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The life’s work of centrists like Bret Stephens is the meticulous architecting of an ever-expanding labyrinth of moral equivocation, deftly designed to place some hedge or another between themselves and the discomfort of consequence, between themselves and inconvenience of caring
Bret Stephens is the kind of guy who sides with the torturer, making a show of reluctance, citing the offense done to his ears by the screams of the tortured as his justification.
Then claims the moral authority of anti-torture, by sighing heavily whenever torture recommences.
Then claims the moral authority of anti-torture, by sighing heavily whenever torture recommences.
Centrists love to brand demands for justice as a "politics of resentment," but in truth it's detached and abstract centrism, placing polite quiescence as its highest standard, that represents a politics motivated by resentment—a resentment that anything might be expected of them.
Resentment at those who dare demand justice, who insist they are people
Resentment at those who insist we are community
Resentment at those who would claim we all bear some responsibility for that community
That resentment will push them wherever self-comfort—their true god—lies
Resentment at those who insist we are community
Resentment at those who would claim we all bear some responsibility for that community
That resentment will push them wherever self-comfort—their true god—lies
Better to ask, where the hell his his Overton window?
In a time when far-right authoritarian fascism has become the norm, a centrist like Bret Stephens will become a far-right authoritarian fascist.
Centrism seeks only the center w/o thought to the poles
In a time when far-right authoritarian fascism has become the norm, a centrist like Bret Stephens will become a far-right authoritarian fascist.
Centrism seeks only the center w/o thought to the poles
Our politics is driven primarily by a spirit of abuse and enablement of abuse.
Watch closely for the argument that presents the desires of abusers beside the needs of those they would harm, and assays both equally in the name of pragmatism or open-mindedness.
Watch closely for the argument that presents the desires of abusers beside the needs of those they would harm, and assays both equally in the name of pragmatism or open-mindedness.
Replace the national anthem with Letter From a Birmingham Jail, and read it at every sporting event.
Replace the pledge of allegiance with a video of James Baldwin asking, "how much time do you want, for your progress?"
Replace the pledge of allegiance with a video of James Baldwin asking, "how much time do you want, for your progress?"
I'm not trying to *sell* anybody; you either care about other people or you don't.
People who don't, don't.
As we see.
People who don't, don't.
As we see.
I wrote this two years ago and I return to it frequently.
