5mo ago

It sure does

ID: 3 panel comic:

A surprised looking person pops in to existence on a floating rock surrounded by fire, next to the devil.
The person asks "wait a second-- why'd I end up in hell??"
The devil, now taking up the entire frame, replies: "because centrism enables fascism"

Political Memes @lemmy.world

FenrirIII @lemmy.world

5mo ago

It sure does

11 comments

First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.
Martin Luther King Jr, Letter from the Birmingham Jail
- Context for readers: The direct action MLK Jr spoke of was political action and progressive legislative reform. The reason I bring this up is sometimes Tankies and Anarchists use his words to incite violence, which MLK Jr would strictly oppose.
  
  Non-violent protest is an opening offer, not the endgame. It's a promise not to be violent so long as there's an honest dialoge.
  Without the threat of eventual violence, they have no reason to listen at all.
I have to say, growing up very left wing, I find myself taking a left leaning but centrist attitude to a fair few topics as I age.
Honestly, a big part of it is the lack of planning and delusional thought tank of the left. The right is far worse and I certainly don't agree with them, but I disagree with the OP and a lot of the general sentiment in the comments.
The world isn't black and white, you cannot be sensibly left or right for every political topic. You need to assess what's best for everyone. Politics has become like UK football hooliganism, you're either with or against and anyone on the other side apparently needs their heads kicked in.
- Accepting that getting more conservative as you age is normal is just an admission that you're fine with being the next generation's "boomer" equivalent.
  Life isn't black and white, but some things in life can be. E.g. when someone gets on TV to talk about the risks of climate change and the station puts them next to another talking head who shares their own alternative facts disputing it, there's no "middle ground" that is somehow more correct. There's a factually correct take and there's politicized bullshit.
  
  Disagree with your first sentence entirely.
  I didn't admit it's normal, I said it has happened to me. You're proving my point entirely with these generalised sweeping statements, telling me who I am and what I'm fine with.
  I agree somewhat with your second paragraph but I don't really know what the point is. I'm not talking about bullshit on TV, I'm talking about real issues affecting populations, are not black and white.
  Fuck off somewhere and reassess yourself.
- You're talking to a bunch of Americans. Their democrats are centre-right and their republicans are further right, so a centrist over there is just right-wing.
  I also consider myself mostly left leaning, but I'm a bit centrist on a few issues.
  Eg; I 100% support gay marriage and voted yes in my country's referendum, but I don't think all religious people should be forced to do gay weddings.
  I recognise that's a slippery slope which could lead to exclusion, but forcing somebody who despises you to do your wedding doesn't seem like a good idea for anyone involved.
  
  You sound more right wing than American Democrats hun.

11 comments