Tara, thanks for this fine column. I have begun to think it's time to stop using the term the "progressive" left -- there's nothing progressive about them-- and start speaking about the "regressive" left, because that's what they are.
Thank you. The failure to hold two difficult ideas in tension, to admit paradox, to feel grief and anger in multiple directions, to demand and work for solutions that grant peace and prosperity to ALL the world's children. . . speaks to a lack of imagination and curiousity on the so-called political left. I have been wearied and grieved by the 'hot takes' from people whose understanding of history clearly does not extend further back than the 90s (if that), and whose knowledge of the present does not extend beyond very limited 'western' contexts, values, and political lenses.
I agree that there are many people who have been horrified by the aggression and lack of reason coming from the far left in the last few years. The willingness of social activists who work in our institutions, unions, media and government to place people in broad identity categories and use labels such as “ settlers ” has been very concerning. I have been afraid of where this kind of language and rhetoric might lead. Now we know…… murdered young people who only wanted to dance, raped mothers who only want to protect their families and beheaded or burnt babies and children who only wanted to live. Hamas officials have explained that, to the terrorists, the dead “settlers” were not “civilians”, so the murderous rampage was justifiable. Anyone in western society who supports this kind of violence does not deserve a seat at the table with others who believe in the value of human life. On the left we have let angry ideologues speak for all us for too long and it is time to challenge their cruel ideas, initiatives and politics wherever we find them. These activists and “good” people are like wolves in sheep’s clothing. They pretend to be concerned about “the oppressed” but the reality is that they want to see others suffer. Those of us who have been part of a left movement in the past that was peaceful and wanted to create a better world for everyone, need to start speaking up.
Thank you Tara, for your moral consistency and courage. It's remarkable that these things need to be said at all, but here we are. Very appreciative to hear your voice of sanity on this and on so much else.
I believe you are too timid in your treatment of the "activists, academics, student groups, journalists, politicians, and union leaders across North America".
Tara, there's no excuse for not naming names and quoting quotes. It's time to hammer the sh_t out of pseudo leaders. And you've no legal exposures in doing so. Don't let former editors continue to diminish the power of your words.
Give us a complete list of who said what and when. It's time for a 21st century version of "the stocks". You mentioned Americans. Tell us who the Canadian reprobates are. Anything less is lack of spine and pretence that Canadian academics and union leaders are "different".
Allow me to start the list:
McMaster President, David Farrar "We recognize there are many divergent views regarding the conflicts in the Middle East, and our role should be to foster dialogue and discussion." Divergent views"?? David, give me your divergent views on rape and infant slaughter.
CUPE President, Fred Hahn "Resistance is fruitful and no matter what some might say, resistance brings progress,” “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Would all you fine CUPE members please stand up.
I can see why. This race and gender grievance politics that has been ascendent the last decade has made me see things in a totally new light as a traditional NDP voter. I'm particularly struck by these young women. Almost everyone Tara is quoting here is a woman of "colour".
The universal thinking of the traditional left is basically been destroyed in favour of this very narrow black and white identity politics, I've just accepted that this is how it is now. As so many have said in the last few years I feel completely politically homeless.
Interesting article - especially the notion that the left to which you signed up is not what you see today. Being of a conservative bent and taking a longer, admittedly much more jaundiced view of "the left", I wonder if the "kinder, gentler" left you signed up for was something of a historical anomaly, and what we now see with the lunatics cheering on Hamas and its genocidal atrocities is, for a left, something of a reversion to the historical mean. Think Lenin, Stalin, Mao (with his cultural revolution), and on it goes. The left to which you signed up may, in a historical sense, be the exception, rather than the rule. To paraphrase Bari Weiss in an article she wrote this week, "when the left tells you what it is, believe it".
I believe you are correct. The left has always had a “the ends justify the means” mentality. Over the last few decades, they have abandoned trying to convince people of their worldview, and just forcing it down their throats.
I am 65. For decades, we always thought that each iteration of illiberalism would be as far as it goes. But, left unchecked movements usually go to extremes. The most dangerous part right now is that the intolerant left control every major institution, especially education. Thus, each half generation gets more radical. Most have never been exposed to classical liberal or enlightenment values. They’ve never been exposed to an alternative to the propaganda they get at school and in the media.
I have long told my Jewish friends, who have willingly gone along with all this, that it will one day get them too. What happened in Israel is a violent example of how it works. Jews are white, or at best white adjacent, while Palestinians are people of color. Game over. Layer on that Israelis are generally wealthier and healthier and this is absolute damning evidence of colonization and apartheid. And, since the ends justify the means, terrorism is justified.
I would love to see a backlash here in the US that renounces these values and tactics. But with the awful Donald Trump as the alternative that is not going to happen. A depressing time.
It's pathetic what's happened but I think we should take people at their word and believe them and not infantilize them. This is who these people and their movements are and what they represent. The Fred Hahn/CUPE thing is an absolute disgrace, The BLM thing is to be expected at this point
The question is how can any universalist programs or politics exist or come to fruition when this grievance politics is at the forefront of the "left"?
The interesting thing is "populism" was originally a left wing phenomenon. The populists in the 1890's was a farmer prairie movement that existed in the U.S. and spread to Canada later in the form of the CCF which later became Tommy Douglas' NDP. The original populists tried to bring together black and white farmers together in one movement. Thomas Frank's book 'The People No' goes over this really well.
Thank you, that’s an important piece of history. Later, the NDP allied formally with the labour movement and became less socialist and more concerned with the interests of unionized industrial and public service workers, which at times are aligned with the interests of their capitalist and state employers. Today it’s mostly a party of urban elites. Time to go back and revive those ‘populist’ roots.
Very well expressed. You and your guests have talked much about the polarisation of society, but this week has exposed a rift that can never be healed. Those celebrating the horrors and butchery of Jews revealed how thin the veneer of humanity is - how the savage in some people is so easily released. It is terrifying to watch.
Conservatives are starting to sweep elections around the globe. One only needs to ponder Tara's inspired words to understand why. The "progressive" Left is bloodthirsty and drunk with power. Most people can see this from miles away...they apparently cannot. It takes a while for the votes to come...but coming they are. These unfeeling sanctimonious regressives will have no one else but themselves to blame for putting the entire left end of the spectrum out in the wilderness for a generation or two.
Don't be smug and ingenuous. These aren't conservative movements. Call them what they are; Authoritarian - leaning to fascist. Real conservatism is as dead as the universality of the old Left.
Thank you Tara for speaking out. I listen to you - not because I always agree with you- I’m more conservative right leaning than you - but because you seem so reasonable in your take on things and I want to know why others believe differently than I do. You help me with that. So thank you.
I am also grieving for the Israelites and the Palestinians. So many innocents..so much pain.. the cycle of hatred and fear ever escalating...God help us all.
The links you left. The Atlantic, NYT, those are the organs of the neo cons, the truly blood thirsty, the ones who will never speak too loudly when Israel mows the lawn in Gaza and kills a thousand or two.. Palestinians are not worthy victims. They're not so white really. When we see modern looking Israelis being targeted it hits home for us. These are not Yemenese women and children being killed. They are not brown skinned Palestinians. They are white like us. It is an outrage!!
It reminds me of First Nations a hundred plus years ago. Still making raids on the colonists moving into their lands. Abducting women or worse. Savages!
Not yet fully pacified. Genocide hadn't worked its magic. Residential schools still off in the future. Such is the way of the world. Everyone has to be civilized... like us!
Tara, thanks for this fine column. I have begun to think it's time to stop using the term the "progressive" left -- there's nothing progressive about them-- and start speaking about the "regressive" left, because that's what they are.
or perhaps the oppressive left..
The phrase I've used for a number of years is 'the intolerant left' because they are intolerant of anyone who disagrees with them.
Thank you for your kind words.
Thank you. The failure to hold two difficult ideas in tension, to admit paradox, to feel grief and anger in multiple directions, to demand and work for solutions that grant peace and prosperity to ALL the world's children. . . speaks to a lack of imagination and curiousity on the so-called political left. I have been wearied and grieved by the 'hot takes' from people whose understanding of history clearly does not extend further back than the 90s (if that), and whose knowledge of the present does not extend beyond very limited 'western' contexts, values, and political lenses.
I agree that there are many people who have been horrified by the aggression and lack of reason coming from the far left in the last few years. The willingness of social activists who work in our institutions, unions, media and government to place people in broad identity categories and use labels such as “ settlers ” has been very concerning. I have been afraid of where this kind of language and rhetoric might lead. Now we know…… murdered young people who only wanted to dance, raped mothers who only want to protect their families and beheaded or burnt babies and children who only wanted to live. Hamas officials have explained that, to the terrorists, the dead “settlers” were not “civilians”, so the murderous rampage was justifiable. Anyone in western society who supports this kind of violence does not deserve a seat at the table with others who believe in the value of human life. On the left we have let angry ideologues speak for all us for too long and it is time to challenge their cruel ideas, initiatives and politics wherever we find them. These activists and “good” people are like wolves in sheep’s clothing. They pretend to be concerned about “the oppressed” but the reality is that they want to see others suffer. Those of us who have been part of a left movement in the past that was peaceful and wanted to create a better world for everyone, need to start speaking up.
Thank you Tara, for speaking up.
Thank you Tara, for your moral consistency and courage. It's remarkable that these things need to be said at all, but here we are. Very appreciative to hear your voice of sanity on this and on so much else.
I believe you are too timid in your treatment of the "activists, academics, student groups, journalists, politicians, and union leaders across North America".
Tara, there's no excuse for not naming names and quoting quotes. It's time to hammer the sh_t out of pseudo leaders. And you've no legal exposures in doing so. Don't let former editors continue to diminish the power of your words.
Give us a complete list of who said what and when. It's time for a 21st century version of "the stocks". You mentioned Americans. Tell us who the Canadian reprobates are. Anything less is lack of spine and pretence that Canadian academics and union leaders are "different".
Allow me to start the list:
McMaster President, David Farrar "We recognize there are many divergent views regarding the conflicts in the Middle East, and our role should be to foster dialogue and discussion." Divergent views"?? David, give me your divergent views on rape and infant slaughter.
CUPE President, Fred Hahn "Resistance is fruitful and no matter what some might say, resistance brings progress,” “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Would all you fine CUPE members please stand up.
Muslim leadership. Where are they? All quiet.
...and still, many on the left refuse to acknowledge that they might have some responsibility for the rise in conservative populism.
I can see why. This race and gender grievance politics that has been ascendent the last decade has made me see things in a totally new light as a traditional NDP voter. I'm particularly struck by these young women. Almost everyone Tara is quoting here is a woman of "colour".
The universal thinking of the traditional left is basically been destroyed in favour of this very narrow black and white identity politics, I've just accepted that this is how it is now. As so many have said in the last few years I feel completely politically homeless.
Interesting article - especially the notion that the left to which you signed up is not what you see today. Being of a conservative bent and taking a longer, admittedly much more jaundiced view of "the left", I wonder if the "kinder, gentler" left you signed up for was something of a historical anomaly, and what we now see with the lunatics cheering on Hamas and its genocidal atrocities is, for a left, something of a reversion to the historical mean. Think Lenin, Stalin, Mao (with his cultural revolution), and on it goes. The left to which you signed up may, in a historical sense, be the exception, rather than the rule. To paraphrase Bari Weiss in an article she wrote this week, "when the left tells you what it is, believe it".
Todd,
I believe you are correct. The left has always had a “the ends justify the means” mentality. Over the last few decades, they have abandoned trying to convince people of their worldview, and just forcing it down their throats.
I am 65. For decades, we always thought that each iteration of illiberalism would be as far as it goes. But, left unchecked movements usually go to extremes. The most dangerous part right now is that the intolerant left control every major institution, especially education. Thus, each half generation gets more radical. Most have never been exposed to classical liberal or enlightenment values. They’ve never been exposed to an alternative to the propaganda they get at school and in the media.
I have long told my Jewish friends, who have willingly gone along with all this, that it will one day get them too. What happened in Israel is a violent example of how it works. Jews are white, or at best white adjacent, while Palestinians are people of color. Game over. Layer on that Israelis are generally wealthier and healthier and this is absolute damning evidence of colonization and apartheid. And, since the ends justify the means, terrorism is justified.
I would love to see a backlash here in the US that renounces these values and tactics. But with the awful Donald Trump as the alternative that is not going to happen. A depressing time.
It's pathetic what's happened but I think we should take people at their word and believe them and not infantilize them. This is who these people and their movements are and what they represent. The Fred Hahn/CUPE thing is an absolute disgrace, The BLM thing is to be expected at this point
The question is how can any universalist programs or politics exist or come to fruition when this grievance politics is at the forefront of the "left"?
Yes, the left is responsible for the rise of populism and conservatism. The pandemic policies alienated millions by making them non-citizens in their own land. For a Canadian take on this, see https://voicesforinclusion.substack.com/p/the-pandemics-over-where-to-now
The interesting thing is "populism" was originally a left wing phenomenon. The populists in the 1890's was a farmer prairie movement that existed in the U.S. and spread to Canada later in the form of the CCF which later became Tommy Douglas' NDP. The original populists tried to bring together black and white farmers together in one movement. Thomas Frank's book 'The People No' goes over this really well.
Thank you, that’s an important piece of history. Later, the NDP allied formally with the labour movement and became less socialist and more concerned with the interests of unionized industrial and public service workers, which at times are aligned with the interests of their capitalist and state employers. Today it’s mostly a party of urban elites. Time to go back and revive those ‘populist’ roots.
Very well expressed. You and your guests have talked much about the polarisation of society, but this week has exposed a rift that can never be healed. Those celebrating the horrors and butchery of Jews revealed how thin the veneer of humanity is - how the savage in some people is so easily released. It is terrifying to watch.
Conservatives are starting to sweep elections around the globe. One only needs to ponder Tara's inspired words to understand why. The "progressive" Left is bloodthirsty and drunk with power. Most people can see this from miles away...they apparently cannot. It takes a while for the votes to come...but coming they are. These unfeeling sanctimonious regressives will have no one else but themselves to blame for putting the entire left end of the spectrum out in the wilderness for a generation or two.
Don't be smug and ingenuous. These aren't conservative movements. Call them what they are; Authoritarian - leaning to fascist. Real conservatism is as dead as the universality of the old Left.
"But the left I saw this week? I want nothing to do with it.".... Amen!
Well done Tara. Thankfully many of us are clear headed and your blog is critical at this moment.
I think we also got it right. My own piece is copied at the bottom of this week’s Ceasefire blog. https://www.ceasefire.ca/israel-hamas-conflict-call-on-canada-to-stand-with-international-law/
Thank you Tara for speaking out. I listen to you - not because I always agree with you- I’m more conservative right leaning than you - but because you seem so reasonable in your take on things and I want to know why others believe differently than I do. You help me with that. So thank you.
I am also grieving for the Israelites and the Palestinians. So many innocents..so much pain.. the cycle of hatred and fear ever escalating...God help us all.
Keep speaking Tara. Canada needs your voice!
The links you left. The Atlantic, NYT, those are the organs of the neo cons, the truly blood thirsty, the ones who will never speak too loudly when Israel mows the lawn in Gaza and kills a thousand or two.. Palestinians are not worthy victims. They're not so white really. When we see modern looking Israelis being targeted it hits home for us. These are not Yemenese women and children being killed. They are not brown skinned Palestinians. They are white like us. It is an outrage!!
It reminds me of First Nations a hundred plus years ago. Still making raids on the colonists moving into their lands. Abducting women or worse. Savages!
Not yet fully pacified. Genocide hadn't worked its magic. Residential schools still off in the future. Such is the way of the world. Everyone has to be civilized... like us!
I am posting Gabor Mate's beautiful message about this issue. It really is worth a ten minute listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6_GDDa4bmI