Alliance for Justice: Vicious attacks must not silence progressive leaders

So Van Jones was pushed to the point of resignation by the right-wing smear machine. Nothing he said was anywhere near as controversial as the stuff Karl Rove used to spew, but Rove lasted for years in the Bush administration, while Jones was squeezed out in a matter of months.

But we should be used to double standards.

Hopefully Jones will now continue his environmental advocacy in some other capacity now that he is no longer under a political microscope. He certainly has the support of a lot of progressive individuals and organizations.

One of those organizations, the Alliance for Justice, had this to say about Jones's resignation:

Van Jones' forced resignation is a hard lesson for our progressive community. We have always known the corrosive effect the organized right wing has on reasonable debate, and their willingness to lie and wage baseless attacks on the character of good and strong leaders.

But instead of each group defending leaders of our own communities, all of us -- environmentalists, civil rights, women's, human rights groups, you name it -- must work together to defend progressive leaders from the kind of vicious attacks that have denied America a creative, innovative public servant like Van Jones, and that threaten to keep Dawn Johnsen, Tom Perez, and others from serving in the Obama administration.

Indeed. But our voices can make a difference only if they are heard and heeded by those in charge. And therein lies the real challenge.

But it's worth fighting for. Now is not the time for complacency.