Well, here is one of my occasional deep dives into the progressive movement and what it feels and looks like.
Me: The progressive movement can have some deep conversations about race, policing, politics, and how we talk about that. If you see yourself as a progressive, than “defund the police” should be the start of a dialogue, not the end of a relationship.
Your reaction? Feel free to comment below.
Background: If I have learned anything since The HUB for Progress emerged, it is that there are real “fault” lines in the broad left, in the progressive movement. Those fault lines, like geologic ones, are where big forces join. And they sit quiet most of the time to most people even as they produce lots of “little tremors.” And then there is a “big” moment when lots of energy SUDDENLY springs out. People feel unsettled, worried, or anxious. Some shit can get broken, etc.
I don’t think the fault lines go away. I don’t blame anyone for why they are there. The best I hope for is to name them, describe them, ask everyone to be aware of how they are affecting you, and do our best to define goals and nurture spaces that are “earthquake” proof. Because ending qualified immunity, or reducing police budgets, or the “freedom to breathe” laws, or ending the War on Drugs, or or or All matter MORE than which side of the fault line you are on.
Personally, and I hope this suffuses the whole movement, we need to be ruthless to systems (policing), kind to people, and, adding this, demand consequences for action. The George Floyd verdict as many, many have said was a consequence moment. It was NOT a moment of changing the system. Thought it may lead to it.
Other fault lines I have seen and felt. Reform versus Revolution… Clinton Versus Sanders… Sanders Versus most of the 2020 field… Racial justice versus economic equality…Working in elections versus doing direct aid (or something else)…
Picture credit: https://digital.libraries.psu.edu/digital/collection/pageol/id/52010/
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