Radicals Don’t Die: They Just Get Old
It is so strange to see the Democratic Party field two old former radicals as candidates for the presidency. Who would have thought such choices possible even a couple of decades ago?
When Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton were young, they were among the “Don’t trust anyone over thirty” crowd. They were the anti-establishment activists; the fiery movers and shakers determined to overturn governments and tear down traditional institutions.
Now, almost two generations later, they are the establishment. The radical ideas of the 60’s have prevailed, infiltrating government, the bureaucracy and even the churches of America. Even the youth following Sanders are the establishment, not radicals. Educated as they are in politically correct orthodoxy from kindergarten through college, they follow their ideological grandfather without questioning him.
Despite the victory of their worldviews, Hillary and Bernie act as if they have something radically new to say. They don’t. They are the preachers of now ancient leftist orthodoxy. All they do is reiterate old tropes over and over again, be it war on women or war on capitalism or war on racism. Both are living proof that radicals seldom change and reevaluate their positions as they age.
It’s as if nothing has changed since the 60’s.
They both remind one of priests who are still arguing over transubstantiation and consubstantiation and whether or not the Mass should be said in Latin or the vernacular; whether or not Bible should be available for the common man to read in his own language.
Even though the very earth is trembling under their feet, as it was before and after the Reformation, the crises of this age, of the here and now, go completely over their heads. Faux passion resembling the fire of youth and constant reiteration of dessicated themes are all they have left.
Both are absolutely steeped in irrelevancy.
The restless and changing Spirit of the Age has moved elsewhere long ago.