Declaration

What it comes down to is this. No one wants to be the bad guy. No one wants their friends and allies to be the bad guys. That's a given.

The question is, what -else- drives you to do what you do? Or don't do? And that is a general "you."

i mean, as a "progressive," that is. Liberal. Leftist, radical, small-d democrat, one who would transform the body politic, what you will.

and the other given: no one--well, most people--enjoys fighting. a lot of well-meaning people are reaching for the Pepto this morning, I think, for one reason or another. it's not the first time this has happened, or the thousandth, and won't be the last.

people don't want trouble. but sometimes, trouble is already there, and speaking is better than silence. and sometimes, when speaking doesn't seem to be having any effect, it gets raised to a shout.

which, i would have thought, is kind of the point of being a progressive, small-d-democrat, whatever you want to call it, in the first place, understanding that, be it feminist or anti-racist or plain old I-hate-the-Bush-admin-and-what-it's-done-to-our-country.

"we have met the enemy, and they is us."

it doesn't -have- to be that way, no. that's the -good- news. but, it's not gonna get any better if we keep clinging to our old defenses in the stark face of this isn't working anymore, and yes, i mean me, too. All of us. Goddamit.