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July 2, 2017
Post-Election 2016

MY REBUTTAL TO MYSELF

Political correctness is dum dum, but on the other hand…

As a rebuttal to things I’ve been writing here about the ways Lefty attitudes and actions fueled Trumpian populism I say this:

By pointing out the backlash against political correctness and the villianization of rural white America we risk slamming the pendulum in another direction that’ll have consequences later on. PC was a step too far in an otherwise successful movement toward equality for women racial and ethnic minorities, women and LGBTQ people. The safe spaces trend is an easy foil for the Right – all these spoiled millennials being further spoiled by fiat. But for those in need of those spaces, bullying and marginaliation had become a norm. The message sinks in deeper than even they might realize. For a college to provide four years of respite from that programming in addition to an promoting alternate self image can truly turn a troubled life around.

It would’ve been great if the Left had added a corollary to the Equality movement that sought to help the other side who were experiencing their own calamity. But that would not be an easy thing to accomplish. Every cultural movement – whether political, entertainment media or fashion based – requires a fairytale-deep narrative with 2-dimensional heroes and villians in appropriate costume signifiers. That’s why most legislation that follows a political pendulum shift is imbedded with hubristic excesses that will become the propagandist memes that will ignite the next pendulum swing. 

It tragic but true that a picket sign that says THIS, but on the other hand – THAT is a tough read.

This is what I believe. I think I’m right in the ideas expressed above.

The problem with being right is the tendency to no leave some space for the many millions who I think are wrong and still want their way.

Our victories for social justice prevailed. Now we get to live under an administration that knows it’s right and leaves no room for the millions of us think they’re wrong and still want our way.

 

— Polar Levine, News Goo Dissection, July 2, 2017

© Polar Levine 2017 content should not be reproduced elsewhere without prior permission

Polar Levine

working class college dropout who loves to learn, poke his biases and waste time looking around