I've spent much of the last 20-25 years in & around the American left. And while I've heard some people say some version of what you say here, it's not many of them. Where are you getting this from?
[WS:] For someone who is overly sensitive about this for the reasons I've explained, that is a few voices too many. Besides, defending and rationalizing that behavior - which is in ample supply on the left - can also be easily seen as romanticizing it.
Sometimes I wish I lived in the burbs when I moved to Baltimore. This was quite a culture shock, even though I've traveled around the world.
Wojtek