Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Swartz
That isn't as bad as oppression. It is the first step towards it, and pretty much everyone on this board at least has consistently expressed beliefs founded in the basic equality and dignity of all people. If what some of them believe is a 'real' cause, and what others believe isn't, well ... I'm just saying if we believe that, and I do, we need to really believe it. Or if we don't, be straightforward about just redefining what the Other means instead.
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I agree with this. I'll use some of the more controversial leftist things that I've said here as examples. I've said that I have ejected many a trump supporter from my life over the last few years, including some family members. I've said that I make strong judgements on what it means to cast a vote for Trump, that to do so is to support racism and many other horrid things, either actively or in a "well it's not a barrier to my support" way, and that I literally want nothing to do with anyone who votes for Trump, there's no forgiveness for that in 2020.
But, I don't wish ill on any of them. I wish for them to see some science and have a shift in values. I don't want any of them to die. I don't think they are my enemy.
I think I've talked a little about my horribly racist neighbor here in Fort Wayne. She's one of the most vile people I've ever interacted with. If she died, I wouldn't be happy about it. I would feel some sympathy, 100%.
I certainly don't live up to my own standards here, and I'm not sure they're 100% set in stone. I absolutely felt joy when Jesse Helms died. But I felt conflicted in that joy. I would feel sympathy for George W Bush's death, I'm not sure what I would feel for Dick Cheney. I feel like Donald Trump has inflicted actual trauma on our nation and sympathy for him will be VERY hard to find. But I think it's very important for myself to at least acknowledge these feelings when I find myself having them and put myself in check... for the original reason Brian stated regarding the path to oppression beginning with removing the humanity of people who are different.