Little Boxes

[Kevin Spidel]

We are politically active. We think politically. We act politically.

Guess what?

Most American’s don’t.

Putting ideals into little boxes that are “liberal” or “progressive” hurts us more than it helps us.

Justin Glick over at Next American City writes:

I just finished Tony Judt’s piece in the NYRB on how to revive social democracy, and perhaps it’s just because I myself strongly sympathize with social democratic ideals, but I think a lot of what he has to say will resonate for many Americans on both the left and the right.

I just spent time on the campaign trail with several candidates that do not pass the local litmus test of what fits in a “progressive” box but by my experience are extremely progressive.

The politically engaged loves to put ideals into little boxes, label them, and contrast them. As one of the co-founders of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), I know. I did.

In the early days of PDA I recall a conversation with one of the Executive Directors of a very large Democratic organization in regards to 2004 convention planning. The individual was literally yelling at me over the phone because I had the audacity to further segment the Democratic Party and form a “progressive wing” of the Democratic Party. I couldn't understand her then. At the time, I felt she was in the wrong.

For years I stood strong for that mission as Deputy Director of PDA. I even quit PDA to take on the “establishment” of the Democratic Party as the machine took on Christine Cegelis in IL06 in 2006. I defended “progressive candidates” and advanced what I called at the time “our agenda.”

Recently I have returned back from IL06 where those dear friends who stood side by side with me on that fight, are now the “establishment” and have built the Democratic organization strong there. A few of them are now trying to roadblock the current IL06 Democratic candidate because he does not pass their “progressive test.”

I have my progressive street-cred. I know the progressive test well. I use to dish it out.
One thing I have really embraced, however, is the fact that the more we put things into little boxes as I used to, we miss out with what matters most. The majority of American voices who are not part of the movements that define these little boxes.

Ben Lowe, the current candidate, might not pass their definition… but he does mine. He is pro-sustainability, pro-public education, pro-green economy, and dozens of other buzz words I can throw out. But yes, he is a Christian Evangelical. Eeek! There are more buzzwords!

Little Boxes.

Try getting past the buzz words from time to time. I am beyond putting little things in boxes. He is a person who has chosen to live in a lower income neighborhood and build community. He opens his home to his neighbors and is aware of everyone on his block. I was with him for an entire week and saw him and his roommates actively engage his community. Black, white, brown, Democratic, Republican, Christian, Muslim… you name it. All were welcome and a priority to him. He is about equity and rights for all. Rights of the Church and rights of the citizens of the district. He is a strong advocate for separation of Church and State.

This post is not about Ben’s candidacy… it is an example and something of what I have taken from 2008. Republicans and Independents didn’t vote for Obama because he was “progressive” or “liberal.” They voted for the character and a connection. We pigeon hole ourselves when we add labels.

We must remember common American conversations are about not with wonky buzzwords, but about the issues themselves.

We need to remember that we ourselves are in boxes and labels we have given each other.

Get out of your box and talk. Engage. LISTEN.

No more little boxes.

[tekisui]

1. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmNSEbgt1Dg

[babylonsister]

2. Rec'd. I like the idea of thinking outside the box;

we could use more of it.

[ixion]

3. Little Boxes, by Pete Seeger

seems appropriate.

Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes made of ticky tacky
Little boxes
Little boxes
Little boxes all the same
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same

And the people in the houses all go to the university
And they all get put in boxes, little boxes all the same
And there's doctors and there's lawyers
And business executives
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same
And they all play on the golf course and drink their martini dry
And they all have pretty children and the children go to school
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university
And they all get put in boxes, and they all come out the same
And the boys go into business and marry and raise a family
And they all get put in boxes, little boxes all the same

There's a green one, and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same

[chandler2]

4. Malvena Reynolds forever, baby! nt

[Kevin Spidel]

5. when I wrote this..

i wasn't even thinking of those songs. awesome!