Article:
It was Fox News commentator Greg Gutfeld who noted, “The left has turned into everything they used to hate.”
This isn’t just some glib statement to garner attention; if one to eschew the polarizing nature of the statement, evidence would suggest that Gutfeld has indeed a point. Over the years, there have been noticeable changes within the leftist political change, changes that seem drastic if compared to their former ideologies and principles.
The transition becomes more evident when considering the entire situation with President Donald J Trump. Trump’s influence on American culture has been immense. To use one of Gutfeld’s analogy, Trump’s “dance” took over one of the most American institutions – the National Football League (NFL).
Let’s delve deeper into this analogy. Trump’s “dance” can be seen as his persona, his policies, and the various controversies surrounding him. The NFL, in this case, is an institution revered by millions of people regardless of political leanings. It represents unity and camaraderie, a common love for sports that transcends politics.
But when Trump’s ‘dance’ took over the NFL when he transformed the discourse around the league into a political battleground essentially. This began primarily with his vocalizing against players ‘taking a knee’ in protest of racial injustices. Trump and his supporters regarded this act as disrespecting the flag, whilst others argued it was the right to peaceful protest.
This is where Gutfeld claims the left turned into everything they used to hate. To extrapolate this, he suggests that the left, traditionally a bastion of free speech and personal expression, has begun to mirror some attitudes supposedly more akin to the right – censorship, dogma, intolerance for differing opinions.
Gutfeld’s point extends to the broader involvement of politics in most aspects of life. Political discourse used to be primarily limited to law-making, economies, international relations, but under the strong cultural influence of Trump, it has significantly expanded. Now, everything from sports games to movies, from social gatherings to classrooms, has been politicized.
Another intriguing angle to this has been the focus on identity politics. In their vehement opposition to Trump’s ‘dance’, the left has begun labeling everything that doesn’t fit their narrative as being ‘pro-Trump’ or ‘right-wing’, often alienating moderates and potential allies in the process. This strategic use of ‘othering’ and dividing people along political lines is something that the left historically criticized the right for.
Gutfeld’s claim suggests that it’s not just about the left becoming ideologically similar to what they once criticized but more about the failure in dealing with ‘Trump’s dance’. Instead of engaging in intellectual debates, discussions, and negotiations with the right, there’s a sense of devolving into silence or screams.
This evolution of the left can be polarizing, but it’s a call to ignite a self-awareness for everyone regardless of political inclination. Gutfeld’s statement forces us to reflect on whether we are evolving or are returning to the hate, divisiveness, and intolerance we always stood against. Humanity may be better served if politics stayed away from pitting citizen against citizen, and focus on developing strategies for collaboration and growth instead. Politics, in any form, should strive for harmony over discord.
