Hubris, Arrogance, Domination, Elitism
The secular zeitgeist (spirit of the times) enveloping the United States of
America is Progressivism. True to its moniker progressivism has streaked
through American life with lightning speed. Since January, 2009 America has
been led by a progressive national government.
Progressivism, it must be said, is a mirage. What appears
to be sweeping change for the common good is really sweeping change for those
who want to control all aspects of society. Even though there are three so-called independent
branches of America’s national government, the progressive zeitgeist has taken
control of the tiny but powerful Supreme Court of the United States. Just
recently a majority of five SCOTUS justices decided to change (or ignore)
thousands of years of history by redefining marriage. Their judicial activity
was not simply a redefinition of traditional marriage; it was a mandate by an
elitist group of five, a mandate imposed on the people of the United States. Do not think for one
moment that this most recent action of SCOTUS is the end of this matter, nor
the end of their intent to change the social arrangement of the traditional
family.
For progressives, the Constitution of the United States
is an obstacle to “progress.” Progressives believe that only they have the intelligence and the
right to decide what is appropriate for Americans. If the Constitution is an
obstacle to their intended actions, and in most cases it certainly is an
obstacle, then the progressive courts and the progressive executive branches of
government either alter or ignore structures meant to maintain a stable and
just society.
Progressivism can never be long lasting. It eventually
collapses on itself. Progressivism moves quickly as the past six-plus years
have demonstrated. Progressive leaders understand all too well that if they do
not move quickly, they will be overthrown in the next election. Their subterfuge
promises the people one thing, but they always resort to mandates to implement their way. Progressivism in the early to mid-twentieth century had elements
of conservative thought present within its ranks to check some of the inane,
intended changes. But that internal check disappeared by the early twenty-first
century. Thus progressivism is alive and well politically because conservative elements have been purged.
Progressivism is a mirage also because it does not help
any citizen substantially. Contrary to what it proclaims, progressivism helps
only its leaders. Leaders of any political party want to remain in charge, but
progressivism propagandizes its proposals as if its programs would bring on a
new and better world. In order to promote that propaganda it is imperative that
progressives demonize their opposition and continue changing the political and social landscape in rapid order.
Tradition is anathema to progressivism. It cannot thrive
in an umbrella of tradition. A long-running progressivism, ironically, “progresses” into a tradition of its own and when recognized, it quickly dumps
its old beliefs and “progresses” to newer beliefs. Change, constant change, is
the life blood of progressivism. There is no time for rest and relaxation. No
time allowed to reap benefits because there are no benefits to enjoy. No time to settle in.
Traditional faith and religion inhibit progressivism.
The progressive ideology cannot entertain any sentiment for religious tolerance. Progressivism’s freedom is an “anything goes” freedom that too easily garners popular votes but hardly delivers on its promised new freedoms. The
recent action by SCOTUS on marriage is an exception: the SCOTUS marriage decision is a progressive mandate with intended (and unintended) consequences in the months and years to follow.
Traditional religious tenets challenge the concept of
“anything goes.” It should be evident that traditional religion and
progressivism are fundamentally incompatible. The way progressivism combats
this challenge by traditional faith is by diluting the faith by ignoring and/or demonizing those
faith groups, legislating against them, or through judicial activism.
Progressivism demands toleration except when intolerant expression opposes its agenda. Progressivism, although it is
maintained by the elite with false verbiage purportedly in support of the masses,
has developed the power to orchestrate mob rule, mobs composed of paid
protesters, the uninitiated and the politically immature. In other words they manufacture
false protests against manufactured false offenses.
Consider the aftermath of the murder of nine African-Americans in
Charleston, South Carolina. A moment meant for mourning and remembrance of
those who lost their lives and their surviving families has been re-directed
into a condemnation of selective history and its symbols. Offenses of all sorts surfaced: flags,
monuments, memorials, history. Specifically selected objects are declared offensive and must
be removed, according to the mob. The secular, progressive zeitgeist seemingly
is moving to destroy the past. But that is not what the mob is really doing.
The mob, directed by the progressive elite, is condemning
the present because someone or something is in their way, distorting their
rhetoric, or blocking their progressive agenda. Guilt, shame, and demagoguery are tactically employed. Why? Because the living saints of Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church went in an unexpected and different direction, a direction guided by forgiving hearts. Forgiveness is antithetical to progressivism: it was an unexpected deviation to the progressive narrative. For progressives, forgiveness is an obstacle limiting or possibly curtailing its appetite
for constant movement for change, demagoguery, condemnation, and casting blame.
Progressivism appeals to no metaphysical mooring. Any reference outside itself would establish
“principle” and principle instead of constant change would be self-destructive. For a
progressive to admit to any external citation is tantamount to an admission of God, another obstacle. As an ideology progressivism is a natural enemy of history, an
enemy of tradition, and an enemy of principle. History exposes flaws. Progressivism's only
principle is change and the obliteration of history.
The natural evolution of this ideology yields socialism, not free markets; communism, not republican democracy; and then totalitarianism. Embodied in the select few, Progressivism personifies hubris, arrogance, domination, and elitism.
