Are You All In? ...Or On the Sidelines?
September 28, 2011
This
will be an interesting election period. Most of us still can't discern
one group from another, given that we suddenly have so many to choose
from. So a moment of enlightenment to define who some of the players
are. Do you know what and who the "Professional Left" is? The term
“professional left” denotes a growing industry that specializes in
converting other people’s money into an ideological product, while
making a good living out of it in the process. They are interchangeable
with Firebaggers and EmoProgs. Glen Greenwald, Joan Walsh, Jane
Hamsher are, IMO, all Professional Leftists. They are paid to write the
faux-progressive, Anti-Obama, hand-wringing meme the MSM is only too
happy to broadcast. The strategy is that you and I assume they are
caring liberal individuals who tell you we are victimized by every
decision President Obama makes. In reality, they are a well-paid covert
strategy.
Firebaggers and EmoProgs, aka, EmoProgressives. An EmoProgressive. According to the Urban Dictionary http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=emo+progressive, “A firebagger is a term of derision used (usually on blogs) by supporters of U.S. President Barack Obama in arguments with people who criticize Obama and other Democrats from the political left. The term is a conflation of "Teabagger" the term of derision used to describe right wing Tea Party activists and Firedoglake, a left-leaning political blogging community founded by Jane Hamsher. Example: Those firebaggers would rather kill the entire health care reform package than compromise on the public option. They're worse than Republicans!”
Emo Progressive (or "emoprog") is a self-described liberal or progressive, often with strong libertarian leanings, whose primary political orientation is to be angry, dissatisfied and unhappy with the state of the nation at any given time, because in their view, liberal policies are not being implemented quickly enough or articulated forcefully enough. They have particular contempt for Democratic presidents. Emoprogs are ideological purists who disdain compromise and incremental change, which they see as "selling out" classical liberal ideas like full employment, an end to all wars, state secrets, and liberal social policy…” There is a more detailed description; check their website. Shoq, a known blogger and political twitter commentator, provided his own candid definition of an emoprog here .
Let's be clear: I am not saying that anyone who challenges the President's decisions falls into these categories. But if the whine is not fact-related or the criticism is without corroboration, you really need to question the agenda of the person with the mike or access to a computer. Sorry, no shortcuts.
Which brings us to the current hot topic: The whine about President Obama’s speech to the CBC. I personally agree with Melissa Harris-Perry’s assessment in her article, which was followed by a response article,since the first article clearly hit a nerve. Judging from the response from The Root, a quasi-black publication of the Washington Post and the non-factual diatribe proffered by Boyce Watkins, which was simply insulting, apparently us black folks are emotional, political, um, hussies. I encourage you to read the comments as well, with the understanding that everyone who comments is not African American.
I have this to say to those insistent upon their attempts to micromanage every move that our President makes: If anyone has done the same comprehensive study and consideration that the team President Obama did prior to his inauguration and comes up with a better idea, then put it on the table immediately; I am certain he will listen. Criticism from Congress, media, pundits and/or any other armchair quarterback, without any alternative solutions, is worthless noise. His decisions may not be perfect and please everyone, he may not move on matters as quickly as you or I would like, but we are in uncharted territory. We have/had two wars, a flat-lining national and global economy, fighting between other countries that will ultimately affect us, not to mention a myriad of social, environmental and human rights issues that require attention. Patience and restraint is required.
A more productive action would be contacting those who represent us in Congress and let them know where we stand as citizens and that we expect them to do their jobs and support us with their votes or expect us to support someone else with ours. We do not have time to play political kid games or placate those who believe their personal position or perceived offense is more important than the country. It is our individual responsibility to hold the President, Congress, media and anyone with the power of the microphone accountable for what they do. Because what they do, or don’t do, affects you, affects me. But in all fairness, you have to make sure the President has all we can provide in support, in order to achieve that change you can believe in.
Most importantly, we must hold ourselves accountable. Did you vote in 2010? Do you understand that you are counted on to NOT vote during midterms and why? The short answer is that while Blacks are only twelve percent of the national population, our clusters in the major cities have a huge impact on the outcomes within each state. How do you think public referendums and laws requiring public agreement get passed without your knowledge or input? When you don’t show up for the election of Congressional representatives, mayors, governors, or your state congress, you lose your say in what’s done with your tax dollars, your public schools, your streets, your city’s future. Tony Brown's Journal once reported that the FBI had done a study showing Black folks stay focused on a crisis for six weeks, and then let it go. Is that you? Are you already on to the next thing? If you thought the Troy Davis injustice was bad, realize that unless you get up outta that armchair and do something, vote, make sure others vote and can vote, work for an effective public school system, push for a better justice system, then you are signaling that whatever someone else decides is fine with you. Enough with the apathy and cynicism, your focus needs to be on voting in 2011 and in 2012. Your life may depend on it.
Firebaggers and EmoProgs, aka, EmoProgressives. An EmoProgressive. According to the Urban Dictionary http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=emo+progressive, “A firebagger is a term of derision used (usually on blogs) by supporters of U.S. President Barack Obama in arguments with people who criticize Obama and other Democrats from the political left. The term is a conflation of "Teabagger" the term of derision used to describe right wing Tea Party activists and Firedoglake, a left-leaning political blogging community founded by Jane Hamsher. Example: Those firebaggers would rather kill the entire health care reform package than compromise on the public option. They're worse than Republicans!”
Emo Progressive (or "emoprog") is a self-described liberal or progressive, often with strong libertarian leanings, whose primary political orientation is to be angry, dissatisfied and unhappy with the state of the nation at any given time, because in their view, liberal policies are not being implemented quickly enough or articulated forcefully enough. They have particular contempt for Democratic presidents. Emoprogs are ideological purists who disdain compromise and incremental change, which they see as "selling out" classical liberal ideas like full employment, an end to all wars, state secrets, and liberal social policy…” There is a more detailed description; check their website. Shoq, a known blogger and political twitter commentator, provided his own candid definition of an emoprog here .
Let's be clear: I am not saying that anyone who challenges the President's decisions falls into these categories. But if the whine is not fact-related or the criticism is without corroboration, you really need to question the agenda of the person with the mike or access to a computer. Sorry, no shortcuts.
Which brings us to the current hot topic: The whine about President Obama’s speech to the CBC. I personally agree with Melissa Harris-Perry’s assessment in her article, which was followed by a response article,since the first article clearly hit a nerve. Judging from the response from The Root, a quasi-black publication of the Washington Post and the non-factual diatribe proffered by Boyce Watkins, which was simply insulting, apparently us black folks are emotional, political, um, hussies. I encourage you to read the comments as well, with the understanding that everyone who comments is not African American.
I have this to say to those insistent upon their attempts to micromanage every move that our President makes: If anyone has done the same comprehensive study and consideration that the team President Obama did prior to his inauguration and comes up with a better idea, then put it on the table immediately; I am certain he will listen. Criticism from Congress, media, pundits and/or any other armchair quarterback, without any alternative solutions, is worthless noise. His decisions may not be perfect and please everyone, he may not move on matters as quickly as you or I would like, but we are in uncharted territory. We have/had two wars, a flat-lining national and global economy, fighting between other countries that will ultimately affect us, not to mention a myriad of social, environmental and human rights issues that require attention. Patience and restraint is required.
A more productive action would be contacting those who represent us in Congress and let them know where we stand as citizens and that we expect them to do their jobs and support us with their votes or expect us to support someone else with ours. We do not have time to play political kid games or placate those who believe their personal position or perceived offense is more important than the country. It is our individual responsibility to hold the President, Congress, media and anyone with the power of the microphone accountable for what they do. Because what they do, or don’t do, affects you, affects me. But in all fairness, you have to make sure the President has all we can provide in support, in order to achieve that change you can believe in.
Most importantly, we must hold ourselves accountable. Did you vote in 2010? Do you understand that you are counted on to NOT vote during midterms and why? The short answer is that while Blacks are only twelve percent of the national population, our clusters in the major cities have a huge impact on the outcomes within each state. How do you think public referendums and laws requiring public agreement get passed without your knowledge or input? When you don’t show up for the election of Congressional representatives, mayors, governors, or your state congress, you lose your say in what’s done with your tax dollars, your public schools, your streets, your city’s future. Tony Brown's Journal once reported that the FBI had done a study showing Black folks stay focused on a crisis for six weeks, and then let it go. Is that you? Are you already on to the next thing? If you thought the Troy Davis injustice was bad, realize that unless you get up outta that armchair and do something, vote, make sure others vote and can vote, work for an effective public school system, push for a better justice system, then you are signaling that whatever someone else decides is fine with you. Enough with the apathy and cynicism, your focus needs to be on voting in 2011 and in 2012. Your life may depend on it.
Posted by E. Joyce. Posted In : News and Politics
Author, writer, producer, poet