This will upset some, but it needs to be said.

People keep asking when the right will wake up and denounce their worst reactionaries.

It’s not same scale, but progressives have a similar challenge. When will we stop letting our most reactive, anonymous people define us?

I’m a progressive. So much so, I ran for congress on universal health care, working class economics, addressing structural racism, and legalized marijuana and sex work.

The difference isn’t in our ideals, it’s in our behavior

2/ I do not know a single person doing actual work on the left that it's at their wits end about the crazies.

I do not know a single person doing actual work on the left that doesn't have some degree of trauma from abuse by our own side.

Here’s the truth. Your behavior has destroyed the mainstream perception of progressives. We’re not seen as champions of the working class.

We’re seen as a bunch of self-righteous assholes. You are in the business of dividing us over the most petty nonsense

3/ Every single person on the left I know with actual power I know is tired of your bullshit. I’m inviting you to grow up.

There is not going to be a moment where you scream and people on the right and center have an epiphany and realize you are right and they are wrong.

If you are serious about change, you have to work for it. The same way every other successful progressive movement in history has worked for it.

4/ You say you want a glorious revolution, but it's the normie Democrats showing up to canvas and phonebank. It's why they win.

Another thing. We need to learn to let things go. Every difference in perspective is not a crisis. We amplify every minor disagreement like it’s a moral failing.

Politics is about addition, not subtraction. We have to work with people who see the world differently.

5/ My hands are not clean on this. I've certainly done my share of reactionary, non-constructive bullshit on Twitter.

But, I also think that gives me credibility to publicly say, "This is not working. We have to do something different."

And here’s why I’m speaking up now.

I think you are vulnerable.

@briannawu Thank you. Some pragmatism is, unfortunately, required.

I think we agree that the world is not as it should be, and that our societies have a long way to go. I don't pretend to have many solutions, but I do see some of the problems in out path.

We cannot accomplish change when divided and pushed to the fringes. Change will likely be incremental, and will require a critical mass of mainstream support. We cannot afford to alienate potential allies.