Active
Without action, criticism accomplishes little. We must encourage and motivate each other to take action, particularly at the local level. Political activism that supports campaigns for social and economic justice takes many forms; electoral, economic, cultural, and so on. Although we join together as individuals, we accomplish change as communities. Whether as a handfull of neighbors meeting around a table or as a loose affiliation of usernames on the Internet, we share common values and a concern for each other.
Progressive
The future comes, but how will we shape it? Liberalism provides a tolerant basis for the movement toward a better future. However, the kind of weak ‘liberalism’ practiced these days lacks clarity of purpose and a willingness to confront the grasp for power by the radical right. Faced with a relentless opponent, liberals too often politely defer to the righists and their corporate supporters. In an effort to avoid criticising the wealthy interests that fund the right’s campaign for power, too many liberals fade. Others with perhaps more passion and less tolerance for an aristocractic agenda propose a more radical criticism and confrontational activism. Perhaps it is time for progressives and liberals to play hardball.