this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2024
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Well, believe it or not, I do take issue with this liberal pseudo-left everywhere. Big part of the reason I stopped following politics on Lemmy is because it's mostly a uniform blob of liberals that consider themselves "the left", and the actual left "tankies" and dangerous psycho radicals because most of their kin of "left" are American exceptionalists who really believe not being a fascist means you're left now. And that took me a LOT of filter rules, not just unsubbing politics-related communities, to finally silence that shitflow.
We all are victims of the current political situation - some more, some less. Even trans folks, which are probably under the heaviest of fires right now, often prefer NOT to immerse themselves in the political debates and news more than it is required to merely survive - and that's totally understandable, because when politics hits you heavy every day, some people need to take a breather. Don't deny them that.
And me being white male doesn't mean I'm free from any oppression. While you may experience more of it due to additional traits, such as you being black, that's not alpha and omega of it, and the more we split, the less effective we are at uniting where we can and where it is equally if not more important - to fight for the working class. A black billionaire lives an infinitely better life than I do, and he does it by exploiting us all - white, black, male, female, nonbinary, cis and trans. That's not to say racism isn't real or some shit - a white billionaire would do even better - but there are many axis of oppression, and it's not like you're oppressed and I am not. Besides, I'm all for the demolition of racism, and while I could be less vigilant, I'm not much more tolerant to it.
No, I'd rather say you have an extreme case of "race/gender over everything" mentality that permeates so many pretentiously left liberals among others.
I'm not a "settler", I live where I was born, and I never (at least knowingly) discriminated against anyone on the basis of race. You seem to suggest that I owe you something for other people, for the severe oppression of the black people back in the days neither of us was even born, and for the milder (although very real) forms of it permeating today to which I hold no relation. I don't have to reparate you anything, and I refuse to give you some special status you seem to feel entitled to; but if someone actively discriminates black people (or hispanic, or even whites for that matter - that is a thing in certain societies, world doesn't end outside America), I am willing to take the side of the oppressed, and more people could join black liberation movement if you yourself wouldn't piss everyone off.
If you, however, still want to be treated in some special way, I don't need such camaraderie. You are either a comrade, an equal fighting alongside me (and me alongside you), or you're not. And the most I can hope for is your realization that we have issues we both struggle with, and end this splintering of the left that makes us weak and useless, infighting over fighting our common enemy. At least the right are ready to unite, so...here we are. Enjoy the fruits of your personal liberation.
If you suggest we have to somehow "rectify" the mistakes of our ancestors (ours even?) beyond promoting equality of all people, I regret to inform you that "historic justice" is a component of fascist rhetoric.
The only good response to inequality in the past is struggling for equality in the present. Otherwise you promote the same discrimination, just the kind that benefits you, based in part on history you personally never got to experience. And if that's the case, I'm double disgusted.
We should put much more resources to improving conditions in predominantly black neighborhoods - precisely because they are far worse than white ones on average. We should heavily invest in providing decent quality of life in Africa, where most black people live, despite everyone only seemingly caring about blacks in the Western world. We should drop the perception of black people as dangerous gangstas holding pistols in the pockets - all while promoting conditions that would foster better living standards and security. We should ensure everyone is truly equal in the face of law. We should ensure people of any origin have equal access to job opportunities, education, healthcare, proper accommodation. I stand for that. But the moment you suggest we should somehow "rectify" mistakes done by other people in other times, what do you even mean? Should we build a black supremacist world to "compensate" for the injustice of the past? If yes, you're a black supremacist scumbag that is not an iota better than white ones. If no, I welcome you to explain what you mean.
Oh and - in case this will add some context to what I say - I am not American. I live on the land that was originally an empty swamp. Through series of wars, it was occupied by the Vikings, Finns, Swedes, and Russians, with local population counting in, like, hundreds, all white and European, of various ethnicities. So, it was never a colony to begin with, more of a barren cold land with some outcasts that only possessed strategic value due to access to the sea that wasn't completely frozen during the winter. This led to the formation of first Swedish and Russian fortresses that eventually, just 300 or do years ago, have been widely populated and turned into cities.
Damn, you're not just a cracker but a dumbass too
Oh yeah, typical Internet "left". Could you elaborate instead of swearing all over?
eat your hands you worthless fucking asshole
Quite a civil and reasonable response.
Any elaboration on what I got wrong?