It is wild the lack of self awareness

@awildsheepschase I disagree. The only way I would agree is that in individual situations, people tend to be empathetic towards others, regardless of differences, unless their core values are deeply tainted in hate.

But when it comes to group think, which is far more dangerous and indulgent in ideology and actions, there is definitely a direct side to blame for lack of empathy and violent hate.

I refuse to play this "both sides" game. One side's major stances are transparently fascist and violent. One side is wanting everyone to prosper regardless of who they are.

There are not "good guys on both sides" of the major identities as a group. If they identify as MAGA or voted for trump, they are deeply at blame for the violence and hate we are seeing. Period. Giving the fascists leeway only leads to more fascism.

@FoxyQueen Then I worry you lend yourself to group think. There's no use in judging someone you don't know, the world does that everyday before they even wake up, and how you get to a world this way is by judging those you can never know. It's one thing to attack an idea, but another to attack a group of people. I listen to people from the south of me and I have no wonder the amount of vulgar differences they have.

@FoxyQueen Yes, but with social media and group think, I am suggesting you may be judging those you also don't know. Not sure how that helps any discussion. It's one thing to call out fascist thinking and another to lump history and these people are just doing the bidding of fascist thought - I know I'm walking a delicate balance.

I think I like I don't understand America anymore, us versus them.

@awildsheepschase I literally don't care if I'm judging people i don't know.

Don't want to be lumped in with the fascists?

Don't support their leaders and actions.

It's really that easy.

And trust me, i don't say this lightly. I have at least one friend here who has verbatim told me he is very happy with what is going on in America. And as much as I know him and like him, he is a fascist.

My coworker who I think is a good person, supports trump. He is a fascist.

I can appreciate these two examples as individuals but unless they change, I will never not seem them as fascists and if they were to ask me if I do, I would absolutely tell them i think they are. And that pains me because I know they are good people, but they are supporting completely inhumane actions and allowing the destruction of rights through those actions and have stated they are okay with that.

In my eyes, good people would not be okay with what is happening.

@FoxyQueen All I know it's easier when confronted with what you don't know, it is easier placing labels. That doesn't mean I agree with what is going on in America, it's disgusting but the reference in comparison is not the Holocaust or Hitler. Obama actually deported more in his first 7 months, the difference was in language, and Trumps language is disgusting and a stain upon humanity. But it's actually the same history repeating itself for centuries and that is what is sad

@awildsheepschase I just refuse to not call people for what they are.

That doesn't mean I don't think they can change. They absolutely can, and really really should. People have a great propensity to be better than they are should they be willing accept and be accountable for who they currently are.

I think you conflate my judgement of an entire group with me writing them off completely and that isn't the case. I was an amazingly staunch republican until my late 30's when I started seeing all the horrible things theu represented and how unequitable, oppressive and hateful they have been towards anyone not white or male. Once I learned how shitty their positions really are, I changed, but that took me the desire to really learn about my political following and learn the worst about it and realize that following that ideology made me a horrible, racist and bigoted person.

So I know it's possible to change, but I also know it means confronting some really ugly things about yourself and being willing to do so and learn better ways.

I hope all his supporters realize they are happily walking is modern day nazis and make the choice to be better, but that requires a lot of self work they haven't been willing to do as of yet.

@FoxyQueen I don't think I conflate, I just once was more political, see politics always now as an error of ways in trying to make any kind of community. I let those political have their fig leafs, antagonisms, and one day maybe the world will understand how wrong it was instead of saying 'hi' to your neighbour (simplisitic I know)

@awildsheepschase I would love people to be more involved with their communities. I want people to be more engaged in their communities. It is literally the only way to stop what is happening. When we expose ourselves to other people's lives and their lived experiences and we come to understand their hardships and joys, it breaks major barriers as opposed to keeping everyone at an arm's length, paranoid about them because they aren't who you are used to.

But I don't have the luxury of not being political. That is a luxury of the white man. Women are considered either minorities or property and therefore, my existence is political. Even being a part of the LGBTQA+ group as a greysexual makes my life political.

Therefore, i must pick a side. I can't sit on a fence and pretend to be above politics for a more humanitarian point of view. Until we acknowledge every life deserves to be treated in humanitarian ways, there is no humanitarian movement that will be effective. I'm not willing to put my head in the sand and make such assumptions.

@FoxyQueen I don't ask you or want you to be, there is many things wrong in this world that are pathetic. You'd even think maybe 8 years were no longer, but here they are again rearing themselves like the KKK has taken centre stage (I'm being only slightly facetious), I just don't think antogonism or hurting inside yourself will ever change the world, and we are from a world that understands we are a community of hearts.

@awildsheepschase I also don't see the value in not calling a spade a spade.

But I do agree. As a global people, we have far more in common with each other than uncommon and none of it is worth hating, committing violence or genocide over. We all actually want the same things. Some people just don't think others should have them.

@FoxyQueen Or they haven't seen when those are taken from them, so when they fail in empathy they fail to see what someone is going through that could be them, if they were only born somewhere else.