In the not-too-deep depths of the internet, there exists a Twitter account titled
"CKM Young Liberals." It is followed and shared by a number of
McClatchy students, many of whom are in the 2018 class. Although I identify
myself as a liberal, I am not one of them. And if you are an "educated,
intelligent" person as the account's bio would suggest, I advise you to do
the same.
Social media
exposes us to personalities and ideas we don't interact with physically. Californians live in a progressive bubble, but with the click of a mouse we can find accounts that preach a
mangled, extreme social conservatism. These pages are numerous and
well trafficked. They share posts denouncing racial diversity,
immigration, LBGT rights, abortion, religious toleration, and anyone who sees
these issues differently (see: liberals). For reference, here are the links to
a few such accounts.
The hatefulness
and ignorance of such profiles offend us, especially because Californian
progressives are unaccustomed to anti-liberal viewpoints. How could it be
that people really feel this way? It appears that CKMYL page was created upon
such an inquisition, in response to an account akin to those linked above.
The unfortunate irony is that instead of being an enlightening force against internet bigotry, the account actively engages in the hateful, closed-minded rhetoric it exists as a response to. If you visit the
McClatchy Young Liberals on Twitter (https://twitter.com/ckm_liberals), you will be greeted with a banner
proclaiming "NOT A REPUBLICAN." Tweets from the profile feature such
messages as "People call liberals
single-minded when in reality it's the other way around #DumbRepublicans"
and “Republicans believe in more guns yet every
school shooting tragedy does nothing to their ignorant resolve #StandUpToTheGOP.”
The tweets are anti-conservative more than pro-liberal. They are rigid in their
blame of the Republican Party – and Republicans – for all that is wrong under the sun. Worse, nothing of intelligence is posted to support this blather.
There is a sad absence of logos in an outlet run by allegedly intelligent and
educated people. Put simply, it's name-calling, and it gives liberalism a bad name.
In fact, the existence of the CKM Young Liberals page invalidates any confidence that progressives are somehow above the filth spewed by fringe conservatives on social media. Social media trash talking? Intelligent people ought to be better that. If that's the type of activity liberals engage in, then the group does not have the intellectual upper hand it thinks it does. The CKMYL profile is unsophisticated finger-pointing that stoops
to the level of the uber-conservative discourse we abhor. And worst of all, it’s
speaking for us: the actual young liberals of CKM. Are we any better than fans
of Neil Turner’s musings on “white genocide”?
Many
would say yes. Even if we play ball on the same level as the worst of the conservatives, our motives are better. Right? After all, we’re progressives,
concerned with everybody’s sensitivities, fighting the good fight against the reactionary
forces of the right. But this mindset is a problem. My belief is that liberals
fancy themselves to be altruistic by virtue of their progressiveness, and
therefore any means we use to advance our agenda is justified (I support
gay rights, which is a good thing, so I am entitled to use hurtful language
as long as I am using it to further my noble cause). It’s important to keep in
mind that if we are guilty of prejudice in the fight for tolerance, we negate
our own good intentions. And that is the line that the CKM Young Liberals
Twitter account crosses. Making the unflattering generalization that
conservatives are dumb is mean-spirited, insensitive, intolerant, and decidedly
contrary to the liberal ethos. Aren't we supposed to be the nice guys?
Ultimately,
the CKM Young Liberals Account is divisive. It’s another drop in an ocean of
hate and misunderstanding between America’s political factions. If you believe
in liberal causes, fight for them, but don’t resort to denigrating the other
side. And if you believe in this country, work to unite it instead of further
splitting it in two. Please keep it classy, McClatchy.
I think the account's bio--"Liberals aren't hippie tree-huggers, but simply educated, intelligent people"--is a pretty good indication of its general nature. When someone starts by denying an accusation that borders on being a total strawman and then refutes it with a broad, positive, generalization about themself, you can expect some close-minded rhetoric.
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