New in PJ Media:
Contrary to universally accepted usage, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders and the rest are not “progressives,” and we must stop calling them that. To continue to do so is misleading and dangerous.
One of the most important aspects of combating the Left’s assault on freedom and rationality itself is to counter its manipulation of language. “Gender-affirming care” isn’t gender-affirming care, it’s the mutilation of healthy people in the pursuit of delusions. “Book-banning” isn’t a resurgence of fascist thought control, it’s the cleansing of our libraries and schools from the pornography and propaganda with which Leftists have filled them. Abortion isn’t “women’s healthcare,” it’s the murder of a child. And behind all of the Left’s language-bending is the fundamental lie that Leftists are “progressives.”
This one has become so generally accepted in American culture today that the likes of AOC and Bernie are regularly called “progressives” even by their opponents. This is not simply the benign name of a political faction. It implies that those who bear the name are on the right side of a grand progression of history. Human experience, the “progressives” contend, is moving inexorably toward an inevitable outcome. History, they say, is a science, and that science demonstrates that the world is moving toward a messianic age of earthly justice, in which everyone gives according to his or her or xis ability, and receives according to his or her or xis needs.
Does that sound familiar? It should. It’s Marxism. It was the dyspeptic misanthrope Karl Marx who proclaimed that he had cracked the code and discerned the riddles of history, and could now declare with scientific certainty that history was moving toward socialism and there was nothing anyone could do to prevent it. The workers’ paradise was an inevitable fact. Reactionaries may try to obstruct it, but they would ultimately fail.
This idea of an inevitable progression of human history toward peace, justice and equality became a staple of Marxist thought. Leon Trotsky believed it with such unshakable certainty that even when Stalin had outmaneuvered him and declared him an enemy of the Soviet state, Trotsky continued blandly in his assurance that since he was on the right side of history, he would eventually prevail. It took the axe of a Stalinist in Mexico, to which Trotsky had fled to await history’s vindication, in Trotsky’s skull to demonstrate once and for all that history is not always so easily predictable and does not operate according to scientific rules.
There is more. Read the rest here.
ME Infidel says
On the surface, calling these totalitarians “statists” is almost as innocuous as calling them “progressives” since the Left has a knack for massaging words. With several generations of clueless useful idiots who think that socialism is the answer, JW should set up a contest to popularize a universal word that really defines it. Communism, Marxism, Fascism, Maoism, Nazism are also just meaningless words to them. Almost by accident “Brandon” came into our lexicon so let’s have at it.
Don McKellar says
Yes. Calling them progressives is not correct. Neither is calling them a liberal. They are marxists, hiding behind language.
Black Lives Matter are marxists who really played the name game well.
The two standard name calling insults of a marxist are “racist” and “facist”. Those words come out of their mouths instinctivly when a rational person opposes them.
There is nobody more racist than a modern day marxist -they are obsessed with it. And you can’t have facism without socialism. Socialism is required for a leader to impose the will of the state and enforce compliance and control. Il Duce was a member of one leftist party after another until he founded his own and a socialst state. And nazi is English slang that the members of Germany’s National Socialisr Party never used. Facism is leftist. It’s just the branch that fights with communism for control.
Don McKellar says
Fascism.
Fascism is not far right. Ir is far left.
Patriotliz says
Correct! The right/left political paradigm doesn’t really apply to America which fought against both evil ideologies. It’s a left-over knee jerk response from WWII era when German Socialist Communists (Anti-fascists) were enemies of the German Socialist Fascists. Nonetheless, the Leftist Democrat Communistic Antifa of today erroneously considers ALL political enemies of Communism an automatic Fascist. They don’t know history or the origins of their own Antifa.
Don McKellar says
Fascism, that is.
Fascism is not far right, it is far left.
tim gallagher says
They are left wing fascists. People are not allowed to disagree with their left wing, politically correct bullshit agenda. Anyone who dares to not see the world in the same way that they see it is a terrible, immoral type of person according to these fascist scum. They are haters of freedom of speech and want big government to control all aspects of society in an authoritarian, marxist way. Everybody is meant to see things in their same idiotic way.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
“Progressive” is actually a term (like “Rainbow”) that Communists stole way back during the Cold War: Communist movements of various shades of red branded themselves as “progressive”. It’s something like the term “Democratic” (which in its purest form means “mob rule) being used in the official names of Communist countries, like the German Democratic Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of Yemen. Which of course were/are the official names of East Germany, North Korea and South Yemen. (Incidentally, Vietnam, which actually has a market economy since 1986, calls itself the “Socialist Republic of Vietnam”, which is a clear indication that it’s not a socialist country, even though its political freedoms are restricted)
Essentially, “Progressive” is a term used to denote the antonym of “religious”: the claim is that in the name of science, faith is thoroughly rejected as “superstition”. In that context, they are right, since AOC, Bernie & others are as close to Atheistic as one can be w/o openly admitting it, since that concept is still frowned upon, even amongst Democrats. Also, as Don McKellar noted above, these “progressives” are not even “liberal” either, since they opposed free expression when it’s against things that they support. Yet, that label sticks, so much so htat Sirius XM’s political channel for the Left is called the “Progressive Channel” (the one for the Right is the “Patriot Channel”)
tgusa says
The left love the word game. They think they are so smart but they are not. Every word or words they use are a bastardization of what they really mean. Example, hugs and kisses really means, a knife in the back. Always take in to consideration that the words they use are pretty much the opposite of what they really mean. If you do that you will never go wrong.
James Lincoln says
tgusa says,
“Every word or words they use are a bastardization of what they really mean.”
Also applies to bills that are presented to Congress:
“Inflation Reduction Act”, etc.
tgusa says
So true, James.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
tgusa
Very good Cliff’s Notes version of into how to study the Left
tgusa says
Thanks Infidel.
tgusa says
I am also sick of hearing these people called “elites”. Just look at who is voting them in or installing them as leaders in some such leftist institution. The “honorable” is a total misconception as well. Institution fits as many of them are in great need of institutionalization.
Trouble says
Progressives are fascists, It’s a one way toxic communication highway with them if you are allowed a word in that is. Historically derelict ,or conveniently so, masters of manipulating facts and reminiscent of being in the presence of a pack of rabid dogs if you don’t agree with what can be described as their insane, misanthropic, evil ideas or policies.
Patriotliz says
“Instead of calling them “progressives,” then, patriots should call them what they are: statists…”.
C’mon man!…why are you so afraid to call them Communists and/or Fascists?
At least call them Progressive Communists or Progressive Fascists.
It’s all about language and labels and so far the Democrat Communists are winning and are leading Conservatives around by the nose. This drives me crazy…that includes Victor Davis Hanson who likes to obscure the obvious Communism infiltration/revolution with intellectual analogies to Jacobins, French Revolution or “like” Maoism. Just spit it out already…call them the “Democrat Communist Party.”
I routinely refer to the Democrats as FascistCommies on social media.
When will Conservatives wake up and smell the Democrat Communist Revolution?
kuhnkat@yahoo.com says
When I call a Republican a Progressive it is an insult. Progressives to me are people who claim to progress with their policies and ideas, but, are actually regressive. This actually applies to Rinos and most Democrats not to mention Communists, Socialists, Fascists and many other prsuasions.
Nope, no good Progressives out there I am aware of.