Who Says You Can't Herd Cats?

A couple of nights ago, at our Progressive Democrats of America meeting, the topic of discussion was the difficulty of getting progressives to cooperate with each other on a cohesive agenda. Although I didn't hear this expression at the meeting, it was basically the old lament that "You can't herd cats."

Now, I don't know how good an analogy that is. I herd my cats every day: whenever I feed them, and whenever I go to the bathroom. Then, all four of 'em always run right along behind me. They never miss a meal, and they like to gather around the potty to bond with Mommy. To them it is not a private moment, but very much a family affair.

The complain about progessives is that we're all over the place. That we don't ALL agree on anything. And while we probably do really agree on most matters, it's certainly true that each of us seems to have our own burning, non-negotiable issue. Some insist we must all turn vegan, others that we must either accept or reject religious faith, while still others care mainly about reproductive choice, or gender equity, or labor empowerment, or whatever else. Of course this fragmentation is a legitimate cause for concern; we really do need to come together to work and fight for progress in a bigger, broader sense.

I, of course, have my own opinion as to what is most important -- what the overriding principle of the Left should be. Of course I do. My vote for primary necessity goes to the freedom of conscience. Whether this takes the form of religious faith -- as it does with me -- or simply of conscience in a general, non-religious sense, freedom of conscience is the essential basis, I believe, for all else.

The Right Wing, now led by the fanatical "Christian" Taliban, is hell-bent on the destruction of freedom of conscience for that very reason. The fact that they try so hard to hide their real agenda behind a counterfeit crusade for "religious freedom" -- meaning, for them, religious freedom for no one but themselves -- only underscores the evil here. These people would sully and corrupt the very values in which they so loudly claim to believe.

It is time for us to rally behind the one cause that MUST succeed if progress is to be achieved -- or the civilized world to be saved from destruction. May the misguided souls who want to drive people of faith out of the public square come to their senses about this before it is too late.

We need to learn how to herd cats. I've had a lot of practice at it, and even some real success. I'll do all I can to show the way.