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Politics and Activism

Why Regressives Are Slowing The Progressive movement

Unfortunately, not all of us progressive leftists are helping our cause.

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Why Regressives Are Slowing The Progressive movement
Juan Bustillo

The past few years have seen an unprecedented rise in the involvement of young people in politics and social movements. There has been not only a wave of interest from millennials in the election cycle, but also a resurgence of Marxian thought and left-leaning view of the world. Young people have begun a very progressive movement filled with tolerance and acceptance that has already taken the Western world by storm.

Unfortunately, not all of us progressive leftists are helping our cause. Some of the most radical and idealistic leftists I know have absolutely no idea what they are talking about when they criticize established institutions and offer completely baseless solutions to existing problems. I used to think that the term “regressive leftist,” which was coined by conservative pundits a year ago, was just another laughable attempt to undermine the progressive movements that threaten their views. However, as I looked into the reasoning behind the title, I realized that they did have a point. Regressive leftists hold our movement back by practicing many of the things they preach against on Tumblr and Twitter on a daily basis.

One of the most regressive tendencies to have appeared on news outlets recently is the suppression of free speech by the left. A recent high-profile example of this was when the students of Scripps College in Claremont, California publicly objected to Madeleine Albright as commencement speaker at the end of this past school year. The students’ criticisms of Albright were valid - they are, of course, entitled to their opinions of her. Events like these aren’t limited to college campuses. Like with Albright, young progressives all over America are refusing to listen to people who don't share their views, instead opting to live in a little bubble free of disagreements. Not only are they taking away basic rights of others to freely speak their minds, but they are also pushing away exposure to new and different ideas that have as much validity as their own. I am a perfect example of this. I chose not to learn about the “regressive left” simply because I didn't care for arguments of people who didn't agree with me. But when I became exposed to the argument, I found ways to strengthen my own positions and help my cause even more. I learned that after listening to the ideas of those who disagree with me, I could go ahead and prove them wrong with my own ideas. By suppressing the voices of others, we become no less closed-minded than we accuse the others of being.

A common criticism conservatives have of leftists is how we’re “offended” by everything. I myself am mixed on this. Personally, I think that we as progressives need to develop a thicker skin and not let every single controversial comment be a trigger. I think that as long as we’re perceived as weak and easily offended, our movement will be laughed at rather than respected. That being said, I know that I’m looking at this situation as a privileged, white-passing, cishet male who has never felt the oppression my Latinx and transgender friends have faced. I’ve never been criticized for being who I am, nor am I constantly surrounded by people who say that I’m less of a person because of things I have no control over. So while being easily offended is not so much a regressive tendency as it is a side effect of being different in a society that preaches uniformity, I do believe that it is something that we can work on as a community and stand up to those who think it’s entertaining to say offensive things for the sake of offending those whom they perceive as weaker.

Regressives aren’t intolerant just of opposing viewpoints. There’s a frightening number of leftists who criticize everything that white people do or have done and praise and defend whatever it is that people of color do. I do think that some of these are valid - colonialism, imperialism, and militarism all deserve the highest of criticisms. And in our perennially racist society, POCs do need to be defended in the face of discrimination. But there’s a limit. White people are not inherently racist or bigoted. White people are not the cause of every single problem that has ever been. White people are not “out to get you.” If we as progressives truly want a tolerant society that actually allows equal opportunity, then there are ways to achieve it without demonizing people simply for being white. Refusing to participate in activities because it “there’s too many white people” or having unwarranted feelings towards someone just because they are white is what turns progressives into regressives.

The fact that many progressives know nothing about the very positions they hold on economic and social issues really is about as regressive as it gets. These days, it’s easy to fit in with other millennials by mirroring their radical views and rebellious attitudes. It’s easy to stand at a rally holding a sign that says “Down With Capitalism!” But how much do you actually know about the issues you say you stand up for? If you like saying that you’re a communist, then read Marx’s Capital and Communist Manifesto. If you claim to be a socialist, then listen to lectures by Richard Wolff and learn about Cornel West. Not only does being uneducated in your own position weaken your resolve to actually fight for progressive change, but it also means that you won’t be able to hold your own in a debate. The millennial movement is working not because we hold signs or call Trump a racist, but because we have the factual knowledge and power to change the minds of those who think their views to be superior to ours. Getting on Twitter and responding to criticism from the Right with arguments as dynamic as “educate yourself” or “check your privilege” gets us nowhere. This is regressive because it makes our critics think that we don't know what we’re talking about when it comes to these issues. Before you go out and tell everyone that communism is the greatest thing ever, make sure you can back that claim up with real evidence.


Our movement is strong. Today’s progressive millennials are some of the most passionate and tireless activists this country has ever seen. If we want a truly inclusive society, then we have to be inclusive. If we want to speak our minds, then we have to let others speak theirs. By eliminating regressive tendencies and focusing our energy on actually moving forward, we can more effectively create the change we seek.
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