Activism and extremism

LARRY ANDERSON
Larry Anderson

Here is a quote from author and one-time leftist David Horowitz: “Inside every progressive is a totalitarian screaming to get out.”

Interesting. And true, I think.

One has to pay attention to Horowitz because he was once as far left as one could go. In the volatile 1960s-70s, Horowitz was a radical in the intellectual and propagandistic sense and supportive of any movement designed to extinguish democratic America. He was an activist and an extremist, working exhaustively for revolution.

No one knows the far left better than David Horowitz.

To his great credit, Horowitz, over time, became disillusioned with radicalism and abandoned it to become a writer and speaker against its philosophy and political practices. Today, he is a valuable source of insight into the peculiar and destructive behaviors of the far left.

When Horowitz points out progressives’ true intent is totalitarian, he is doing a public service. He is telling everyone the left is not aligned with its public pretense; its long-term goals are actually a government that controls all aspects of citizens’ lives: production, income, health care and social conduct to name a few. The left’s cover is social justice, but its objective is total control by party.

The left seems to be about social generosity, but it’s real purpose is political selfishness. It has no interest in sharing power or in analyzing ideas from anyone outside itself. Look at its behavior and attitude toward Trump and those who had the audacity to support him.

The left is very good at what it does which includes the promulgation of class warfare, the promotion of victimization, and the progression of government. It is so skilled, we often don’t notice change, but if we do and object, assault on core beliefs follow.

Understand the preceding points aren’t about folks who consider themselves liberal because they vote Democratic, support unions, or think Susan Sarandon has a point. These remarks are concerned more with what drives radicalism and how it has been used to take control of the Democratic party, entrench itself in the bureaucracies and courts, and impact the lives of Americans dealing with an encroaching government and a judgmental society.

Within this context has been the rise of activism and extremism, two terms that get bantered back and forth with way too much ease. Activism, it seems to me, is defined too loosely and extremism too infrequently even though it is the more hazardous of the two.

It has become customary, especially within liberal media, to slap the activist label on anyone who shows up. A Hollywood personality who arrives on a political scene, spews a few accusations, and then goes home to his/her mansion doesn‘t fit that description. An individual who is permanently engaged in his/her cause, sacrifices for it, gives money to it, and accepts personal responsibility in its name is.

True activism requires some evidence of dedication and effectiveness. Without those it is just an unearned title doled by media smooch.

Women’s suffrage was activist. Writing a nasty blog isn’t.

Extremism is a different cat than activism and is a tag now favored by the left to describe those who object to its progressivism. If one rises in defense of personal values, you can be targeted for this special label.

Let it be known the left does not include itself within the extremist definition; therefore, it is important to make distinctions. Extremists will use anything, even violence, to achieve their political goals. They will try to silence opposing points of view and rely unapologetically on lies and propaganda to succeed.

Leftist extremists follow the Alinsky principle nothing is politically immoral if it takes society where they want it to go. The result justifies the means. That is radicalism 101.

Extremists are the ones burning cars, breaking windows, making threats, and using intimidation against those not conforming. While an “activist” might wave a sign around and yell at you, extremists will try to destroy you any way they can if you aren‘t as singular in thought as they.

The preceding description fits the modern left. Conservatives aren’t into property destruction and self-indulging rationalizations for violence or the suffocation of opposition.

But those on the right aren’t going to roll over and play dead either. The last thing the left should want is right-wingers rising in defense of their country and its original design.

Instead moderate lefties should reflect, adjust and begin to compromise, but I see no evidence of rational conciliation emerging. I see a fissure deepening into a chasm.

Larry W. Anderson is a retired educator, author, and life-long Northwest Missourian.