“Dangerous” Milo Inspires Us to Stamp on Progressive Smugness

“Here’s a neat trick: if you want to work out if your favorite celebrity is a Republican, just Google them and see if they talk about politics. If the answer is no, then yes:  they’re a Republican.”

–Milo Yiannopoulos, in his just released book Dangerous.  He’s right!

The real question is why silent Republicans are everywhere, while a Democrat or progressive is never, ever hesitant to speak his or her mind.

The blowhards and the presumptuous opinion-imposers, in my experience, are always on the left. They’re rarely on the right. Yes, I know there are exceptions. But I’m talking about general trends.

To solve this puzzle, you have to know something about the psychology of outrage. Some people are good at using their emotions – specifically, their emotions of outrage – at getting you to think, act, talk or speak the way they do. Or, if they can’t do that, at least to make you silent.

It’s a form of intimidation, whether in a political or any other context involving human interaction. It’s like an unspoken dare. “Well, of course you won’t question me. My outrage will keep you from doing so.”

I see it all the time.

The issue is wider than politics. It happens in unhappy or unhealthy family or marital relationships, too. Even in friendships.

The unwritten rule is as follows: “If you say or do anything that offends me, there’s going to be a huge reaction. I know you don’t want to experience that reaction. So you had better not challenge or question me.”

Hollywood conservatives and libertarians undoubtedly experience it. In the hardcore leftist area where I live in Delaware, it’s similar. People come up to me all the time and whisper how they agree with my point-of-view. But they’re afraid of losing business. I get it. But I can’t help but wonder: How many people with the leftist or progressive/socialist point-of-view suffer from similar fears? Damn few, from what I can see. In fact, none. And that’s not really the fault of the leftist bullies. It’s the fault of those of us who let them become addicted to their role as self-appointed moral overlords.

There’s something in the nature of leftism that has brought all this about. Whenever you see large numbers of intolerant people preaching “tolerance and diversity”, and those same people claiming to be sensitive when they’re actually some of the nastiest people you’ll find, particularly when discussing anything remotely related to ethics and politics, then you know you’re witnessing a gigantic example of psychological projection. People like President Donald Trump and Milo make them foam at the mouth. It was never supposed to be this way. They were the superior ones, after all.

Psychological projection is nothing more than the “pot calling the kettle black”, to recall an old phrase. It’s seeing in another what you’re really guilty of yourself, and hurling condemnation at the person in place of the objective critique you ought to be providing yourself.

Increasingly, anyone in the “big tent” that now comprises the political right — conservatives, advocates of limited government and libertarians — are not feeling nearly as afraid and intimidated as leftist-progressives got used to during the Obama years. It’s a healthy and justified thing. But don’t expect to be appreciated for it. Because the self-elected apostles of diversity, tolerance and sensitivity are — by and large, with unusual exception — the least in possession of those qualities of anyone you’ll ever meet.

Milo Yiannopoulos serves as the best reminder yet that you can’t intimidate people into refusing to tell the truth, at least not in places like America. That’s his real sin, the one that progressives will never be inclined to forgive.

So if you’re on Milo’s side, my advice is this: Spread your views, your beliefs and your principles with three times the intensity each time a leftist tries to intimidate you. Go full Winston Churchill on them by never, ever, ever giving up or backing down. It’s good for your mental health and it’s good for the vibrancy of our society. And it’s time the bullies get the pushback that’s long overdue. Stamp on their smugness. In the process, you’ll stand up for yourself and all that makes life worth living.