Yeah, the left is as united as we've been in a very long time after Saturday's terrorist attack. Let's just dismiss this ridiculous attempt to put us at each other's throats, retire the term "alt-left", which is just bullshit anyway. It's an obvious attempt to put antifa and anti-racists on the same playing field as racists and fascists.
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New Republic: Liberals Helped Create Trumps New Bogeyman, the Alt-Left
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Yeah, the left is as united as we've been in a very long time after Saturday's terrorist attack. Let's just dismiss this ridiculous attempt to put us at each other's throats, retire the term "alt-left", which is just bullshit anyway. It's an obvious attempt to put antifa and anti-racists on the same playing field as racists and fascists.
Whatabout whatabout whatabout.
I don't know how leftists bitching a year ago about the way Hillary funded her campaign has quite the impact of liberals today going along with either claiming there's violent, scary, problematic leftist groups out there or blaming their opposition in last year's primary for the existence of Nazis.
I hope we have a chance to just ignore this term but, unfortunately, I'm afraid this "alt-left" is going to get the attention from the federal government that the white supremacists should be getting.
shiftplusone
Member
saw this little exchange on twitter last night
Replying to @austin_walker
The exact same thing that happened with "Fake News" is happening with "Alt-Left" and the short sighted centrists that use it will regret it
In general if Trump can easily rebrand whatever catchphrase you have to stifle dissent, you should probably rethink your tactics.
Chris Person
Replying to @austin_walker
The exact same thing that happened with "Fake News" is happening with "Alt-Left" and the short sighted centrists that use it will regret it
In general if Trump can easily rebrand whatever catchphrase you have to stifle dissent, you should probably rethink your tactics.
To be fair, I don't think this is true, if just because
I don't have a timeline of events, but I've heard it quite a few times before yesterday. It's always been a vague assertion that there's some leftist counterpart of the alt right, because there has to be a balance of good and evil in the left and the right where neither one can be better than the other. Like, I've never heard it referred to with any actual attributes, beliefs, groups, or actions attached to the boogeyman.
It's this thing where people on the right just parrot all the criticisms people on the left have of them, without any understanding of what the criticisms actually mean.
This is where
a) being an American
b) being a minority living in America
c) having friends who are minorities living in America
comes in REALLY happy because if you're not "seeing" it? Then you don't understand what to look for.
You are quite happy to take positions on all sorts of subjects involving US politics, yet you have never voted here, and don't have a lifetime of experience dealing w/ people here to understand them!
Cymbal Head
Banned
Joy Reed has got to have the worst political instincts on Earth.
This x100000000.
I think we can all agree that Neo-Nazi's are bad and have to go though. That should be the policy we unite around right now irregardless of other policy differences that will inevitably come up as we get closer to midterms and primaries. The POTUS just yesterday admitted he's a Nazi-sympathizer. That should be the primary issue at the moment, and thankfully it's an issue that we can all unite around.
Why can't we all unite under this (which we all are), and learn to not coopt right wing language and talking points ("leftists" and "centrists")?
That's all this article is saying
uh i have lots of friends and family who are minorities who live in america. including a lot of muslim relatives who live in Texas and Louisiana and my best friend since childhood who lives in nyc.
anyway idk what your post was about really other than reiterating what i said
Link
The Autumn Wind
Suddenly, his garbage posts make a lot more sense.
Exactly. It's not easy, but we gotta keep in mind that what it's happening right now IS NOT normal. Having a dialogue with a racist or a shithead who likes to get called "white supremacist" is not normal. They're not "alt-right people", they're criminals.
Garbage, but if you read gaf carefully you'll see a few previously barren accounts trying to make that and Centrism boogeymen out of "concern."
Dirtyshubb
Member
I'm not referring to the election, I'm talking about the sudden empowering of the Alt right.
While the right were slowly working hard to rebrand themselves as alt right it was still a smaller thing brewing.
It's when we get to mainstream media and politicians helping to spread the idea of alt left (created by the right) that the real problem arises. By helping to push this narrative it legitimises the alt right as simply the other side of the same coin. This gives the alt right more exposure and grows the idea of the left being just as bad.
That's what the left does best....
Astral Dog
Member
They sound untrustworthy
Bolivar687
Banned
ROFL, I thought this was just Hannity trying to make it a thing, like "fetch"
There are plenty of people on the left who are anti-civil rights. Alt-left is a dumb term because they shouldn't even be considered (and, generally, aren't) part of the left to begin with.
We should not co-opt right wing extremist terms for our own purposes. (The most obvious example of this is flailing around and trying to be seen as a "pro-life" party. Embarassing.)
We should not co-opt right wing extremist terms for our own purposes. (The most obvious example of this is flailing around and trying to be seen as a "pro-life" party. Embarassing.)
Link
The Autumn Wind
Nah
Exactly. This is pretty much saying, "We need to be united, but this is their fault!"
ChronotriggerJM
Member
I don't think there's anything wrong with the term itself, in the framework that "alt" stands for alternative. There are extremes on any end of a political ideology, saying alternative left just implies (to me) that you're in the liberal spectrum with different values than the norm. SJW at least had some stank baked into it. Alt-Left is just goofy as an insult.
Sickboy007
Member
Joy Reid is a moron, nothing new
These people are not looking for a genuine or honest conversation dude
Far from it
Dubbedinenglish
Banned
This
Whole lot of this
And fucking this.
Trump would've used whatever phrase Hannity used on his show. People on the left have jack shit to do with. This is the President who willed "Covfefe" into the lexicon as a typo. And honestly if your first reaction to this is to draw the knives on people standing up up neo-Nazis emboldened by the POTUS then go home, because you have let them win.
Don't sit down for the "you're not American" deflection and nobody should be waiting on triforce guy's permission to do anything.
Another one for the fucking ignore list
MistakenMobius
Member
Well there is always fringe group: stuff like Larouche movement in the US or all the left party in Europe that are pro Chavez or Pro DPRK but it's just that they are labelled as communist party. They didn't really try to hide their roots unlike Neo Nazi party in the us.
Then let's embrace it, and attack him under it's guise. Make them fear it, and never apologize. They declared war, not us.
manfestival
Member
Can someone explain to me this hatred for "centrism" that I am reading about this thread. I had no clue that this was a thing. Granted I know people on both left and right like to point fingers but why is "centrism" a boogeyman for those in here? Just curious, please don't murder me by thinking this is some sorta post supporting something. Just want to be informed.
this is good
VendettaRed07
Member
I think that would go to the man who thought "the Nazis have permits" would be an appropriate hill to die on but ok
They always stayed home. There is a loud faction that worries about looking above it all, and shouting shit. But when it is time for boots on the ground and real work they are quiet or working against people that actually trying to right the shit show.
Optics being more important then lives to these people
balladofwindfishes
Member
Obviously the real issue is that centrists make up too many catch phrases, not that Nazis are attacking people.
What the hell are you even talking about
Cymbal Head
Banned
Guys guys guys. I know how we can push back. Ready?
The alt-left is fake news.
Foolproof!
The alt-left is fake news.
Foolproof!
You're talking about people who were in the streets of Charlottesville last weekend. This "they don't really give a shit" shtick that you've been on for a year now is tired.
I wish this didn't have to be a contentious thread. Just admit that the term alt left to demonize progressives helps the right wing, and that it should not be excused in any fashion. That's all anyone has to say...you don't have to play defense for your 'team' that you feel obliged to defend because of emotional investment.
You don't have to accuse other people of anything to fit your stupid made up narrative, that's the entire problem and the point the OP makes.
You don't have to accuse other people of anything to fit your stupid made up narrative, that's the entire problem and the point the OP makes.
As I understand it, Centrists have a habit of applying false-equivalency to everything in order to maintain their neutrality.
It's basically the personification of the "both sides" argument.
THIS.
Acknowledging this (and leftists doing the same about coopting other RW talking points) is the only way to move on.
Its not hard. Say 'we fucked up, but hey, now we know' and keep it moving.
badcrumble
Member
I mean, the protesters and antifa struck by the neo-Nazi automotive terrorist in Charlottesville were IWW, ISO, and DSA members. It's pretty clear who's coming out to actually fight Nazis coming into their communities.
dynamitejim
Member
Fuck Nazis for appropriating 90s counter-culture. You can take my alt-rock from my cold, dead hands!
it's not folks writing hot takes like "Trump is opening supporting Nazis, hmmm how can i make this democrats' fault ?"
BLM as well. The same BLM that is absolutely in the crosshairs of this "alt-left" shit. This whole "blah blah progressives go away" shit is disturbing right now.
badcrumble
Member
Yup.
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