The left-wing press and blogosphere have found a very convenient target for attack – moderate conservatism, which is perhaps the only one that continues to defend true democracy and human rights and freedoms that are not oppressed by the minority.
Even domestic left-wing and left-oriented publications do not shy away from tagging conservatism with the words “Chauvinism, Conservatism, Discrimination” in an attempt to defame an ideology that calls for common sense and legality. Conservatism is easy to target because it is too polite, rational, and tolerant to engage in a discussion on the level of the true far right. However, this does not prevent leftist forces from labeling conservatives as “far right” for their patriotism, national identity, or even for such “radical” ideas as calls for an increase in the birth rate, because some believe that this would “discriminate against women’s rights to career success.” Of course, women themselves are not asked, and if the majority of women are not satisfied with the answer, they will be called “not progressive enough.”
Conservatives do not shout at the mouth, call people bad names, or throw paint cans at their opponents, as many “progressives” do when they damage artworks in museums. Moderate conservatives generally try not to accuse anyone, not to make real diagnoses, and not to engage in heated discussions.
We have witnessed an interesting paradox: left-wing liberals and “progressives” who were apologists for tolerance a few decades ago are now criticizing and stigmatizing their opponents without any regard for logic, let alone respect for a different point of view, which, by the way, was guaranteed by the founding fathers of liberalism. The phrase attributed to Voltaire, “I do not agree with a single word you say, but I am ready to die for your right to say it,” which has long been popular among liberals, looks like an irony today.
Today’s “progressives” are fighting for bans, restrictions on freedom of speech, and more bans on social media for what they call “hate speech” with ever-increasing variability, which changes its scope every year. The only ones who continue to respect and follow this liberal slogan attributed to Voltaire are conservatives.” – An adult opinion of adults, educated and balanced people with education and life experience.
De facto, today’s conservatives are the last true liberals who stand for freedom of speech, assembly, conscience, and respect the opinion of the majority. And paradoxically, they call other points of view “populist,” “right-wing radical,” or “intolerant” and do not impose their “only right, diverse” opinion on anyone without any diversity.