:: New Progressive Politics ::

:: Thursday, April 03, 2003 ::

Freedom Fighters: Urban Republicans & Onelegupnyc

In light of numerous rants on a range of subjects from politics, sex, romance, dating, life in NYC, over the last few years in my London Network Newsletters & NYC Consigliere Blog, I have often been asked...what is your political ideology? Chris, are you a Democrat or Republican? Are you pro-war or anti-war? How can you be in favor of "peace" and be so supportive of the military effort in Iraq? In a label conscious society, I well understand this preoccupation. Simple labels do not define me nor do they define many other introspective and enlightened intellectuals. While it may not be clear to many as it should be, I consider myself truly Progressive in the most literal sense. If it liberates the freedom of the human spirit in any fashion, whether it be entrepreneurial, political, sensual, creative etc...I am supportive of it.

To be truly progressive is difficult; especially for those who are at the forefront of taking on established or entrenched political thought. One has more to lose by bucking the tide and taking on view points which many inherently deem in conflict with one another because they do not clearly fall within the left-right paradigm. In so doing you risk alienating both those on the left and the right. It is far easier in fact to align yourself within the parameters of established thought or philosophy on the left or the right. In my estimation those on the left and especially those in the Democratic Party are all too often associated with being liberal and progressive when the present day reality is the furthest thing from the truth. How liberal and progressive does it make you if all you espouse is the same old defeated leftist ideology to the challenging problems of our time? That makes you dogmatic and not progressive. Socialism, Communism and Left-ism have been proved by history to be profound failures, which suffocate the human spirit. If you see no logical or rational basis or circumstance for defense of our shores get real. You have to stand for more than juts opposing a President that you have issues with. Further, to regurgitate failed ideology is not only retarded but it is not progressive at all. Those of you who call yourself Liberals and consider yourself "enlightened"....take notice that what you offer is "dogma" and not exactly liberal, open minded or progressive in its most literal sense. Perhaps at one point your views could be considered so and the label you so proudly wore applied. Conservatives also take notice. It was a mistake to demonize the word "liberal" for short term gain. In fact, the creative, pragamtic and solution oriented policies which profess a return to some core conservative/libertarian ideals are actually incredibly progressive. These days the party more closely symbolizing the fight for the rational and reasoned "middle" is the GOP cultivated under Giuliani, with a few exceptions. A warning to those on the left and the right: Please take notice that "political correctness" whether it comes from the left or the right has the effect of stifling dissent or disagreement, inhibiting the freedom of speech and is thus, equally damaging to the liberation of the human spirit. Critiquing dissent is acceptable. Silencing it is never acceptable. The marketplace of ideas will better allow truth to emerge.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are core ideals. The best judges in fact of the actual breadth of our freedom are those who challenge it by pursuing the exercise of their freedom to the greatest degree, whether socially, sensually or creatively with provocative forms of speech. If their conduct, behavior or speech does not threaten or cause others harm but the exercise of that freedom is nevertheless impinged on, that is the point, however distasteful you may find it, that you must stand up for their rights. While it may be politically expedient to inhibit certain speech, doing so ends up undermining the basis of our culture and liberation of the human spirit.

I have had the good fortune of encountering a few people who despite extraordinary challenges from both sides of the spectrum forge on even when the wisdom and truth of their message does not yet ring true to the masses. This week I want to highlight two such individuals. One is Robert Hornak, founder of the Urban Republican Platform and Palagia, founder of Onelegupnyc. These two people are from two completely different aspects of NYC life, one sensual and one political, but they have one significant thing in common. They are innovators and not imitators. They do not follow but rather challenge conventional thinking on the left and the right. In fact, it is not clear that either of them would necessarily wish to be associated with the other. Except that I am a huge fan of both. Why?

I am a fan of innovative entrepreneurial men and women with vision who are not afraid to take chances and lay themselves on the line. The fact is that we live in a sensual and political world. As a Scorpio at least I do. After food and water, the aspect of life that rules my thought process is the political as well as sensual. The truth and liberation in their movements is not yet as obvious to many as it will come to be in future years. Robert and Palagia are at the forefront of a New Progressive movement that is shaped by reality, common sense and human nature. "This is about what we want to become. It is also about what we fear we might become. It is about what we fear and is often what we desire."---Palagia
To liberate the masses government must remove itself from our bedrooms, our paychecks as well as our social lives. If I want someone to wear a strap on, I will ask Palagia and not our State or Federal government. Inherent in the Urban Republican movement of Robert and the Sensual Movement headed by Palagia is common sense liberation of the human spirit. I shall continue to embrace those who seek to provide us with greater freedom. So I am in favor of peace but support this war and the military aims of our government because I see it as necessary for the long term security of our country, the free world and this planet. I am an American Nationalist but have profound respect that our country is a melting pot of the best that the world has to offer. We live in an imperfect society...but until the day that someone can show me one more perfect, I shall work with those towards making the American experience the best one that has been bestowed on humanity in history.



:: Christopher London 9:59 PM [+] ::
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