Can't a "Progressive" also be a "Patriot"?

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

In my opinion, a progressive can surely also be a patriot. What can be more progressive than to suggest policy that will preserve our nation's fundamental liberties and way of life? It's not a matter of whether any political label is attached or which party endorses the policy. In my blog, "Lets make America Strong Again," my goal is to suggest ways by which we can face the realities of global terrorism in a realistic approach that will enable America to win the global struggle for Western Civilization and defeat an enemy who would deny us our way of life on this planet. In many ways, one cannot really be a patriot unless the individual is also a progressive at the same time and vice versa. One reinforces the other mutually.

a reply to: kendix1960

Thanks for your post.

You said something about "your blog"???

In my blog, "Lets make America Strong Again," my goal is to suggest ways by which we can face the realities of global terrorism in a realistic approach that will enable America to win the global struggle for Western Civilization and defeat an enemy who would deny us our way of life on this planet.

Sorry - this book is still very significant to me:
America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't
ok.

my goal is to suggest ways by which we can face the realities of global terrorism in a realistic approach that will enable America to win the global struggle for Western Civilization and defeat an enemy who would deny us our way of life on this planet. In many ways, one cannot really be a patriot unless the individual is also a progressive

In many ways, one cannot really be a patriot unless the individual is also a progressive at the same time and vice versa.

I get what you're saying. Thanks.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Yes. You can find it under the title " Lets Make America Strong Again." -----kendix1960. Thanks much.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Depends on you definition of progressive. If progressive means expanding the corrupt government. Then you are no patriot.

bah. The OP tells you exactly what is being discussed here....

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The Patriot Post magazine

The Patriot Post frames current policy and culture issues in the correct constitutionally constructionist context established by our Founders, and supported today by the plurality of Americans who uphold the most basic tenet of our Republic: "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The Progressive magazine

The Progressive is a monthly magazine of investigative reporting, political commentary, cultural coverage, activism, interviews, poetry, and humor. We stand against militarism, the concentration of power in corporate hands, and the disenfranchisement of the citizenry. The Progressive champions peace, social and economic justice, civil rights, civil liberties, human rights, a preserved environment, and a reinvigorated democracy. Its bedrock values are nonviolence and freedom of speech.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Thank you, Buzzy! This thread, what you and other Progressives have to say, is very important to get the word out that Progressives are indeed patriotic, and that Progressives and anyone else who is NOT a far right, extremist, reactionary conservative must reclaim that word for themselves.

I think that most people do not understand that the definition of a reactionary conservative is a conservative who hates liberals (as a group) and all things liberal. It is not merely a disagreement but a visceral hatred. And, anyone to the left of them, ex moderate conservatives, are deemed "liberal".

These reactionaries have always been considered far right and extremists. They found a home in The John Birch Society. Goldwater had to deal with how to garner their vote; he did this by

[seeking] out an opportunity to dissociate himself from the “findings” of the Society’s leader, without, however, casting any aspersions on the Society itself.

Goldwater, the John Birch Society, and Me

From the above source, the Conservative intellectual WFB jr was asked about the JBS beliefs

“How would you define the Birch fallacy?” Jay Hall asked.

“The fallacy,” I said, “is the assumption that you can infer subjective intention from objective consequence: we lost China to the Communists, therefore the President of the United States and the Secretary of State wished China to go to the Communists.”

I see JBS beliefs all the time in postings here as well as in current news and political news. From The Radicals Are Back by Claire Conner, who grew up in a JBS home

My parents and their radical friends are back. Not only are they back; they’re running the Republican Party. They have a chokehold on the House of Representatives. They are gaining power in the Senate. And they hold five seats on the Supreme Court. Yes, the radical right is back. Here’s how I know:

Money has been equated to speech.

Corporations have been declared to be persons. Employers can refuse to cover contraceptives based on the “religious freedom” of corporations.

The Voting Rights Act has been gutted because the Court determined that African Americans no longer face any discrimination.

Republicans insist that slashing Medicare and Social Security and shredding all safety net programs will make
Americans richer and freer.

Healthcare reform, allowing previously uninsured Americans to buy health insurance from for-profit corporations, is deemed “socialized medicine.”

Food stamps are decried as making needy Americans lazy and dependent.

Our president is regularly accused of being a socialist, Marxist, fascist dictator.

Killing labor unions has become a goal of both the Republican party and the Supreme Court.

Rules making it harder to vote are enacted to stop the onslaught of imaginary voter fraud.

Republicans support limiting women’s access to reproductive healthcare and contraceptives.

Jobs legislation can not be considered because Republicans believe that government can’t create jobs. They overlook the fact that they are government employees.

Aid for the poor or unemployed is refused while tax credits and tax benefits for the wealthy continue.

Tax cuts never need to be paid for unless they help the middle class. Trickle down economics is still a GOP article of faith despite the fact that it has never worked.

Republicans oppose raising the debt limit regardless of the dire consequences. The recent government shutdown cost the economy billions of dollars and imposed hardship on those least able to absorb the blow, but the right wingers want to do it again.

Guns are promoted as a “God-given” right and the constitutional solution to government tyranny.

It shocks me to hear Tea Partiers and supposedly mainstream Republicans parroting what I heard day after day and year after year from my father, a national leader of the John Birch Society–one of the most extreme right-wing political movements of the 1960s.

There is no arguing with people who hold these beliefs, there is no debate, because to them there is nothing debatable. Anyone who disagrees is plain wrong. Beyond debate, they enter political life refusing to compromise and continuing to hold their illogical, paranoid beliefs. They would never, for ex, allow for anyone other than them to be a "Patriot", other than to contort logic or use doublespeak.

as Claire Conner says...

Please don’t dismiss the new radicals as harmless. Don’t laugh at men in colonial costumes waving copies of the constitution. Don’t dismiss the politicians who filibuster every bill and say no to every proposal that would help the economy. Don’t ignore the pundits who blame the poor for being poor while canonizing the rich as exceptional.

The radical right has a radical plan for America.

If we don’t wake up soon, we’ll find ourselves in a country controlled by big-money bosses, no-government libertarians, radical Christians, and old John Birchers.

Ok, leaving on a positive note...There are wealthy people who hold Progressive ideas
patrioticmillionaires.org

a reply to: desert

*sigh*

Why can't we get through to them, desert?
Another applause for your post. I appreciate you being here.


I must say, I'm about to give up on the concept of having intelligent debates here on ATS.

originally posted by: desert

Ok, leaving on a positive note...There are wealthy people who hold Progressive ideas
patrioticmillionaires.org

Be careful.

Some of those organizations are people who make sure the Progressive systems continue to fail.

Controlled opposition is a great defense !!

Properly executed, it can keep unsuspecting supporters in a comfort zone of hope(lessness).

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Not one person in history has had his/her words get through to everyone. You say what needs to be said, but how they are taken in depends on the receptivity of the person.

And you never quit speaking the truth and what needs to be said, because you never know which people need to germinate the idea in their head before it grows into their heart, to make them a better person, to transform them. On our part, we must never give up speaking out.

There are members who will have intelligent debates, but for others you just have to understand that they're coming from a position of true believer and zealot. An intelligent in-law died last year, going to his grave hating Obama, believing that Obama was a Muslim and not an American. I have no doubt that the last tv programming he saw on this Earth was what he loved to watch, Fox News Channel.

In re to how this country can get out of this morass, we have to reverse the trends of the last 25 years. Like minded progressive people have to work from the ground up, like the Christian Right did starting 25 years ago. enlightened is correct...

originally posted by: enlightenedservant
Even if I finally run for some public office, I'm only 1 person. But there are roughly 20,000 cities & towns in the US. Then there are more than 3,000 counties and county equivalents, 50 States, and the federal government. And all of these have their own elected & appointed positions of power.

In other words, it's going to take thousands of like minded people to be elected and appointed each election cycle in order to make lasting changes.

I know there are Progressive young people out there... some of them just don't know that their ideas are Progressive. Which is why we must continue to speak out and....

to make patriotic Progressives not feel alone, we must be aware of who else is out there in the media. For starters...

Thom Hartmann

Bob Cesca

Joe Madison The Black Eagle

Words still wise from a time ago.... Life is a long strange trip. Keep on truckin.

a reply to: xuenchen

xuen, you're one of my favorite controlled opposition agents.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
The Patriot Post magazine

The Patriot Post frames current policy and culture issues in the correct constitutionally constructionist context established by our Founders, and supported today by the plurality of Americans who uphold the most basic tenet of our Republic: "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The Progressive magazine

The Progressive is a monthly magazine of investigative reporting, political commentary, cultural coverage, activism, interviews, poetry, and humor. We stand against militarism, the concentration of power in corporate hands, and the disenfranchisement of the citizenry. The Progressive champions peace, social and economic justice, civil rights, civil liberties, human rights, a preserved environment, and a reinvigorated democracy. Its bedrock values are nonviolence and freedom of speech.

I call myself a "progressive." I want things to move forward.

I have recently (in another thread) asked for a 'definition' of "patriot" in ATSers' own words.


Being intrigued by the responses, I decided this might be a decent OP - as we approach the 'primaries' in this POTUS election cycle.
For my part, I believe I am both - a "patriot" AND a "progressive.

I realize that not all ATS members would accept that - and so, I want to ask you all.....

Is it possible in your opinion for a person to legitimately claim 'both' descriptives as accurate to their individuality? To be both 'patriotic' and 'progressive'?

(In my opinion, it very much is.)

Whichever: If you think "no way", or if you think "of course", or you think "I don't know", please contribute.

Thanks....

Yes. These ideals that we love become a part of us and can create life on other planes never let them die especially when people have died for them.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
The Patriot Post magazine

The Patriot Post frames current policy and culture issues in the correct constitutionally constructionist context established by our Founders, and supported today by the plurality of Americans who uphold the most basic tenet of our Republic: "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

The Progressive magazine

The Progressive is a monthly magazine of investigative reporting, political commentary, cultural coverage, activism, interviews, poetry, and humor. We stand against militarism, the concentration of power in corporate hands, and the disenfranchisement of the citizenry. The Progressive champions peace, social and economic justice, civil rights, civil liberties, human rights, a preserved environment, and a reinvigorated democracy. Its bedrock values are nonviolence and freedom of speech.

I call myself a "progressive." I want things to move forward.

I have recently (in another thread) asked for a 'definition' of "patriot" in ATSers' own words.


Being intrigued by the responses, I decided this might be a decent OP - as we approach the 'primaries' in this POTUS election cycle.
For my part, I believe I am both - a "patriot" AND a "progressive.

I realize that not all ATS members would accept that - and so, I want to ask you all.....

Is it possible in your opinion for a person to legitimately claim 'both' descriptives as accurate to their individuality? To be both 'patriotic' and 'progressive'?

(In my opinion, it very much is.)

Whichever: If you think "no way", or if you think "of course", or you think "I don't know", please contribute.

Thanks....

Yes. These ideals that we love become a part of us and can create life on other planes never let them die especially when people have died for them.

a reply to: Godthief

Right on, Godthief! I, too, consider myself both a patriot AND a progressive, and that's as it should be!