My most recent story’s byline has been fixed, and I am no longer publishing under an alias. That ‘Pat Browne’ has published so much stuff (only a little of it mine) that I was considering just taking credit for all of it.
I follow such a variety of weblogs that in the course of a week I will see my positions attacked from the right, left and middle on them — and see valiant defenders stepping up to fight off the unwashed hordes in all directions. And although every online test I’ve tried puts me way way on the left, I’ve noticed that I am not grateful to other lefties who defend my positions against the right. I roll my eyes. I am, however, very grateful to people who defend my positions against the left.
At first I thought this was odd, and then I thought it may be depressingly normal. Aren’t lefties known for fighting each other with way more vigor than we direct toward our real enemies? So I guess I am falling into the stereotype when I find myself less upset by some guy spewing vitriol at college professors over at Red State than I am by a social justice tumblr rehashing the latest intersectionality talking point.
But darn it, if we lefties want to win over the country we should pay some attention to why nobody can stand us — including ourselves. Or maybe there just needs to be some new category for people like me, who promote leftist causes but would really rather not see how they’re made. ‘Democrat’ used to cover that, but it’s gotten pretty wimped out.
