Previously posted on Young People For Blog: http://blog.youngpeoplefor.org/
The other night I attended a student government meeting that dealt with the validity of a certain group on the funding board which is supposed to deal with bringing progressive issues to the campus population. There was a bill in contention to remove this group because it brought in a speaker that was anti-semetic, anti-American, and anti-troops. What I heard that night was a lot of debate that I should have heard a year ago before the controversial event took place. This nine hour meeting made me ponder the true meaning of being progressive.
Progressive: (selected definitions from the Oxford American Dictionary): proceeding step by step * (of a group, person, or idea) favoring or implementing social reform or new, liberal ideas * favoring or promoting change or innovation * a person advocating or implementing social reform or new, liberal ideas.
So a progressive person can be liberal, looking for social reform, promoting change and innovation, and seeking new ideas. This makes me think 'who can not be progressive in this world?' "Change is inevitable, growth is optional," said Walt Disney, I think he knows his stuff. Who can hate on innovation and reform. Both terms connotate a move in a positive direction.
I guess to me, being progressive really means that you, as a person of the world, believe in the idea that all people are equal and recognize that fact that all people are not equal, but that is the great hope that we all hold collectively as a progressive society. Ever society is progressive as a whole. If progressives did not exist, America would not exist. George Washington, James Madison, etc. were all progressives, that is why we can sit at our little computer screens and write to each other about whatever passes through our minds - even criticism of the government or anarchy.
But what is progress? Very good question, there is rhetoric throw around on every side. Is supporting our troops is progressive? I would say yes, not supporting the war, but the troops. The majority of the troops are serving because they have to. Most are bound by their socio-economic status, bound by their lack of privilege. Sure there is a great number of troops who volunteer and go on their own accord, I know many of them, but as shown through the numbers - our troops are the oppressed peoples of America. Is being conservative progress? No, staying trapped in the past and looking for the glory of the past will not advance our society and it will not breed innovation. Is questioning our government progress? Yes, it is our job. That is why we live in a democracy! A participatory and questioning constituency calls for a transparent and effective government. This is an aspect where we have lost. We, the people, are here to ask questions and get answers from our government. That is never an un-American thing to do.
Progress; progressive; change; innovation; social justice; reform; new ideas = the way the world should be. Being progressive is not so much something that you can just say you do. It is not a term you can attach yourself to and it is not something that you say out loud when identifying - being progressive is something that people will see in what you do.