‘I Know You Are But What Am I?’: What Political Labels Get Wrong
Much as I do with generational categorizations — “Boomer,” “GenX,” “Millennial” — I disdain the impulse of so many on the left side of the dial (or any side, frankly) to marginalize, corral, generalize, and give names to the scope of perceptions, priorities, and politics of Democrats.
“Progressive,” “Moderate,” “Centrist” — these are all designed to say “I am this and you are not,” when, in truth, most people within the Democratic party — citizens, congresspeople, and candidates alike — are far more varied and nuanced than these assignations would suggest.
I find the penchant particularly counter-productive at a time when we have LOTS of candidates (too many) and, as the list gets winnowed down, certain citizen demographics (and some media) are already jibber-jabbering about how this demographic or that won’t vote if their chosen candidate does not win the nomination… as if this were American Idol, not America in Crisis.
As the wizened adult I now am, I’ve learned over the years that boxing people/candidates into narrowly defined categories is almost always a mistake, and while, sure, this one may be more “progressive” than someone else, it rarely means the person defined as “less progressive” should be sneeringly discarded as “conservative” or “against the things we believe in” the way so many (too many) do with nary a thought to the impact of their vilification. (Susan Saradon is still catching well-deserved heat for her blithe, privileged, sneering denunciations of Clinton that helped usher in the “IED” called Trump.)
Being a good citizen actually requires more than just feeling “passionate” about a candidate. That’s great to campaign on—passion—but, ultimately, when the time comes to elect an actual president, the responsible citizen, the citizen with true empathy and an ability to grasp the big picture of “how this will affect the millions of people in this country who may be less privileged than me,” looks beyond their passion, their preference, their determined personal WANT, to do what’s in the “greatest good” of the majority.
I just lost the candidate I’ve been campaigning for since early 2019. And while I’ve yet to decide who’ll get my primary vote (and there are some candidates, frankly, I’d be displeased to vote for in the general election), when I look at what is in the greatest good of this country (the world, for that matter!), which is to remove Trump, my priority is clear:
My general vote won’t be based on who is more “progressive,” who is more “centrist,” who passes a purity test, who will get ME what’s most important to ME, but rather who is the Democratic nominee and how I can help him/her beat the monster in the White House. Because getting him OUT and a government of honor and integrity IN is the most important thing for me to do. For all of us to do… even those too myopic or cult damaged to realize it.
So please don’t fence me in with categorizations. Don’t fence the candidates in. Nifty titles may be clever, but they do not advance the cause. Campaign for your person as so moved, but consider the ultimate effect of denigrating another Democrat: It may win you followers on Twitter or make you feel/seem “true to the cause,” but if the person you’re denigrating wins the nomination, you will have been a part of tearing them down. Hopefully you won’t be a part of the contingent who’ll refuse to vote, or will waste a vote in the name of “passion” or protest. That, too, doesn’t advance the cause.
Because forgiving college loans, fighting for Medicare-for-All, implementing policies and platforms that address social injustice, systemic bigotry, gender discrimination, and rampant xenophobia will NOT HAPPEN, not even a bit, if Donald J. Trump remains in office.
If your candidate doesn’t win the Democratic nomination, be mad. Be disappointed. Rant and rave all over Twitter and Facebook. When my candidate dropped out I did all those things. But I promise you: I will damn well vote for whichever candidate does win the Democratic nomination (even if it’s Tulsi Gabbard…gulp) because playing any part, any small part, any “I’m taking my ball and going home” part in allowing the corrupt, corrosive, deeply damaging mob rule of Donald Trump to continue is NOT an option.
For me, for you, for any of us. Greatest good.
For details/links to LDW’s books, music, photography, articles, visit www.lorrainedevonwilke.com.
