Social justice warriors: from oppressed to oppressors

Leftist activism has come full circle.  In just a few decades, the political left has evolved from “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” to debasing America as an unexceptional, colonialist, xenophobic, racist nation founded in slavery and straddled by a Constitution framed by slave owners.

In the past, social reformers and activists represented directly the aggrieved or subjugated elements of society.  Women’s suffrage was fought for and won by women.  Worker’s rights were fostered by men such as Samuel Gompers, an immigrant cigar maker who founded the AFL.  Anti-segregation movements were spearheaded by MLK Jr.  Social justice warriors of the past were those who were personally involved in and committed to resolving social injustices.

Fast forward to the 21st century.  From the truly oppressed personally seeking relief, yesterday’s leftist activists have been replaced by a cadre of surrogate “reformers” — liberal, white, virtue signaling morality preachers fighting fabricated injustices for self-gratification.  They are moved by a desire or need to be perceived by themselves and others as morally superior champions of equality and social responsibility.  They frequently care little or know little about the social issues against which they rail.  Not given to critical thinking, they derive their purpose from media disseminated talking points, espousing the cause du jour to sustain their membership in the ranks of enlightened elitists.  They even reject the outcomes of their own activism.  Illegals on my doorstep?  Wind turbines in my backyard?  Crime and homelessness in my neighborhood?  No thanks!  Yesterday’s social justice warriors were in search of social justice.  Today’s are in search of a halo.

These virtue signalers constitute the rank and file of the new army of social justice warriors.  Their commanders, however, have no interest in seeking self-gratification by trumpeting their moral certitude.  They rather seek to bring down the current oppressive, white supremacist, patriarchal, capitalistic system in the wake of the chaos and dissidence created by their army of sycophant warriors.  Dissatisfied with simply elevating the status of the oppressed, they have recently taken on the role of avenger in attacking and replacing the perceived oppressors.  They are now on the offense.

Woke progressivism and the D-I-E initiative are not coercive, but punitive, vengeful, and retributive.  Merit is under attack.  Protected groups are given priority in career and academic advancement.  Speech declared offensive or hateful is censored.  Woke policy resistors are fired.  The federal bureaucracy, dominated by left-wing control freaks, is overtly politicized.  Imprison Trump the fascist.  Jurisprudence gives way to judicial activism.  Ballot harvesting, and mail-in and absentee voting replace closed ballots on Election Day to counter the “injustice” of voter suppression.  A Democrat administration is simply powerless to control a border invasion by future Democrat voters.  BLM riots are peaceful protests.  A MAGA riot is punishable as an insurrection.

Yesterday’s left sought to achieve social justice by elevating the oppressed.  Today’s left increasingly seeks to achieve social control by bringing down the “oppressors.”  If successful, the outcome will be the attainment of a society of mediocrity — one easily controlled by an authoritarian state.

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