this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2024
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Leopards Ate My Face

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Because you now did it to yourself.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (3 children)

I mean it's quite different. Hitler wasn't elected (at least not prior to seizing power and effectively banning all opposition). Instead the Nazis got a plurality of just 33% in the Reichstag election, which led to failure to form a government. Then Hitler somehow convinced the center right President to grant him powers which he promptly started abusing and the rest is history.

In other words, 1930s Germany can kind of defend itself in ways the US can't.

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[–] [email protected] 90 points 1 day ago (11 children)

First they came for the illegal immigrants and I did not speak out because I was a legal citizen.

Then they came for the LGBTQ members and I did not speak out because I am straight.

Then they came for the non-whites and I did not speak out because I am white.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

You should amend this because it's not just "illegal" immigrants they are after. The rhetoric around the Haitians in Ohio is clearly directed at any and all immigrants legal or not.

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[–] [email protected] 139 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (12 children)

Women: he told you he's taking your rights away and is already letting you die in hospital waiting rooms

Tradesman: he told you overtime and unions are gone

Veterans: he told you he hates you, pissed all over the sanctity of Arlington and is gutting the VA

Hispanics: he told you you and yours are getting deported and doesn't care if you're legal or not

Those on social security, Medicare, Medicaid or ACA: he told you he's cutting/gutting these

Anyone with ties to Palestine: he told you he's going to help Israel finish the job

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[–] [email protected] 33 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (15 children)
  1. Get organized. Join a Leftist org, find solidarity with fellow comrades, and protect each other. The Dems will not save you, it is up to the Workers to protect themselves. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and Freedom Road Socialist Organization both organize year round, every year, because the battle for progress is a constant struggle, not a single election. See if there is a chapter near you, or start one! Or, see if there's an org you like more near you and join it, the point is that organizing is the best thing any leftist can do.

  2. Read theory. A good primer is Blackshirts and Reds. It will help contextualize what fascism is, what causes it, and how to stop it. I can offer a good introductory reading list for Marxism if you'd like, but this is a good starting point.

  3. Aggressively combat white supremacy, misogyny, queerphobia, and other attacks on marginalized communities. Cede no ground.

  4. Be more industrious, and self-sufficient. Take up gardening, home repair, tinkering. It is through practice that you elevate your problem-solving capabilities. Not only will you improve your skill at one subject, but your general problem-solving muscles get strengthened as well. Theory guides practice, which sharpens theory to be reapplied to better practice.

  5. Learn self-defense. Get armed, if practical. Be ready to protect yourself and others. The Democrats will not save us, we must save each other.

  6. Be persistent. If you feel like a single water driplet against a mountain, think of the Grand Canyon. Oh, how our efforts pile up! With consistency, every rock, boulder, even mountain, can be drilled through with nothing but steady and persistent water droplets.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

You think we're not just as confused how it happened this time?

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[–] [email protected] 106 points 1 day ago (8 children)

Baffling. We already rejected this guy once when he had less baggage. His first term was objectively terrible.

So, I guess America has kings now, because Trump will never see another day in court for his crimes, and he's not going to prison.

I just don't have the strength anymore. I'm teetering on the brink of agreeing with the accelerationists and just letting it happen. The faster Trump ruins the country, the sooner we can rebuild it while we still have time to enjoy it.

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[–] [email protected] 153 points 1 day ago (11 children)

It doesn't matter.

Europeans know the history of fascism much, much better than Americans do and they're electing right-wing leaders too.

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[–] [email protected] 72 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Don't think it won't happen to you. When the incoming wave of Ukrainian refugees hits Europe, the populists that have already been growing in popularity will make their move. With the U.S. fallen, a lot of money and attention has been freed up to destabilize other countries.

It's happening in Italy. It's happening in the Netherlands. It's happening in France. If you think you are ready for it, remember that we thought the same.

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[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Irrelevant. The people who tried to stop it already know how Hitler came to power, and the ones who should ask how it happened — the ones you should address your post to — either don’t care or actively want another Hitler.

But hey, at least you slammed the people who tried their hardest, rather than actually address conservatives themselves, which would have required you actually confronting them. Glad you feel better, though.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

I really think the Democratic establishment saw it coming and tried to stop it. What I don't think they understand is why they failed. They seem to have a neverending capacity to delude themselves with the idea that they just didn't "centrist" hard enough. It's almost like they're paid to think that.

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (11 children)

We need a solution to this, because honestly the US just lost its democracy.

It's 1933.

Any ideas on ways out of this?

Community for further discussion: [email protected]

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Organize. Use direct action to sabotage the conservative agenda. General strikes. Protests. Spicy protests.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 23 hours ago

The solution is to have ranked voting and/or proportional representation.

Not a 2 party system where neither candidate is the peoples choice.

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[–] [email protected] 65 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (12 children)

My one takeaway from this is that primaries are important. Republicans held a primary, nominated an incomprehensibly stupid candidate, and managed to win. ~~Dems held no primary~~, Biden strong armed his way into the de-facto nomination for a second term, and was replaced by his VP when he imploded on the campaign trail. At no point did Dem voters ever get to have a say in their candidate this year. Not that Kamala or Joe are bad candidates, but clearly, they're lacking something if Trump was able to win again after changing nothing from 2020.

So, the DNC fucked us again and we got Trump a second time in exactly the same way.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 day ago

Dems held no primary,

He should have only served one term like he was considering and let Harris and whoever else have a primary. But just like with RBG, hubris clouded an old fucks mind and screwed the rest of us.

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[–] [email protected] 630 points 1 day ago (40 children)

You dumb, dumb motherfuckers.

Regards, the rest of the world.

[–] [email protected] 185 points 1 day ago (38 children)

They'd be upset if they could read.

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[–] [email protected] 57 points 1 day ago (7 children)

We have always known why Hitler rose to power, and we know why Trump was reelected. When people are economically depressed and a man comes to you and tells you “This isn’t your fault, I will persecute those who are responsible and personally make things better for you.” It’s human nature, out of fear, frustration, or desperation to grasp that hand. We as a people are not ready to trust the guy who says “This is our fault, and it will be hard, but we have to fix this together”. Take everything you know about Hitler and Trump and OUR world out of it, take out your reasoning and tap into your monkey brain for a second and simply ruminate on those two propositions. Which one would you rather be true? You can’t honestly tell me the latter. You may know the latter is true, but it would be so much easier on you if the first was true.

Like it or not, we aren’t as evolved as we like to think, and those of us who consider ourselves enlightened are vulnerable to our lizard brains at one point or another.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 21 hours ago

Its a buffet for the leopards. They'll coast on Biden's policies for a bit, when Trump plans take affect we'll see.

[–] [email protected] 105 points 1 day ago (17 children)

Is it because woman? Like holy shit, Biden was an old fuck and still won last time. Hillary didn't win. Wtf, is it really because woman!?

[–] [email protected] 68 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (6 children)

Partly. The DNC forcing Harris to adopt conservative talking points / abandon the Tim Walz progressive policies was also a massive blow to her base. You can't spend 8 years comparing Republicans to Nazis and then promise to put them on your cabinet and to continue their racist border policy. The DNC forced Harris to listen to donors over voters and this is the end result

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[–] [email protected] 63 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (28 children)

I know they're not done counting everything yet, but as it currently stands..

2020 Biden - 81.3m
2024 Harris - 66.2m

I'm disgusted with our country.

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[–] [email protected] 181 points 1 day ago (53 children)

So, place your bets! What's going to be that one announcement that suddenly makes your neighbours go all quiet?

  • Repeal of the 19th amendment
  • Mandatory military service
  • Military sent to Ukraine
  • Military sent to Gaza
  • Additional protections to police
  • The pardon of all January 6th rioters
  • The relaxation of maximum presidential terms
  • Repeal of Affordable Care Act
  • Repeal of Social Security
  • Increase in taxes of lowest and middle incomes
  • Reduction in the minimum wage
  • Shutdown of major news outlets of "reporting lies"
  • Ban of reporting "bad news"
  • New ability to farmers to hire for no wage
  • New protections to reject hiring/customers/schooling based on colour
  • Collapse of NOAA
  • Atheists targeted as terrorists
  • Democrats imprisoned for Socialist ties
  • Mysterious disappearances of democrats
  • Random deportation of American citizens for being first/second generation
  • Removal of all laws related to carbon output

Yes, some of these are fearmongering but he's made all sorts of promises and debts are due! The sky is the limit!

[–] [email protected] 80 points 1 day ago (3 children)

If you think any or all of these is going to finally get a Trump supporter to lose faith, then you failed to learn the lesson that 2016 should've taught you, and yesterday should've reminded you of - they will never lose faith. He could tell them to literally kill their own kids and they'd just say "Oh, like what God told Abraham! I'll get right on it, my Lord!"

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[–] [email protected] 144 points 1 day ago (8 children)

Jesus Christ, I just realized Jimmy Carted lived to see his country die.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 day ago (7 children)

I would be more concerned if he were less stupid. Going by his last presidency he'll spend half his time golfing and the rest driving through ineffective "red meat" policies to get attention from his base. Ultimately he's just a pathetic man who craves attention.

What concerns me more is that his destruction of political norms means that someone who is similarly evil - but actually capable - might be able to use him as a template to take power in the future and make America into a dictatorship. Someone like Xi Jinping as opposed to an aging B-list celebrity.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 day ago

You should be concerned regardless. He is backed by considerably smarter people whose agenda is way worse than last time. Regardless if Trump pays attention or not the worst people will be unhindered. He isn't even a blocking element to those people taking power because Trump is at worst a rubber stamp and more likely a corpse given his age and lifestyle.

Short version, there isn't even a remote, barely visible silver lining.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 day ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 173 points 1 day ago (25 children)

Pour one out for America and Ukraine, and the Middle East in general. And Taiwan.

Europe and Asia, you guys better get your shit together, we might be out of this one permanently. Or we might have a very long recovery time spanning decades. Such fucking bullshit.

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[–] [email protected] 220 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (207 children)

Well the entire multiplatform astroturfing campaign from people who call themselves leftists worked! Democrats stayed home instead of voting.

Now Palestine will be completely flattened with 0 resistance at all, and redoubled support and bombs for Israel! Way to go! You really showed your support for Palestine by helping this happen!

They will probably come back saying "it wasn't our fault, we just pointed out the truth" while they shouted that a vote for Harris was a vote for genocide [so don't vote for harris] from every platform that they used.

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[–] [email protected] 280 points 1 day ago (2 children)

“Historians have a word for Germans who joined the Nazi party, not because they hated Jews, but out of a hope for restored patriotism, or a sense of economic anxiety, or a hope to preserve their religious values, or dislike of their opponents, or raw political opportunism, or convenience, or ignorance, or greed.

That word is “Nazi.” Nobody cares about their motives any more.

They joined what they joined. They lent their support and their moral approval. And, in so doing, they bound themselves to everything that came after. Who cares any more what particular knot they used in the binding?”

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The ones who voted against him understand well how it happened. The ones who voted for him never questioned how, because it never entered their minds to care.

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[–] [email protected] 81 points 1 day ago (6 children)

I never questioned.

I just hoped.

In vain.

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[–] [email protected] 234 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Are you kidding? Watching it happen in real time, it makes less sense than it ever did.

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[–] [email protected] 203 points 1 day ago (36 children)

Fuck, this his hard. As a father of a gay child, and a trans child, our immediate plans are passports.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Crazy how being the lesser evil doesn't incentivize voters.

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