Thomas Sowell once wrote: “Some things are believed because they are demonstrably true. But many other things are believed simply because they have been asserted repeatedly, and repetition has been accepted as a substitute for evidence.”

That line fits modern punditry almost too well. Today, I’m only speaking about what I refer to as the “regressive left,” an intolerant new form of left politics.

One of the clearest examples is how outlets like The Nation treat Black conservatives versus antizionist Jews. When Black people identify as conservative, the reaction is immediate condescension: they must be manipulated, confused, performing for white approval, or serving as tokens to justify racism. When Jews identify as Zionist, the script hardly changes: they must be tribal, brainwashed, morally compromised. So when a tiny minority of antizionist Jews says what the regressive press wants to hear, that same press suddenly treats them as brave truth-tellers.

The message is not subtle. It is a (often white-) savior message. It says: we know minorities better than they know themselves.

It is a revolt against self-identification. It is the belief that minorities are free to speak for themselves only when they arrive at approved conclusions. If they do not, their beliefs are explained........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)