Dave Rubin, former progressive: Why I left the Left
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Politics
TamPalm — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:00 AM)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/6/dave-rubin-lapsed-progressive-explains-why-he-left/
By Bradford Richardson - The Washington Times - Monday, February 6, 2017
Internet talk show host Dave Rubin says he no longer identifies as a progressive after becoming disillusioned with the lefts increasing disregard for concepts such as freedom of speech, religious liberty and judging people on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.
In an episode of Prager University released on Monday, Mr. Rubin says so-called progressives are actually rather regressive.
Banning speakers whose opinions you dont agree with from college campuses thats not progressive, Mr. Rubin says in the four-minute video. Prohibiting any words not approved of as politically correct thats not progressive. Putting trigger warnings on books, movies, music, anything that might offend people thats not progressive, either.
All of this has led me to believe that much of the left is no longer progressive, but regressive,
he continues.
The host of the eponymous Rubin Report, a popular talk show on YouTube, Mr. Rubin says progressives have become obsessed with identity politics and measuring which group has been most victimized by straight, white males.
If youre black, or female, or Muslim, or Hispanic or a member of any other minority group, youre judged differently than the most evil of all things: a white, Christian male, he says. The regressive left ranks minority groups in a pecking order to compete in a kind of Oppression Olympics. Gold medal goes to the most offended.
But none of these things leads to a flourishing and free society, Mr. Rubin says. In fact, theyre the perfect recipe for authoritarianism.
Im a married gay man, so you might think that I appreciate the government forcing a Christian baker or photographer or florist to act against their religion in order to cater, photograph or decorate my wedding. But youd be wrong, he says.
A government that can force Christians to violate their conscience can force me to violate mine. If a baker wont bake you a cake, find another baker; dont demand that the state tell him what to do with his private business.
Mr. Rubin says he now describes his political views as classically liberal.
For these reasons, I can no longer call myself a progressive, he says. I dont really call myself a Democrat, either. Im a classical liberal. A free thinker.
And, as much as I dont like to admit it, defending my liberal values has suddenly become a conservative position.
"If it doesn't make sense, it's not true." Judge Judy
Keep free speech and free thought alive! -
Carl-LaFong — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:02 AM)
I see the Moonie Times appears to be your favourite source of news.
Not concerned about the blatant lie in the last article you posted from their site?
What am I saying?! Of course you couldn't care less.
You're my wife now. -
TamPalm — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:08 AM)
Rubin's commentary can be found on multiple sites including YouTube. I post from the Washington Times because it's easy to copy and paste, but if you don't like that outlet (apparently you don't), you can find other outlets with this same material.
Speaking of the material, do you have a response to the substance of what Rubin says here?
"If it doesn't make sense, it's not true." Judge Judy
Keep free speech and free thought alive! -
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TamPalm — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:17 AM)
I didn't see the lie, but if you say it was a lie it must have been (
), so I agree that the article should not have included a lie if it did.
Back to my question. Do you have a response to the substance of what Rubin states in the above article?
"If it doesn't make sense, it's not true." Judge Judy
Keep free speech and free thought alive! -
Carl-LaFong — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:22 AM)
Jesus wept, Eddie even quoted it for you. Here it is again:
"Leaking the transcripts of a phone call between
an American member of government
and the Russian ambassador is illegal. "
What position in the govt was held by Flynn at the time?
And as for Rubin, I broadly agree with what he has to say about many leftists and identity politics.
You're my wife now. -
TamPalm — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:26 AM)
What position in the govt was held by Flynn at the time?
He was a General and perhaps he had already been chosen NSA and already had a clearance and whatnot. Even still, maybe the writer was referring to Trump, whose calls with foreign leaders WHILE HE WAS PRESIDENT, were leaked.
And as for Rubin, I broadly agree with what he has to say about many leftists and identity politics.
Good to know you are not all the way gone.
"If it doesn't make sense, it's not true." Judge Judy
Keep free speech and free thought alive! -
Carl-LaFong — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:29 AM)
"He was a General and perhaps he had already been chosen NSA and already had a clearance and whatnot. Even still, maybe the writer was referring to Trump, whose calls with foreign leaders WHILE HE WAS PRESIDENT, were leaked. "
Obvious to me he meant Flynn, who held no govt position at the time.
You're my wife now. -
Painbow — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:15 AM)
He should post links to the much more reliable and trustworthy Daily Mail.
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Painbow — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:17 AM)
Ruben's got it the wrong way round.
He is a liberal lefty. It's the SJW brand of the left that is the problem; not the reasonable left.
Why let them take ownership of the left?
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Asteri-Atypical — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 07:39 AM)
Why let them take ownership of the left?
I don't think they REALLY have; they've been more painted that way by the righty media outlets.
I see the SJWs as a fringe of the left, just as the evangelicals are a fringe movement of the current right. However, the only movement which has managed to truly hijack a larger ideology has been Trumpism and its hijacking of the right. Trump has somehow achieved the biggest status on the right and, alas, the majority of the right is now falling in line with him, as opposed to standing up and saying "he doesn't represent MY brand of conservatism!" -
Painbow — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 08:03 AM)
The social justice warrior left is small but it would be disingenuous to say it hasn't become hugely influential.
If a right-wing news outlet says women can't be raped because their vaginas shut down, pretty much everyone on the planet (bar sincere mentalists) laughs at the stupidity of such a narrative.
Meanwhile, if a left-wing news outlet says that 1 in 4 women are raped (which is nonsense) not only does it get taken seriously but even the president (Obama) repeats the statistic in a media address.
That's the difference. It's what I call the
right side of history narrative
. Technically, you're supporting something good so it doesn't really matter if your talking crap cos you know you're on the right side of history. And those who point out that you're talking crap. Well, they must be hate filled coz why would they disagree with such a positive narrative.
And that's why they've become so influential.
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Asteri-Atypical — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 08:24 AM)
The social justice warrior left is small but it would be disingenuous to say it hasn't become hugely influential.
Agreed. I'm not saying they're not a force to be reckoned with; but they're not synonymous with the left, as there's still a pretty strong dividing line between the factions of the left.
If a right-wing news outlet says women can't be raped because their vaginas shut down, pretty much everyone on the planet (bar sincere mentalists) laughs at the stupidity of such a narrative.
True. And that's why we have to fear Trumpism (whatever the movement will be called in general). The evangelicals were annoying and have had more influence than they ought, but they weren't growing like the SJW cancer was. Unlike Trumpism, which is now the right's equivalent of SJWs; even more so. It's a huge movement which has found a way to resonate with enough people to gain serious power. SJWs had a role in bringing in Trump, and Trump is pushing more of the left towards SJW-ism. It's a vicious cycle.
And those who point out that you're talking crap. Well, they must be hate filled coz why would they disagree with such a positive narrative.
There is a problem with that.
But then we have given rise to a genuine movement based on hate. Not the rapid racism the SJWs claim, but Trumpism is an angry movement where one votes simply based on what they hate, rather than the strength of ideas.
This is why the left needs to reinvent itself. Kick the butts of the SJWs to the point where they can try to get their own party, if they want. And if this were a more ideal world we'd see the rise of one or more Independent moderate parties which were a force to be reckoned with. A party based on issues and rationality instead of the hysteria in either of the mainstream parties. -
Vic_Hitler — 9 years ago(February 16, 2017 08:07 AM)
the most evil of all things: a white, Christian male
In a nutshell, they want to drag the West down in the mud with the rest of the World.
They "hate our freedom" is quite true. They hate our success. They hate our inherent superiority as bermensch among the primitive neanderthals in most of the world, running around still acting like simian simpletons unable to create a culture or a functional societyor indoor plumbing.
The West represents the Elites of the World Order, and naturally the rest of the world hates us for it.