• db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 days ago

    Oh, okay, so letā€™s just let that last step happen. Itā€™s effectively nothing, right?

    You just voting is not preventing the last step happen is my point.

    You do realize that ā€˜anything else insteadā€™ will be harder under a fascist regime, right?

    If people put all the effort you put into thinking and talking about voting to doing direct action, it will probably be better. But most voters will go ā€œoh well, we triedā€ and let fascists do fascist things which is the exact things that has been happening for the past 50 years, which is why youā€™re at the point of voting for a fascist & genocide or just voting for genocide.

    Even if you think this is nothing but buying time, buy it. Hastening the arrival of fascism isnā€™t exactly good praxis.

    Just Buying time is only effective is you actually do something with the time you buy. Do I need to mention youā€™ve been ā€œbuying timeā€ since Reagan and yet youā€™re still at fascism and genocide? Iā€™m not saying to hasten fascism. I said put all the effort you put into voting into doing direct action, which is the only thing actually stopping fascism. The figurehead above doesnā€™t matter.

    • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      You just voting is not preventing the last step happen is my point.

      It quite literally is, unless you think thereā€™s no difference between who wins in this election, in which case I would prefer you say it and save us all the time.

      Preventing something from happening in an immediate sense is still preventing it from happening, even if it doesnā€™t solve the long-term problems leading to it. Patching up a hole in oneā€™s gut may not solve the autoimmune disorder thatā€™s killing you, but itā€™ll prevent you from dying in a more immediate sense.

      If people put all the effort you put into thinking and talking about voting to doing direct action, it will probably be better.

      ā€¦ all the effort we put into thinking and talking about voting?

      Most people in this country donā€™t even bother to vote regularly. Those that do often put no more effort into their vote than a day at the polling station based on a few caught glimpses of the political realities of this country.

      What level of effort is that going to translate into direct action? Youā€™re looking at people entered into a 100-meter sprint, nearly half of whom decided to drop out before even beginning, with many of those whoā€™ve finished are bitching about how long it was, and saying ā€œIf they put that effort into an ultramarathon, THEN we would really be getting somewhere!ā€

      But most voters will go ā€œoh well, we triedā€ and let fascists do fascist things which is the exact things that has been happening for the past 50 years, which is why youā€™re at the point of voting for a fascist & genocide or just voting for genocide.

      Is it your opinion that we are more fascist now than we were 50 years ago, then? Or 100 years ago?

      Just Buying time is only effective is you actually do something with the time you buy.

      Buying time give the potential to do something with the time bought. Not buying time doesnā€™t magic into existence extra options; not buying time only reduces your options.

      Iā€™m not saying to hasten fascism.

      Really? Because I would think that a literal fascist and his cronies being put into executive power might hasten fascism a tiny bit.

      I said put all the effort you put into voting into doing direct action, which is the only thing actually stopping fascism. The figurehead above doesnā€™t matter.

      So you do think that thereā€™s no difference in who wins the election, and this whole conversation is pointless?

      • rockSlayer@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Genuinely curious, because I see you using this narrative a lot. What are you planning to do after the election to end the genocide? You seem to balk at direct action and talk a lot about voting which is fine, but voting takes 5 minutes and we watched Kamala backtrack on all of her progressive policies and muzzled Walzā€™ progressive nature. What are you going to do after the election?

        • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          As mentioned, Iā€™m not even whole enough to walk more than a few blocks, and I live self-employed and under the poverty line. All I can do is donate when I can and speak to those close to me. I write my reps, but thatā€™s pretty in-line with representative democracy, and I get the feeling that youā€™re looking for non-voting action outside of the norm. Iā€™ve notably reddened my social circle, but thatā€™s all I can claim.

          I miss being able to march. But I have neither the physical nor emotional fortitude for that anymore.

          You seem to balk at direct action

          I donā€™t balk at direct action. I decry the idea that itā€™s a replacement for voting. Direct action is important. Voting in certain elections is, likewise, important. Dedication to direct action does not and should not preclude taking one day out of the year, or less if you live in a state with good mail-in voting laws, for harm reduction, especially when that harm is at an exceptionally bad precipice point. Nor does voting preclude direct action.

          • rockSlayer@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Weā€™ve gone back and forth with each other in the past about voting, but I understand why itā€™s so prominent for you now. Iā€™m of the belief that itā€™s the easiest and least effective method of change, so itā€™s been frustrating to seemingly see no real plan to put on the pressure folks are telling us to wait for.

            • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              It is the easiest and least effective, on its own. But its the least effective in large part because it is an action taken only one or two days out of the year. Each of those days are a significant junction from which massive changes are possibly. Often bad ones, which is why itā€™s all the more important to use those one or two days.

              Direct action is food and water, but voting is medicine. Medicine wonā€™t save you without direct action, but refusing medicine when ill will ensure that direct action does that much less in keeping you alive. Or ensure that the problem kills you outright before you can get your body the necessary nutrition to sustain itself.

        • takeda@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          Are US troops involved there? Because one candidate clearly says that Biden is not doing enough to help Israel.

          Israel currently is led by a similar fascist with criminal record to trump, that once he loses his power he will go to jail. He is using attack on October 7 as an excuse to get rid of Palestine.

          And we have seen that no one can really stop Israel. Do you think Biden wouldnā€™t prefer that the conflict would be over (and Israel wouldnā€™t be stirring new shit) and not distract from the war in Ukraine?

          Itā€™s clear that Netanyahu wonā€™t stop what he is doing no matter what and actually wants trump to win as trump promises to help.

          • rockSlayer@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Are US troops involved there?

            Yes. Biden officially sent 100 troops to Israel a few weeks ago.

            Iā€™m looking ahead, beyond the election. Donā€™t start lecturing me about this shit, because Iā€™ve heard it a million times. Biden is doing less than Reagan did towards Israel.

            • takeda@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              100 troops? That many? Why didnā€™t the whole Middle East surrendered already?

              But seriously, this was response to Iranā€™s attack and the soldiers are there to operate THAAD batteries to stop Iranian rockets (you know, to discourage Iran from firing at them in the first place to reduce chance of escalation).

              I was asking how many US soldiers are actually taking part in the offensive in Gaza.

      • db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        3 days ago

        It quite literally is, unless you think thereā€™s no difference between who wins in this election, in which case I would prefer you say it and save us all the time.

        Ultimately, thereā€™s no difference who wins this election. You are still going inexorably to move towards fascism and genocide, as weā€™ve seen in all the past elections.

        Preventing something from happening in an immediate sense is still preventing it from happening,

        Youā€™re not. Youā€™re just adding stab wounds instead of bullet wounds and say ā€œwell, better than bullets at least.ā€

        ā€¦ all the effort we put into thinking and talking about voting?

        If all the dedicated people doing all the voting prep work did the direct action work, it would have improved peopleā€™s lives and you would have converted them to direct action as well. but since voting doesnā€™t do shit, nobody gives a shit.

        Is it your opinion that we are more fascist now than we were 50 years ago, then? Or 100 years ago?

        More. In fact, I think youā€™re one step before civil war and I doubt you will avoid it through any amount of voting.

        Buying time give the potential to do something with the time bought. Not buying time doesnā€™t magic into existence extra options; not buying time only reduces your options.

        You wonā€™t though, because your praxis is conditioning people to think voting is the only thing that matters, since everyone is putting so much effort all the time convincing people how important it is to vote for the next thing thatā€™s just around the corner. You donā€™t buy time. You just hasten fascism by not doing direct action and by putting all your energy into talking about how important voting is and begging politicians with letters.

        So you do think that thereā€™s no difference in who wins the election, and this whole conversation is pointless?

        Ultimately thereā€™s no difference for your society no. Youā€™ll still move towards fascism and continue the genocide.

        • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          Ultimately, thereā€™s no difference who wins this election.

          Oh, cool, Iā€™ll remember this if Trump wins and weā€™re in line for the camps together. ā€œHa ha, this is just like it was in the good old days, under those damn Democrats, right?ā€

          Youā€™re not. Youā€™re just adding stab wounds instead of bullet wounds and say ā€œwell, better than bullets at least.ā€

          Okay. Letā€™s go with that analogy. With the choice of a stab wound or a .50 cal through the chest, which is preferable? Which will give you more time to deal with the problem?

          More. In fact, I think youā€™re one step before civil war and I doubt you will avoid it through any amount of voting.

          You thinkā€¦ the USā€¦ is more fascist now than it was in the 70s. Or the 50s. Or the 30s. Or the 10s.

          Check, please!

          • db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            3 days ago

            Oh, cool, Iā€™ll remember this if Trump wins and weā€™re in line for the camps together.

            You should probably resist that with something direct. Maybe some action.

            Okay. Letā€™s go with that analogy. With the choice of a stab wound or a .50 cal through the chest, which is preferable? Which will give you more time to deal with the problem?

            None so long as you keep giving thumbs up for the guy stabbing you because theyā€™re not using a .50 cal.

            You thinkā€¦ the USā€¦ is more fascist now than it was in the 70s. Or the 50s. Or the 30s. Or the 10s.

            Ye. They were bigoted as fuck, sure. But they were not actively, blatantly as fascist as they are now.

            • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              You should probably resist thatā€¦

              My guy, Iā€™m a fucking near-sighted cripple with a history of depression and suicide attempts. Iā€™m not going to overwhelm any government goons with my elite hand-to-hand skills, trusting me with a gun in the long term will likely end up with my own brains splattered on the walls, and Iā€™m not going to outshoot anyone when Iā€™m recruited for the anarchist militia.

              Have you considered maybe that NOT letting the state fall to the point where itā€™s erecting death camps might be a good idea?

              None so long as you keep giving thumbs up for the guy stabbing you because theyā€™re not using a .50 cal.

              So which kills you faster? Being stabbed repeatedly, or being shot with a .50 cal repeatedly?

              Youā€™re continuously avoiding this because you know damn well that ā€œKilling yourself fasterā€ IS less desirable than ā€œKilling yourself slowerā€, even using the assumptions in your own argument.

              Ye. They were bigoted as fuck, sure. But they were not actively, blatantly as fascist as they are now.

              Holy fuck. Jesus H. Christ. Do you have any idea just how much more authoritarian the US was in years past!?

              • db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                3 days ago

                My guy, Iā€™m a fucking near-sighted cripple with a history of depression and suicide attempts. Iā€™m not going to overwhelm any government goons with my elite hand-to-hand skills, trusting me with a gun in the long term will likely end up with my own brains splattered on the walls, and Iā€™m not going to outshoot anyone when Iā€™m recruited for the anarchist militia.

                Thereā€™s plenty of things to do that is not about fighting government goons. Direct action doesnā€™t mean ā€œtake a rifle and fightā€. It means supporting your fellow humans directly, instead of sending politicians letters and hoping they will actually listen to you.

                If you wait until youā€™re led to the camps to start thinking about doing anything other than voting, then itā€™s (probably) too late.

                Have you considered maybe that NOT letting the state fall to the point where itā€™s erecting death camps might be a good idea?

                The only thing that will prevent that is knowing people will actively resist that.

                4 years ago you might have argued with me instead: ā€œHave you considered maybe that NOT letting the state fall to the point where itā€™s conducting genocide might be a good idea?ā€

                And it would have sounded just as convincing. You can always think of the next worst thing though once fascism is there. Maybe in 4 years youā€™ll be telling me that I should vote for trans-genocide so that LGB can at least survive. Who knowsā€¦

                Youā€™re continuously avoiding this because you know damn well that ā€œKilling yourself fasterā€ IS less desirable than ā€œKilling yourself slowerā€, even using the assumptions in your own argument.

                Not at all. I keep telling you that you need to fight to not get stabbed or shot and you keep going ā€œBut if I donā€™t choose the knife, they might pull out a gun.ā€ Instead of asking yourself ā€œwhy the fuck am I ever bothering to consider whether a knife or gun is faster at killing me instead of trying to stop the killerā€. Voting for the tools of your destruction is you accepting that your killer has your support to keep killing you.

                Holy fuck. Jesus H. Christ. Do you have any idea just how much more authoritarian the US was in years past!?

                Authoritarian? sure. Bigoted? Certainly. But it wasnā€™t actively fascist.

                Let me ask you a different question. When is it enough? Is there any point, any government action which will convince you that you need to put your efforts into doing something other than voting? Is that point only when youā€™re personally being led to the pit?

                • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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                  3 days ago

                  Thereā€™s plenty of things to do that is not about fighting government goons. Direct action doesnā€™t mean ā€œtake a rifle and fightā€. It means supporting your fellow humans directly, instead of sending politicians letters and hoping they will actually listen to you.

                  When weā€™re at the point where people are being rounded up for death camps, Iā€™m pretty sure that ā€˜supporting my fellow humansā€™ isnā€™t whatā€™s going to keep me out of the camps.

                  If you wait until youā€™re led to the camps to start thinking about doing anything other than voting, then itā€™s (probably) too late.

                  If you insist on ceding all levers of power to fascists except those which are sufficiently ā€˜pureā€™ in your eyes, your society will be led to the camps much faster.

                  4 years ago you might have argued with me instead: ā€œHave you considered maybe that NOT letting the state fall to the point where itā€™s conducting genocide might be a good idea?ā€

                  Four years ago we were supporting Israel, which was conducting genocide then as surely as it is now, and with much broader support for its genocide in the US population. Go back eight years, and itā€™s even worse. 20 years, the numbers are horrific.

                  The state hasnā€™t ā€˜fallenā€™ to this point. That weā€™re even having this discussion on the national stage is a sign of the changing times, sad as that is.

                  And it would have sounded just as convincing. You can always think of the next worst thing though once fascism is there. Maybe in 4 years youā€™ll be telling me that I should vote for trans-genocide so that LGB can at least survive. Who knowsā€¦

                  Oh, like how LGBT rights have been on the decline in the past half-century because of what incredible speed weā€™re descending into fascism from, right?

                  Holy shit, you have to be at least near my age. You canā€™t possibly confuse the state of our youth with conditions now.

                  Not at all. I keep telling you that you need to fight to not get stabbed or shot and you keep going ā€œBut if I donā€™t choose the knife, they might pull out a gun.ā€ Instead of asking yourself ā€œwhy the fuck am I ever bothering to consider whether a knife or gun is faster at killing me instead of trying to stop the killerā€.

                  Because dying slower gives you more time to stop the killer. Dying quicker does nothing.

                  Authoritarian? sure. Bigoted? Certainly. But it wasnā€™t actively fascist.

                  ā€¦

                  Would you like to outline to me the conditions that are fascist now that were not equally or more ā€˜fascistā€™, in your view, back then?

                  Let me ask you a different question. When is it enough? Is there any point, any government action which will convince you that you need to put your efforts into doing something other than voting? Is that point only when youā€™re personally being led to the pit?

                  My guy, Iā€™m entirely in support of people forming orgs for voluntary association and organization outside of state power. But you also have to reckon with the fact that state power is immense currently, that non-state actors are not in a strong position currently, and that state power has the capacity to become much more repressive than it is currently.

                  My message is not ā€œVote, and only vote, or only do government-approved political actionsā€. My message is ā€œFor fuckā€™s sake, AT LEAST vote against fascism, if for no other reason than getting fascism quicker helps NO ONEā€

                  You want to talk long-term plans? Iā€™m game. You want to talk creating counterbalances to state power through trade unions, syndicates, communes, self-defense organizations? Iā€™m game to talk. But none of that contradicts ā€œDo not let those who want the state to become WORSE into powerā€ or ā€œFascism is BAD for organizingā€.

                  • db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                    3 days ago

                    When weā€™re at the point where people are being rounded up for death camps, Iā€™m pretty sure that ā€˜supporting my fellow humansā€™ isnā€™t whatā€™s going to keep me out of the camps.

                    Indeed. Which is why I suggest you start doing it earlier.

                    If you insist on ceding all levers of power to fascists except those which are sufficiently ā€˜pureā€™ in your eyes, your society will be led to the camps much faster.

                    I ainā€™t ceding shit. The only thing fascists and capitalists fear is power from below. It doesnā€™t matter how many ā€œlevels of powerā€ they hold when guillotines are being erected.

                    Four years ago we were supporting Israel, which was conducting genocide then as surely as it is now, and with much broader support for its genocide in the US population. Go back eight years, and itā€™s even worse. 20 years, the numbers are horrific.

                    No, back then there was plenty of plausible paths away from this for those who choose to believe in parliamentarism. We are now in a masks-off territory. US exterminating natives style. And yet parliamentarians still say voting works.

                    Oh, like how LGBT rights have been on the decline in the past half-century because of what incredible speed weā€™re descending into fascism from, right?

                    Funny you should mention this., Do you know that pre-nazi germany had pretty good Trans-rights? Did you know that early revolutionary USSR had great gay rights? Itā€™s funny if you think about how reactionary movements work, huh?

                    Because dying slower gives you more time to stop the killer. Dying quicker does nothing.

                    Youā€™re not stopping the killer though. Youā€™re just voting that they use the knife instead of the gun.

                    Would you like to outline to me the conditions that are fascist now that were not equally or more ā€˜fascistā€™, in your view, back then?

                    My guy, Nixon resigned voluntarily from a scandal. You think this is how fascists act?

                    My message is not ā€œVote, and only vote, or only do government-approved political actionsā€. My message is ā€œFor fuckā€™s sake, AT LEAST vote against fascism, if for no other reason than getting fascism quicker helps NO ONEā€

                    You didnā€™t answer my question. At which point will you admit that voting didnā€™t work? Only just before the firing squad?