THE NEW RIGHT IS THE OLD LEFT

The so-called left conceded the moral high ground and half the battle for the soul of humanity by acceding to be called the left. In societies the world over, when it is said that something is the right thing to do, then you have a moral justification for your actions albeit how repulsive it may be. Nowhere on Earth will you hear the expression that it is the left thing to do. Until recently in some African cultures, use of the left hand to exchange gifts was frowned upon and considered an abomination. Children who preferred the left hand were forced to use the right hand because it is the right hand. Left was considered wrong. Some people may say, “What do Africans know?” Since life began in Africa, African cultural practices prior to colonization must have influenced later cultures. The effect of the erosion and corruption of the African way of life, accelerated by colonization is still reverberating in Africa today. Despite lagging in physical development, the African way still has relevance in today’s world. You may also wonder why most of humanity is right-handed. Because it is right.

I can imagine the atmosphere in the room centuries ago when the gentle humanists who cared more for people than property were cajoled into accepting the left label. After the town meeting was called to order, Mr. Bullwhip, a burly misanthropic, greedy landowner with a deep-barreled voice emanating out of his barrel chest shouted down on the humanists saying, “ Hey losers, you have to create wealth before you can share it and to create wealth, you need slaves or slave labor.” The humanists’ response came from Mr. Dogood who responded by saying: “Wealth created by slavery is filthy. You create good wealth by treating people like human beings and with dignity and respect.” In anger, the burly fellow shouts, “I am right because might is right and if you utter any more words, I will have my slaves beat you up. You are wrong or may I say left. From now on, I am right, and you are left.” The humanists in the room cowering in fear accepted the left label.

Astonishing is the fact that the slaves for whose rights the humanists were fighting for, joined the slave masters in bottling up their champions. Up till today, oppressed people still side with their oppressors to stifle and extinguish any attempts to improve their welfare. They have this magical belief that the best way to join the rich club is submitting to the wishes of the rich. Any constructive criticism of the rich by the right (old left) is ascribed to jealousy. The uninsured, poor white people of depressed rural America are ready to take up arms and fight any attempts to make health insurance affordable and universal, thereby toeing the line of their oppressors.

The left must regain the moral high ground by reclaiming the label right, which is rightfully theirs. Another term for new right is progressive and for new left is conservative. From my personal observation, most conservatives are only conservative in financial matters. Staunch conservatives ride horses and donkeys and not flashy cars as the old right does! Henceforth the old left is now the new right.