this post was submitted on 03 Jun 2025
72 points (89.1% liked)

Political Discussion and Commentary

846 readers
1 users here now

A place to discuss politics and offer political commentary. Self posts are preferred, but links to current events and news are allowed. Opinion pieces are welcome on a case by case basis, and discussion of and disagreement about issues is encouraged!

The intent is for this community to be an area for open & respectful discussion on current political issues, news & events, and that means we all have a responsibility to be open, honest, and sincere. We place as much emphasis on good content as good behavior, but the latter is more important if we want to ensure this community remains healthy and vibrant.

Content Rules:

  1. Self posts preferred.
  2. Opinion pieces and editorials are allowed on a case by case basis.
  3. No spam or self promotion.
  4. Do not post grievances about other communities or their moderators.

Commentary Rules

  1. Don’t be a jerk or do anything to prevent honest discussion.
  2. Stay on topic.
  3. Don’t criticize the person, criticize the argument.
  4. Provide credible sources whenever possible.
  5. Report bad behavior, please don’t retaliate. Reciprocal bad behavior will reflect poorly on both parties.
  6. Seek rule enforcement clarification via private message, not in comment threads.
  7. Abide by Lemmy's terms of service (attacks on other users, privacy, discrimination, etc).

Please try to up/downvote based on contribution to discussion, not on whether you agree or disagree with the commenter.

Partnered Communities:

Politics

Science

founded 10 months ago
MODERATORS
 
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Zeppo@sh.itjust.works 31 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Voter apathy and vote suppression. Republicans are enhancing that lately, too.

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Gerrymandering too. I’d consider that separate from other forms of vote suppression.

[–] Know_not_Scotty_does@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Ah yes, packing and cracking the obviously unethical way of manipulating votes so they don't count as much. A southern tradition.

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Southern?! It’s an ALL AMERICAN tradition!

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Hellahunter@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

I’m guessing OP hasn’t paid attention to the tons of weird, arbitrary rules Republicans in the South added to make it as difficult as possible to vote in blue districts in the South. Hell, a quick Google search answers the question immediately without having to scroll past a few links.

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 28 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Hello there. Nice to meet you. My name is Jerry...Jerry Mander.

[–] Disaster@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's Gerald Manderley the 3rd, ESQ to you, sport!

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Unfortunately, that's only 14.4% of the US population. Quite a few people think it's far higher than that. It's not.

https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/fact-sheet/facts-about-the-us-black-population/

[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

What ? Watching US movies, shows etc... I thought it'd be at least 30%

[–] match@pawb.social 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yes, but generally concentrated in the southern states

[–] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

One might even say, the states where they were exploited as slave labor for hundreds of years, and lacked any generational wealth to move to better lands...

Edit: Lol, which confederate soldier's great grandson downvoted this?

[–] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 20 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Voter suppression, and part of that voter suppression strategy is apathy. If Black people understood they were such a powerhouse, they could change America, and then the world. But old rich white bigots have convinced many of them that their vote doesn't matter, nothing will change, etc.

[–] Notyou@sopuli.xyz 6 points 1 month ago

I was talking to one of my black co-workers before last election and his POV was that his vote didn't matter. I told him if his vote didn't matter then why are groups spending so much money to get you to NOT vote. Either by suppression tactics or tricks about where to vote, and also promoting voter apathy.

He just responded something like 'both sides' neither would work for me...I'm pretty sure he didn't vote.

[–] Phegan@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago

Voter suppression.

[–] Lemminary@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This is why Black republicans scare me. Like, dude, do you not see with your eyes what is happening??

[–] BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They think they have made it into the in-group and will be spared. As history has proven time and time again, they will not.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] selkiesidhe@lemm.ee 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Imo because of repression and not having access to quick and easy voting.

The GOP fuckers gerrymander the shit out of any place they can get their sweaty hands on. So that doesn't help. Makes the people feel like no matter what, they won't be heard, won't make a difference. Then the Cons limit the ballot boxes, limit the hours for voting, limit mail in voting.... Anything they can do to keep people from voting. They know they win as long as no one shows up.

It's disgusting and very undemocratic. Everyone needs access to voting--- easy and convenient voting. I also think voting should be compulsory (by mail).

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Part of it is institutional hurdles to voting.

The other part of it is the Democratic Party making big promises and then doing jack shit to fulfill them once they're elected.

[–] teslasaur@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Im sure you have numbers to prove that there are fewer blacks voting than whites.

In the local elections, there is gerrymandering to make sure minorities doesn't actually get a voice in the decisions of the state.

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

In the local elections, there is gerrymandering to make sure minorities doesn’t actually get a voice in the decisions of the state.

I know. That's what I meant by 'institutional hurdles'. (Among other things.)

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 1 month ago

Because the south is also full of dumbass white rednecks. Duh...

[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 month ago

Because they’re still majority white and white people in those states overwhelmingly voted for Trump.

[–] plyth@feddit.org 3 points 1 month ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_African-American_population

Alabama has the highest support but only 1/4 identify as black. Republicans need 68% of the remaining votes.

Overall, 12.4% identify as black. That's not much.

[–] monkeyslikebananas2@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Because a huge chunk of the population doesn’t vote.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] FreakinSteve@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (5 children)

White people absolutely despise blacks in the South.

[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Imma let you in on a little secret. If your sentence starts with “all [category of people]” it is an incorrect and stupid sentence.

I think that ignoring statistical majorities because there are a handful of exceptions is pretty stupid unto itself.

You realize this sentiment makes it really hard to talk about demographics, right? It's a very anti-systemic view of the world.

[–] FreakinSteve@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Do you also say "not all MAGAts!" ?

[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago (5 children)

That’s not a category of person, it’s a political party.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] Makhno@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's such a racist liberal northerner thing to say lmao

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] billwashere@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I’m white and from the south and this is definitely not true for me. Now there are some people down here that definitely fall into that category but it is far from universally true. I’d even go so far as to say they are a small, but yes very vocal, minority.

[–] FreakinSteve@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Be real careful because even the ones you think arent racist and are super polite and nice will let it slip eventually.

Glad to be out of there

[–] SPRUNT@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

A "small but vocal minority" doesn't keep institutional racist policies if "we the people" aren't also voting for them.

You are doing yourself a disservice by assuming the ones being vocal about their beliefs are the only ones holding those beliefs.

[–] Zatore@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You say that, but it sounds like you have never actually been to the southern US. I lived in Arkansas for 9 years and this kind of broad statement does more harm than good.

[–] FreakinSteve@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Parents from Arkansas. Born in Alabama. Raised in NC. Spent most of my life throughout the Southern US. I have a pretty real good idea. They'll talk real nice and polite but invariably it will show at some point...every single time.

Also, if you've lived in Arkansas you are surrounded by people whose religion claims that black people are the Mark of Cain and are controlled by Satan. Dont let their outward demeanor fool you.

[–] SPRUNT@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

As a white person in the north, I absolutely despise whites in the south.

load more comments (1 replies)

There are way more rascist crackers in Texas than you can possibly imagine. Makes sense when your state was founded by assholes and slave traffickers helping the US states acquire more slaves after direct import was banned. Remember, the Alamo was full of colonist insurgents taking land to continue slavery.

[–] MyNamesTotallyRobert@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Well YEAH but at least we (not me I voted for Harris) did the noble thing and forfeited our future and living standards in order to save the poor people in Gaza. Other people in the world have it bad therefore I deserve to have an even shittier life. Real nice. Fucking dipshits.

load more comments
view more: next ›