It's a situation that I have been expecting for a while, but I wasn't fully ready to accept it. Specifically it's one of my LGBTQ friends who honestly believes in the democrats will protect them and their partner. I have tried to make the point that both parties are eroding any sort of civility towards all marginalized groups, but fear seems to drive them more than logical observations. They make the excuse that change doesn't happen over night and that the left continues to grow and will have meaningful affects down the road. I fundamentally just don't agree with that idea and vocalize it regularly. More and more it is ending up in a circular argument where I am painted as unrealistic and my rhetoric (leftist rhetoric) is doing more harm than good because it promotes distrust in the only system we have to work with. I try to tell them it's kind of the whole point. We gotta start somewhere if we want to see a better, more representative system, but they are so hung up on the immediate future while simultaneously saying that my idealistic feelings are shortsighted and I cant expect change in the immediate future... The double-talk is wild, I know.
I am trying my hardest to stop from engaging at this point because on the most basic level we agree on a lot of stuff, but they are just way to wrapped up in the fear mongering of the democratic party. They know that the two party system is broken, they know that something drastic needs to change, but they also think that they are powerless to do anything except choose the lesser evil. It pains me because I am watching them do the same shit past generations have done, where they give up on their ideals for the sake of preserving the current status quo that they benefit from. I am legitimately watching them imply "fuck you, got mine" under the guise of civic duty and I hate it. I want nothing more than to be able to finally say "I told you so" without being a smug asshole about it and ruining our friendship.
Thanks for reading my rant. It's probably a bit disjointed, but the frustration is boiling over and I needed to vent to the only group of people that seems to understand the hopelessness of being a disenfranchised leftist.
People have been making your argument for decades. Every single fucking election it's widely claimed we're on the "tipping point", people everywhere said it last time with Trump, and what did he do when he got into power? Largely just continued the status quo of making everything gradually worse.
If anyone thinks voting remotely matters and they want change, they should vote third party. But as always, I don't think voting will change anything no matter what.
Take half the fucking effort you put into this "Vote for genociders or get fascism" shit and put it into organising or direct action.
people constantly claim we're on the tipping point because we are. Project 2025 has planned out every single step to ruin the country for everyone but the 1%, and if Trump can't make it, someone else will. Last time Trump was unorganized and still caused massive chaos (Jan 6? Mexico wall anyone?). Republicans need to only win once to turn everything for the worse, and you are literally helping them. You had 4 years to get people to vote third party, and you failed. Now is time for harm reduction. Vote blue, especially if you're in one of the swing states, and help everyone out like a true commie.
I don't live in the US, it was your (as in the commie people living there) job to organize, I just care about people's well-being in general and recognize Trump's distopian hellscape.
Kamala isn't perfect, nobody is, not even you, but it's currently the best chance America has.
Trump did bad things. So have the Dems. And sincerely describing someone who actively supports genocide as "not perfect" just shows what a disingenuous lib you are. Your version of "harm reduction" has, for decades, done nothing but emphasize and prolong the harm.
I don't live in the US either. I just care about people's wellbeing in general. You should recognise that literally wherever on the planet you live, that organising and doing direct action would be more productive than telling people anywhere that voting matters. What a fucking waste of political energy.
I'm happy where my country stands at, thanks.
Right, so let's elect the guy who will do imminent and immediate harm, and a lot more of it, because that's better obviously
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2024/oct/17/trump-wins-elections-outcomes-stakes
I am a realist. The genocide, at least for now, won't stop, but we have the power to not make it worse. What do you chose?
There it is. "I don't care about anyone else, I like how my life is and want the status quo". Do direct action and organise to help OTHERS, if you care about the genocide then do direct action to pressure your government into condemning genocide.
It's not worth engaging, really. You clearly know this and actually just don't give a fuck.