From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:
ac·tiv·ism
Function: noun
: a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue
When did the word "activism" become such a dirty word? From the above definition, it sounds like activists come from both sides of the coin, regardless of the issue. So, when did the idea of activist judges become something bad? Aren't judges supposed to take action on controversial issues? That's why the issues are in court in the first place: a decision couldn't be made between two parties, thus the need for a third, non-biased (well, supposed to be non-biased) party to intervene. Apparently, when the decision is against what President Bush thinks, that makes the activism bad. I'm sure that when Roe v. Wade is overturned (thanks, South Dakota), the Supreme Court Justices who voted to overturn it will be considered "sensible" as opposed to activists.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was considered a civil rights activist. I pride myself in the fact that I can be considered an activist. Let it be the dirty word of our generation, just as "feminst" has been for the past 20+ years. Let's just hope that someday these "activist judges" will be looked on with the same amount of respect given to those in our past who have fought for equal rights of all human beings.
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2 comments:
very well said. I'm glad that someone shows ernestness towards this. YOu never hear anyone talk about the real issues which is scary considering we are being asked to vote on them.
A hefty amount of mud has been slung at the terms activism and liberalism, as if they connote some evil force that will "corrupt" our "fine WASP nation" and pretty red states. I respect a few tenets of conservatism, but I respect fewer and fewer conservatives these days because of their demonizing of the opposition. There was a really good talk on C-Span the other day between Andrew Sullivan and David Brooks about conservatism. Here's a link:
http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=3036
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