What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace. Words of warning from John Wesley, one of the co-founders of the Methodist movement in Colonial Georgia.
Back in the early eighteenth century, Wesley expressed this warning in a sermon delivered to his congregation one Sunday morning. With this statement, he attempted to convey the belief that if questionable concepts go unchallenged; over time, those once disputable opinions will become approved principles upheld by the next generation. For the most part, Wesley’s message fell on deaf ears; and dispelled any rumor that the Devil doesn’t go to church.
For today’s Leftist or Progressive disciple recognizes the significance of the old reverend’s advice. They view the commentary as words of inspiration, not cautionary. Because of that understanding of the message, America’s perception on religious, homosexuality, abortion, and gun control has spun one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase from where it once stood. Back near the turn of the Twentieth Century, the Progressive movement saw a vision and planted the seeds for change – moral, political, social, and economic change. Those seeds sprouted with the Great Depression and were nurtured under the socialist policies and programs of Roosevelt’s New Deal. They lay dormant through the fighting and sacrifice of WWII; but blossomed with the Post World War II (WWII) era. With the parental blessing of the Greatest Generation, America’s Baby Boomers began to harvest the fruit and become drunk from the wine of the Progressive philosophy. The new generation’s actions kicked the American culture shift into the next gear.
The Left/Progressive business model and the course of action were clear. With the 1950’s, basic religious freedoms came under attack through liberally funded legal challenges within the federal court system. The goal was to flip the 1st Amendment ideology – Freedom of Religion – to a more defiant phrase, Freedom from Religion. And of course, the first emancipating objective was to remove any religious stimulus from the public schoolyard; the centuries old traditional of starting each morning with prayer and a reading from the Holy Scripture came under fire. With a barrage lawsuits and federal court rulings, this customary practice first started melting away within the urban public school districts of the Eastern and Midwestern states; spreading to the adjoining suburbs, eventually extending to the Western states, and ultimately thrusting its deadly dagger into the heart of the resistance – the obstinate Bible totin’, God fearin’ Southern school districts. Over time, the overt Judeo-Christian influence, which had once been prevalent across the country, had been totally eliminated in the public schoolyard. With the elimination of God from the public classroom, America’s Baby Boomers became the first generation to be devoid of any Godly (legally) influence in the classroom. The secular doors to public education were flung open and a new humanist religious indoctrination began shaping the minds and behavior of America’s youth.
With moral consequences having less of an influence in the decision making process, the scruples of the Baby Boomer open to challenge from the more provocative behavior and attitudes brought on by the temptations of the ‘60’s culture revolution. Additionally, the Northern California/San Francisco Bay area’s free love and a do-what-feels-good attitude cracked the door for acceptance and a reversal in liberal America’s perception toward the homosexual lifestyle. But Middle America remained defiant in its posture against the gay community’s introduction into mainstream American culture; so left leaning activist groups employed the aid and support of Hollywood entertainers, the entertainment industry and media outlets. A discreet thrust targeting the heart of Middle America was conceived. The Left would chip away at and reinvent the persona and the perception which had been fostered by religious and conservative leaders across the land against the homosexual community. With a new insight, Hollywood portrayed homosexuals as free spirited, carefree individuals with perhaps some slightly girlish tendencies; but of no threat to America’s moral compass. These on screen eccentrics were viewed as harmless, cheerful personalities, mixing seamlessly within the heterosexual community. Who couldn’t adore these lovable characters? They were witty! Amusing! Bubbly! And most often, very clever! They were just – a group of non-threatening, gay chaps living the American Dream; from hence came the entertainment industry, media elites, and homosexual activist hijacking of the word – gay – from the English vocabulary. For to be gay was much less threatening and more pleasing to the ear that to be – homosexual.
Then over time with a more ‘in your face’ approach; the entertainment industry, national media, the gay activist groups, and their supportive political organizations developed and began preaching their revised message of tolerance. To the Left and to the activist, tolerance was the absolute acceptance of the gay lifestyle into mainstream America. And the mission has been so successful, that today, no opposing view is even consider by the MSM, most major corporate businesses and industries, all government agencies, and the majority of today’s youth. All conflicting view are deemed to be – intolerant, biased, bigoted, and most likely soon – criminal.
And the same transformation and acceptance strategy used by the gay rights activist has been employed to ensure the acceptance of all Leftist philosophies. As a result over the past six decades; we’ve seen the removal of God from the public school, a boom in the sexual liberation movement, the enslavement of the poor into a government welfare state through Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society programs and policies, followed by the shift from a right to life for the unborn to the unquestioned rights of a woman and her body, the growth of a dominating and intimidating federal bureaucracy, and the attempts by the left to eliminate inner city crime and the terroristic threat through weapons safety programs and enhanced background checks. All of the preceding values were renamed, redefined, and camouflaged for the public so as to sooth the ear and the conscience of a passive, ignorant, and dumbed-down citizenry in today’s America. The Left and the Progressive proclaim these newly acknowledged rights were neglected by our aged and dying Constitution; a document formulated by old white male colonial slave owners. Unlocking these buried truths guaranteed these rights to all Americans – regardless of gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Entitlements which must be defended from attack by any intolerant or narrow minded person, group, or business opposing these treasured concepts.
So with a supportive media, nurturing federal agencies, and a sympathetic judicial system; the youth of America are now guaranteed a spoon fed diet of Leftist/Progressive political correctness which ensures a submissive and compliant behavior. Today, the American youth are indoctrinated in the public schools from pre-school through their graduate studies and taught that anyone speaking out against this liberal philosophy is an ignorant bigot; an extremist to be chastised and shunned – including parents, family, or friends. So through a generation of forced, and all too often voluntary, tolerance and acceptance; our next generation of youth has been ‘dumbed down’, programmed, and readied to embrace these radical social, economic, and moral transformations instituted by the Leftist and Progressive movements.
But not only have the Leftist and the Progressives gained control of the mind, soul, and future of our future generations by understanding the true impact of John Wesley’s cautionary words. They realize that those same words can be used to destroy all that they have gained – in a single generation. Therefore; they, also, embrace an old sports adage – the best offense is a good defense. The Left strongly believes that if one attacks and shuts down any opposing view before it gets started, one eliminates the potential chance of any pesky weeds popping up in the garden of tranquility – and overtaking what you’ve nurtured. And that is how the Left views opposing opinion – as weeds in the garden. Their motto: Protect the garden! Kill the weed!
Attempt to sing Silent Night at a school function, and a lone radical atheist, along with his ACLU sponsored legal team, swoops down on the school principal and local board of education before the parent’s applause has even ended. Refuse to provide service to a gay couple, and federal/state labor board inspectors are threatening to shut your business down before you can recommend an alternative, yet equal, business sensitive to the couple’s need. Donate to a Pro-Life organization, and find yourself involved in an extensive, lengthy, and costly IRS audit before the check has been cashed. Attend a 2nd Amendment rally, and end up on an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive Agency domestic terror watch list before the vendor can give you your free Styrofoam drink holder.
Through experience, these Left/Progressive militant bullies and tyrants have come to realize that with a constant volley of rapid and abrupt intimidation, along with abusive harassment; these divisive, non-conforming individuals, groups, or businesses – the ones daring to speak out in opposition against the elitist’s agenda and belief system – will likely cower in fear, yield to their insistent demands, and conform to the Leftist set of cultural standards.
For these same men were probably aware of another John Wesley quote: Give me one hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergyman or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon the earth. — From a letter in the Works of John Wesley.