looking down our noses

Us Liberals and Progressives can't sell our point of view any longer because we no longer seem to have one. 

There used to be a time when working men and women organized unions and attended meetings and discussed issues and formed positions and proudly marched in public declaring these positions.  There was a day when people understood that the working man and woman were what made this nation strong and free.  And they were proud to declare themselves as Blue Collar Workers.  But the wealthy looked down their noses at the working class and the blue collar workers began to feel inferior to the white collar people.  And they began to call themselves Middle Class and they wore white shirts and  ties to the factories and changed into cover-alls while on the job.  Common Labor became a dirty word.  They sent their children to college to learn to be doctors and lawyers and Wall Street brokers.  They bragged that their children would rise above common labor.  As if common labor was a dirty word.  Rather than stand proud and erect and fight for better wages they slunk off pretending that they were something that they were not. 

And now the factory jobs are going away.  In fact the factories are going away.  And we can all wear white shirts and ties and strut our stuff...all the way to the unemployment line.  No more blue collar workers.  No siree!  And with the loss of blue collar work we have also had to give up job security, health insurance, pensions, quality education for our children, safe food, safe water, safe neighborhoods, safe automobiles, and on and on. 

And we're afraid to be identified as Leftists or Liberals, for fear of being seen as Commies.  So we hug the middle of the political road even as the road keeps curving to the right. 

 

Curious Carl