide of Iraqis as a consequence for their political
agenda.
When challenged that the global war against Islamofascist aggression
is a struggle that will not cease simply because we do not engage in
it, those of the Progressive-Left insist that the catalyst for said
aggression is US interference in the Middle East and American support
for Israel. They are at a loss to explain why Islamofascists are
slaughtering Hindus, Buddhists and other Muslims in Africa, Indonesia,
South America and elsewhere in the Middle East, American culture not
prevalent in most of those locations.
The Progressive-Left is in such a determined state of denial about the
aggressive threat of radical Islam that they embrace the religion of
Islam as a whole, labeling it "the religion of peace," while ignoring
that almost everywhere in the world where Islam interacts with other
cultures there is conflict. They cannot comprehend the reality that
should the US disengage from combating Islamofascism on the
battlefields of Iraq and elsewhere in that theater, al Qaeda and its
minion groups would think nothing of taking the bloodbath to the
streets of Chicago, Baltimore or San Diego. They are in such denial
that House Armed Serviced Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) has
banned the use of the phrase "global war on terror" in his committee
proceedings.
The American Fifth Column, manned by the Progressive-Left, has
demonstrated its desire to usurp constitutionally mandated rights by
establishing a shadow set of laws in the form of political
correctness, laws friendlier to the one-world tenets of the United
Nations Charter and its encroachment into our sovereignty as a nation
than to the US Charters of Freedom.
The institution of "hate crime" and "hate speech" laws illustrates the
Progressive-Left's attempt to legislate political correctness. One of
the most critical aspects to understanding the extent of the
encroachment of such legislation onto our constitutional rights comes
in the form of a singular question. Who would be the arbiter in
establishing the defining criteria with regard to what is considered
"hate," in both action and speech?
Recognizing the brutal reality that criminals, by definition, do not
follow the laws of our land, the continued encroachment upon our
Second Amendment right to bear arms in pursuit of the false notion
that it is the inanimate object that is dangerous and not the living
being interacting with the inanimate object, literally places law
abiding citizens at a disadvantage to a criminal class. Yet anti-gun
groups, championed by the Progressive-Left, continue to lobby for
incremental Second Amendment limitations while waging a grassroots
campaign for gun control laws that witnesses municipalities literally
outlawing the possession of fire arms altogether, completely usurping
the US Constitution.
Where our national security is concerned, the Progressive-Left
employs, yet again, the inanity of political correctness and a far-
reaching morally relativistic justification limiting intelligence
gathering and terror prevention.
By objecting to the use of profiling - one of the most valuable tools
in law enforcement and a tool devoid of the variable of emotion, a
tool based on the use of statistics - Transportation Safety
Administration screeners go out of their way to avoid the label of
racist, scrutinizing, detaining and questioning many who fall outside
the profiles of suicide-bombers, hijackers or Islamofascist
terrorists.
And by insisting on politically motivated oversight and limitation of
intelligence gathering concerning potential terrorist operatives and
operations targeting the United States the Progressive-Left literally
impedes US anti-terror operations while affording limited resistance
to those plotting against our country. They do so while ignoring the
damage caused by leaking this intelligence to the mainstream media.
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the definition for
"Patriotic" is:
"Love of and devotion to one's country."
That the Progressive-Left American Fifth Column would: attempt to
rewrite American history by denying the consequences of a pre-mature
Vietnam disengagement to the point of forcing our nation to facilitate
the Islamofascist genocide of the Iraqi people; deny our government
and military the necessary tools to engage our enemy, offensively, in
the global war against Islamofascist aggression; create a shadow set
of laws that usurps the authority of the US Constitution; and deny our
intelligence and law enforcement communities the ability to
aggressively pursue the protection of the American people from harm,
that they would do all this and much more, illustrates a contempt for
our country and the very principles used on which our freedoms were
forged, not a devotion to it or a love of it.
As I said, I don't dislike Democrats. Honest and thoughtful debate is
important to our governmental process. I can't say the same, however,
for the Progressive-Left. In fact, I believe they are dangerous.
Frank Salvato is the vice president and executive director of Basics
Project a non-profit, non-partisan, 501(C)(3) research and education
initiative. He also serves as the managing editor for The New Media
Journal. His writing has been recognized by the US House International
Relations Committee and the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention. His
organization, Basics Project, partnered with America's Truth Forum in
producing the first ever national symposium series addressing the root
causes of radical Islamist terrorism with events taking place in
Washington DC, Las Vegas, NV and scheduled to take place in additional
locations across the country. Mr. Salvato has appeared on The O'Reilly
Factor on FOX News Channel and is the host of the NMJ Radio show
broadcast global on NetTalkWorld global talk radio and broadcast live
on BlogTalk Radio. He is a regular guest on The Right Balance with
Greg Allen on the Accent Radio Network, syndicated on over 25 stations
nationally and on The Captain's America Radio Show catering to the US
Armed Forces around the world, as well as an occasional guess on radio
programs across the country. His opinion-editorials are syndicated
nationally and he is occasionally quoted in The Federalist. Mr.
Salvato is available for public speaking engagements.
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