If you have spent any amount of time on conservative X (formerly Twitter) you’ll likely have run across an interesting “debate” concerning the “Woke Right.” Like many political discussions these days, it’s not directly about policy or political objectives but more concerned with labels and whether or not the “woke right” even exists.
Without diving into all the nuances, this article encapsulates a glaring difference between people with moderate right views (with which Mr. O'Reilly seems to often align, though he doesn't pigeonhole himself into any groupthink) and those with leftist or extreme right/left views. That is, the ability to critique negative behaviors for what they are, rather than from whom they emanate.
Everyone should try it, jumping off their chosen bandwagon - it's quite liberating.
First of all Justice Potter Stewart’s definition is a non-definition and illustrates what’s wrong with a court or a government deciding on morality for individuals.
Secondly, freedom in the sense of “Don’t Tread on Me” (or leave me alone to do whatever I want as long as I don’t do it to you) is moral, but morality should never be under the domain of government.
You are correct when you identify the Woke Right as authoritarian (no less than the Left and maybe even more so). The problem is age old, politics isnt about doing what is best, rather it is doing what will get a party elected. Today, we are witnesses to another version of the Moral Majority—the Woke Right. It has gotten Trump elected twice and will probably continue to work unless and until people live their own lives and stop worrying about how their neighbors are living theirs.
Overall, Mr. O'Reilly's column on the Woke Right is spot on. However, I disagree with him on this point:
Prior to the rise of the woke right (yes, I’m conceding that it is the correct term), many found it difficult to define “woke” and so followed a general “rule” similar to that expressed by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart concerning the definition of obscenity, “I may not be able to define it but I know it when I see it.”
Sorry, Mr. O'Reilly, but woke has a clear definition. It is African American slang for being vigilant against injustice in society, especially racism.
Unfortunately, the Left hijacked woke and redefined it as being synonymous with Leftist ideology like transgenderism. In turn, the Right has redefined woke as opposing anything not White and male.
Thus, according to the Right, the latest Disney remake, Lilo and Stitch, would be woke because it mostly has native Hawaiian characters. I won't belabor how objectively racist this mindset is.
Not surprisingly, the Right is as unappealing to growing numbers of Americans as the Left.
You are correct, that was the original definition. I should have been clearer. Since the adoption of "woke" by the "woke left" it's definition can be difficult to put into words, thus "the King of England is black, gay, and disabled" meme.
In the original Lilo and Stitch, Lilo Pelekai is explicitly a Hawaiian character so I'm not sure what the issue would be with the remake.
Woke still means being vigilant of injustice in society no matter how much the Left or Right try to redefine it.
"In the original Lilo and Stitch, Lilo Pelekai is explicitly a Hawaiian character so I'm not sure what the issue would be with the remake."
Remember the Woke Right are the same people who melted down on the hit Netflix film, The Six Triple Eight. It didn't matter that the World War II film was largely accurate. The Woke Right were irate that the film focused on Black female patriots serving during the war instead of White guys.
So, if the Woke Right freaked out over Lilo and Stitch, that would be par for the course.
These have included murder, intentional targeting of civilians, killing prisoners of war and surrendered combatants, indiscriminate attacks, collective punishment, starvation, persecution, the use of human shields, sexual violence and rape, torture, pillage, forced transfer, breach of medical neutrality, enforced disappearance, targeting journalists, attacking civilian and protected objects, wanton destruction, incitement to genocide, and genocide.
I tend to think that the woke left is such an appropriate object of concern because of its massive institutional power: education, therapy, academia, publishing, media... basically every established part of our sense-making apparatus has been overrun by this belief system.
The woke right has none of that. It seems to be an almost purely online phenomenon. I suspect that Lindsay is spending too much time on Twitter. I do not care a whit whether other people disagree with me, or even whether they want to silence and oppress me. I only care if they're able to do it.
Left or right, life was simpler when we simply called them "jerks."
Without diving into all the nuances, this article encapsulates a glaring difference between people with moderate right views (with which Mr. O'Reilly seems to often align, though he doesn't pigeonhole himself into any groupthink) and those with leftist or extreme right/left views. That is, the ability to critique negative behaviors for what they are, rather than from whom they emanate.
Everyone should try it, jumping off their chosen bandwagon - it's quite liberating.
Excellent as always, Philip.
ZL
Thanks ZL!
First of all Justice Potter Stewart’s definition is a non-definition and illustrates what’s wrong with a court or a government deciding on morality for individuals.
Secondly, freedom in the sense of “Don’t Tread on Me” (or leave me alone to do whatever I want as long as I don’t do it to you) is moral, but morality should never be under the domain of government.
You are correct when you identify the Woke Right as authoritarian (no less than the Left and maybe even more so). The problem is age old, politics isnt about doing what is best, rather it is doing what will get a party elected. Today, we are witnesses to another version of the Moral Majority—the Woke Right. It has gotten Trump elected twice and will probably continue to work unless and until people live their own lives and stop worrying about how their neighbors are living theirs.
Overall, Mr. O'Reilly's column on the Woke Right is spot on. However, I disagree with him on this point:
Prior to the rise of the woke right (yes, I’m conceding that it is the correct term), many found it difficult to define “woke” and so followed a general “rule” similar to that expressed by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart concerning the definition of obscenity, “I may not be able to define it but I know it when I see it.”
Sorry, Mr. O'Reilly, but woke has a clear definition. It is African American slang for being vigilant against injustice in society, especially racism.
Unfortunately, the Left hijacked woke and redefined it as being synonymous with Leftist ideology like transgenderism. In turn, the Right has redefined woke as opposing anything not White and male.
Thus, according to the Right, the latest Disney remake, Lilo and Stitch, would be woke because it mostly has native Hawaiian characters. I won't belabor how objectively racist this mindset is.
Not surprisingly, the Right is as unappealing to growing numbers of Americans as the Left.
You are correct, that was the original definition. I should have been clearer. Since the adoption of "woke" by the "woke left" it's definition can be difficult to put into words, thus "the King of England is black, gay, and disabled" meme.
In the original Lilo and Stitch, Lilo Pelekai is explicitly a Hawaiian character so I'm not sure what the issue would be with the remake.
Woke still means being vigilant of injustice in society no matter how much the Left or Right try to redefine it.
"In the original Lilo and Stitch, Lilo Pelekai is explicitly a Hawaiian character so I'm not sure what the issue would be with the remake."
Remember the Woke Right are the same people who melted down on the hit Netflix film, The Six Triple Eight. It didn't matter that the World War II film was largely accurate. The Woke Right were irate that the film focused on Black female patriots serving during the war instead of White guys.
So, if the Woke Right freaked out over Lilo and Stitch, that would be par for the course.
> It is African American slang for being vigilant against injustice in society, especially racism.
If "injustice" is interpreted in the Marxist sense, this definition applies equally well to the woke left and woke right.
Being against Israel colonial expansion and war crimes isn't hate on Jews, tho.
I'm told everywhere that I'm supposely hating them.
I couldn't care less about them.
I'm way more concern about catholic ramping pedophilia and islamic political misogyny.
Isreal is dropping 1k tones of bomb every day and cleaning afterwards with bulldozers.
Religions are a patriarchal tools.
Creationism can be cured with education, like going to a museum. Imaginary friend, well, psychiatry is for there for that.
> Being against Israel colonial expansion and war crimes isn't hate on Jews, tho.
Fortunately Israel isn't committing war crimes, unless your one of those idiots who thinks fighting, or at least winning, a war is itself a crime.
Oh they commited war crimes.
These have included murder, intentional targeting of civilians, killing prisoners of war and surrendered combatants, indiscriminate attacks, collective punishment, starvation, persecution, the use of human shields, sexual violence and rape, torture, pillage, forced transfer, breach of medical neutrality, enforced disappearance, targeting journalists, attacking civilian and protected objects, wanton destruction, incitement to genocide, and genocide.
They've put it on tape.
Oh, you're talking about Hamas.
Israel, which is under the ICC juridiction.
It's all reccorded.
They are not shy about it.
Sorry, kiddo.
> It's all reccorded.
Yes, Hamas recorded all their atrocities as they were committing them.
But, being a moron, you inevitably blame the victim since otherwise you'd have to admit your pacifist world view is unworkable.
Israël InFamous soldiers reccorded themself doing all of it, shamelessly, because they feel entitled to do it.
At least you admit being a warmonger.
Nazis like you will always face résistance.
I tend to think that the woke left is such an appropriate object of concern because of its massive institutional power: education, therapy, academia, publishing, media... basically every established part of our sense-making apparatus has been overrun by this belief system.
The woke right has none of that. It seems to be an almost purely online phenomenon. I suspect that Lindsay is spending too much time on Twitter. I do not care a whit whether other people disagree with me, or even whether they want to silence and oppress me. I only care if they're able to do it.
https://jmpolemic.substack.com/p/the-schism-of-the-elites
I largely agree. The problem is if those people who disagree with me are working to get that power.
Also, "disagree" is putting it a bit lightly I think.
It is the 80/20 rule. 80% of the left is woke or supportive of woke. Only 20% of the right. Thus there is no moral comparison.