A whisper in the ear of young progressives/radicals [View all]

The 2024 presidential is shaping up in a way that is giving me flashbacks to the 1968 Humphrey-Nixon-Wallace election. I was not old enough to vote at the time but I was aware of the issues. We watched in horror at two assassinations of progressive leaders, and the protests that exploded in reaction. We were radicalized by radical events happening right before our eyes, daily. The left was energized against the war and for racial equality and justice.
The left also, to a large extent (I’m not quite sure of the numbers), opposed the Democratic Party and Humphrey as not being progressive enough, particularly regarding “the American War,” as the Vietnamese referred to it. And the left did not fully fall in behind Humphrey in the election. As a matter of fact there were protests outside the Democratic convention. We got Nixon! Nixon the war criminal (among other crimes, particularly in the political/electoral arena). This pushed the trajectory of American politics well to the right. Furthermore, Nixon never faced a jury of his peers for his crimes.

So here’s the thing: is this not ringing bells for you? The left was correct in its ideals and goals, but played the politics poorly. Don’t make the same mistake now. By engaging in violence, and not classic civil disobedience (which is generally effective in engaging American’s sense of morality), you alienate voters for the more progressive candidate. Compound that with not voting for the more progressive candidate and America loses.

I was once where you are now. Don’t make the same mistake. If you make the perfect the enemy of the good, you will get the real enemy.

Thank you.