Progress and Conservatives

So, here on Progressive U, we want you to think about progress. We want you to discuss ways our society can progress, or what needs to be changed in our society. Without getting cliche (and having judged the Think Progress contest entries, I know what cliche is on this topic), progress is making things better, for everyone involved.

However, there are some who see Progressives as the antithesis of Conservatives. In fact, not too long ago, I remember reading a remark (in reference to a very conservative person), that the only thing conservatives are good for is strengthening the debate skills of Liberals/Progressives.

Now, I consider myself pretty moderate. On some topics, I'm so far to the left, it's scary, and others I'm so far to the right, it's scary. So it all balances out in the end and I end up being a moderate (which is really one of the reasons I hate the two party system we have, but that's another blog topic).

Needless to say, then, I was deeply offended when I read this remark. And after months of letting it fester, I am finally to the point where I need to say something about it.

Conservatives are not the bad guys. Granted, there's a number of people who consider themselves conservative, and probably push a number of people away, just as there are number of scary liberal people as well. But conservatives can progress just as well as anyone else. They can want to change something for the better. It just might not be the better that the liberals see.

Along with this, I don't see much point in alienating conservatives. I mean, we can't make things better for everyone if we don't consider their opinions as well, now can we? In the end, we have to work together to make true progress, liberals and conservatives and everyone else has to contribute in some way so that a happy medium is reached.

Allow me to repeat this: conservatives are not the bad guys. In fact, I'd even venture to say that the only people who are 'bad guys' in this scenario are those completely resistant to change, especially when something doesn't work. People who refuse to consider another opinion. People who choose to remain ignorant even in the face of a plethora of information. And that, my friends, is not limited to any one political view.