This campaign is not just about us versus Donald Trump.

Our campaign is about fighting for the future. pic.twitter.com/nPBq8Cn2cy

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 8, 2024

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According to Merriam Webster, the word progressive is defined as:

: of, relating to, or characterized by progress
: making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities
: of, relating to, or constituting an educational theory marked by emphasis on the individual child, informality of classroom procedure, and encouragement of self-expression

Sounds good, right? Not if seen through the lens of right-leaning politics.

In an article written by Danielle Kurtzleben, she explains the origin, “According to a quick NPR archives search, the network’s usage of the word to describe Democrats really skyrocketed in 2018, after picking up in 2016 and 2017. That’s also the trend that major U.S. newspapers followed, according to my own news database searches. And it’s not just that left-leaning politicians became more plentiful — the word “liberal,” for example, didn’t pick up in the same way in descriptions of Democrats. In fact, “progressive” virtually caught up to it in the last few years.”

That impression didn’t last long. Along with “Liberal,” “Radical,” “Leftist,” “Woke,” and “Libtard,” the word Progressive has been thrown around by those who want something diametrically opposed. As someone who proudly claims the titles and reframes the negative to something positive, I want to understand the reason why anyone would want to be regressive.

This morning, I was at the gym and encountered a woman around my age on the machine next to me who wore a T-shirt that proclaimed she was voting for the felon, literally. I said under my breath, “What a shame.” She heard me and followed me over to the rowing machine where I was starting to work out and asked me to repeat what l said. I did.

When I asked her why she was choosing to vote the way she planned to, she said because that’s her candidate and then spouted typical stuff about Hunter Biden and then walked away, continuing to mutter to herself. She then returned and talked more. I said that if he was found guilty of crimes, he should go to jail, just like Trump. I told her I just wanted to understand her reasoning. I spoke calmly. Despite saying she didn’t have anything else to say, she returned again and again as I sweated during my workout and still maintained my composure. She then said the word “democracy.” I responded that this was something we agreed on. I continued working out and she continued muttering.

In retrospect, I wish I hadn’t made the initial “what a shame” statement. The thing is, she was wearing a shirt that invited conversation. If I was wearing something with messaging about my political beliefs, I could expect some reaction either pro or con. A knowing nod, a thumbs up, or a disapproving smirk would all be in the realm of possibility. I would be willing to have anyone ask about my beliefs and would answer them honestly even if they shook their heads at their perception that I am misguided, or as this woman implied, that I was watching the wrong news channels.

Would I have loved to have changed her mind? Sure. Is it likely? Nope. Back in December, I had a conversation in a store with a DT supporter. We spoke openly for about 30 minutes. We listened to each other. I did try to plant seeds and told him so. At the end of the conversation, we hugged. I was wearing a tie-dye sweatshirt that read, “Be Kind.” He asked to take a picture together. I agreed. He is a local police officer who is well educated and, in his mind, had logical reasons for his choice back then. I hope he has reconsidered, with everything else DT has done and threatened to do since that pivotal encounter.

I realize how much space I have allowed DT to take up in my brain since the 2016 election. I want to stay informed but not be engulfed. A difficult line to traverse.

At the gym, I work out in front of a bank of televisions on which newscasts tell the same story with vastly different details and their particular spin. While Fox News harped on, in meticulous detail, about the decline of President Biden and his difficult decision to step aside from the 2024 campaign and pass the torch to the next generation, not once did I see them express alarm at the decline of their candidate who waxed poetic about sharks and electrocution from boat batteries and his buddy Hannibal Lecter. And his most recent alarming statement, “Get out and vote! Just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore! Four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine, you won’t have to vote anymore.”

I am delighted with the response to the torch being passed to Kamala Harris. She has raised more than $300 million since Biden stepped aside last month. Small donors, some who have never donated to a political campaign, added to the count. Zoom calls were populated by enthusiastic supporters, celebrities, and those who value their work.

Now, with the addition to the Democrat ticket Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the campaign has skyrocketed with many thousands attending rallies in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. He is seen as an excellent partner since he has qualities to appeal to Midwestern voters, teachers, military, athletes, gun owners, and the LGBTQ+ community.

My progressive sensibilities have me speaking out and writing about social justice matters. They have me alarmed about the state of the country. In my area are two homes with flags/banners that read, “Trump 2024, Take America Back.” I shook my head the first time I saw them and acknowledged the double entendre. Take it back to what and take it back from whom? Back to an era when women and people of color were deemed lesser. Back to a time when marital rape was not punishable by law. Back to a time when women had no reproductive freedom. Back to a time when women were not able to make choices about their career path. Back to a time when women made 59 cents for every man’s dollar. Currently there is a gender pay gap with women being paid 84 cents for each dollar men bring home. Better, but not equitable. Take it back from anyone who isn’t white, Christian, cis-gender, heterosexual, and male.

Amidst the morass of negativity, I want to put a positive spin on the endeavor to create a more peaceful planet, beginning with my country. The song “Can You Feel It (Come and Heal US) A Song for the Soul of America,” is one step toward unifying the two disparate views. It comes from the heart and mind of Gary and Cathy Scarpello who hail from my area of Pennsylvania. The theme of the song is the soul-searching cry to create a better world away from the fear and troubled nature of our political climate since January 6th. The Spiritual marching beat of the chorus builds as the listener joins the call for a place of harmony.

See, the thing is, we don’t have the luxury of regressing. It’s not too late to progress. Forward!

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