CONSERVATIVE & PROGRESSIVE CONTRASTS PART 2

by Ruth A. Sheets

Last week I expanded on a friend’s idea of contrasting Conservatives and Progressives and realized there was a lot more to say on the subject.  Here is the next set of contrasts, equally disturbing but thought-provoking.

PROGRESSIVES

- will try to negotiate so that everyone can win at least some points even when what Conservatives want is often not good for anyone but themselves in the name of bipartisanship.

- know that facts are facts and lies are lies and it is wrong to pretend lies are facts no matter who puts them out there

- believe Religion is personal and often spurs believers to action on behalf of others, living one’s faith

- believe the death penalty is just plain wrong

- are fully aware of the racist nature of our criminal justice system and know it must be changed

- know the “War on Drugs” has been a disaster for everyone involved and most want it stopped

- know that the second amendment to the Constitution is not talking about hand guns, automatic and semi-automatic weapons, and large magazines, so believe these should be well-regulated

- believe every citizen should be able to vote and arbitrary voting rules should be dropped everywhere (For example, a person can’t vote until after an outrageously long parole is completed or no one can give food or water to people waiting in huge long lines to vote – in minority communities, of course) 

- know and have proof that the former president lost the 2020 election by a significant margin in both popular votes and in the outdated, racist Electoral College

- believe police have the job of serving not ruling over or intimidating the people they are serving

- believe police need to be held accountable for all of their actions and interactions with the people they are supposed to serve

- know education is the path to successful adulthood

- believe a wide range of literature is essential for a well-rounded education

- believe learning about race in history is essential if our nation will recover from the systemic racism that engulfs nearly every aspect of modern society as it has always done

- believe in including a wide range of people in decision-making because diversity is our strength

- understand and acknowledge that global warming is human generated and want to do what is necessary to stop it before it is too late

- understand that ecosystems are a balance among many species, each one contributing something to it which will be lost if species become extinct

- understand that no one’s rights should be more valuable than those of other people and money is not speech because it gives the rich more rights and influence than they deserve

- know that attacking the US Capitol is insurrection and the attackers should be treated and prosecuted as insurrectionists even though they were white

CONSERVATIVES:

- Decide that If they don’t get what they want at first, they will manipulate things to try to get what they want no matter what is right, fair, or actually needed.  If they go back on a deal, they consider it a victory.

- believe blustering white men (and occasionally women) must be telling the truth because they are loud and blustering

- buy into the patriarchal idea that God is male and males are superior and what they pronounce at whatever level is somehow worthy of becoming law.  (for example, government gets into women’s personal decisions regarding what women can and can’t do while there is no equivalent interference with men)

- believe the Bible should be the source of our laws and punishments, except the ones they like to break 

- think the death penalty is necessary despite the fact that innocent people have been executed and it has never been a deterrent

- believe people of color are more likely to be criminals, so arresting them for small acts will keep them from committing larger ones later

- think white people use and abuse different drugs and so it is OK to arrest and convict white people significantly less often than Black and Latino users

- believe the “War on Drugs” has been a success

- believe or claim to believe anyone who wants a gun should have one – even concealed and open carry are perfectly acceptable and should be permitted everywhere

- feel it is acceptable to jail people of color for voting mistakes while letting white people go with a warning who voted for their dead relative

- believe or claim to believe “The Big Lie” that the former president won the election and it is only not acknowledged because of voter fraud – the former president will get back in power soon

- believe it is OK for police to have qualified immunity which police sometimes see as a license to kill, particularly Black and Latino men

- believe only conservative values (whatever they are) should be taught in school and rich white men with no teaching experience or real knowledge of history should determine what those are and how teachers should teach them

- fear teaching about race in American history - it might make white kids feel guilty – for what, the privilege their skin color still gives them?

- feel there is a specific set of books that all students should read, by white authors, of course, maybe one Black author’s poem or short story if it doesn’t challenge white beliefs

- believe or say they believe global warming is a hoax and began calling it “climate change” so it wouldn’t seem as serious as it is because denying its existence means nothing has to be done about it

- care little for species that don’t bring in wealth or that cause discomfort or impede their business no matter the value to its ecosystem

- believe money is speech and people with lots of money should be able to speak more loudly and more often than those poor folks who have no money, even to the point of corrupting our elections (Oh wait, they don’t call it corrupting, do they?) 

- claim to believe the events of January 6, 2021 were like “tourists visiting the Capitol” despite all the videos and bragging by the insurrectionists to the contrary

- those who participated in the events of January 6th should not be prosecuted – they did nothing wrong, not really

I do think there are good folks among the Conservatives though it is hard to know that from their silence.  Conservative media does not include their voices because they don’t hype the controversial party line, are usually not loud and overbearing, constantly wearing their anger and fear on their sleeves.

Some Progressives are sure some kind of violence is going to be necessary to make significant change in our society toward improving things.  Fortunately, this group is not a majority because violence just gets more violence and always has.

I do wonder sometimes if Conservatives actually sit down and think about what they are listening to and ultimately agreeing to.  It has been said that when one is privileged, equality seems like oppression and right now, Conservative white people are being told over and over that they are the ones being oppressed and losing their rights.  They can’t see the flaw in such thinking.

One way to slightly impact one’s thinking could be that in counties where there is allowed only one or a very small number of drop boxes for ballots, they should be in the poorest neighborhoods in the county.  The rich have the means to get there to drop off their ballot while poor people can’t afford to travel far, and, maybe, the rich could have a tiny peak at what life is like for the non-privileged, those they believe have caused their own poverty.  They can note their own racism as they quickly rush to deliver their ballot and dash off in their shiny car that no one in that neighborhood could ever afford.  OK, it could also keep them thinking they are superior, but it would be worth it just to see what would happen.  In either case, the poor would get the chance to vote. 

In our society where news is available in all its forms all day, every day, Conservatives as well as the rest of us are exposed to people other than ourselves.  Even Conservatives, if they took a moment to consider, know deep down that Black people and other people of color are treated differently even if they can’t admit or verbalize it.  Maybe they know many of their beliefs are hollow but cling to them because doing anything else would mean discarding thoughts and behaviors that have sustained them and their families for generations.  Believing one’s Black or Latina housekeeper, lawn service workers, or nanny are equal to themselves would be terrifying, so they faithfully watch Fox “News” and continue to absorb the lies because it has worked for them and keeps them from being overwhelmed by the swiftly-changing world around them.

As I read through these lists of contrasts, I see that changing one’s mind in just a few areas could massively impact one’s perspective and actions.  I hope Conservatives will take that to heart and rethink some of the ways they look at what is going on in our nation.

Yes, my biases are showing again and I still hope an honest Conservative will update my understanding of Conservatism.  That would require ditching the mis and dis information, the lies, the made-up stuff because I did say “honest.”  Then, the person responding needs to use a voice that is moderated and shows they understand what is real.  I know, that’s such difficult criteria for Conservatives/Republicans these days 

Progressives mess up too, and may be too idealistic and believe anyone can change and do better, but I would rather believe that than that I am inherently better than someone else just because I was born white or with some other arbitrary characteristic.

Oh, by the way, I am still looking for more positive comparisons.  Got any?