my lib friend condemns existing socialist states because of their state repression of counter-revolutionaries:

he complains about the lack of civil liberties. when I pressed him on whether the emancipation of the poor is more important, he said that he refuses to compromise on giving everyone full civil liberties and due process.

I personally think civil liberties are good, but are a secondary concern to emancipating the poor. and due process can be implemented in time, I'm not against it. Finally, fascists do not deserve civil liberties and I fully condone repression against them.

  • Three_Magpies [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    https://twitter.com/DerenicByrd/status/1295202365536997376

    You watch this fucking video and tell me we have "civil liberties" in the US. No, liberties here are just vaporware for rich libs to cope to. They exist purely in the imagination of a shackled fool, and only because they don't dare to exercise their liberties. If you don't live in the US it barely matters; this style of policing is spreading like cancer.

    It reminds me of what someone said about crime (I am paraphrasing from memory): "Anything can be a crime. You raise your voice? That's verbal abuse. Harassment. Jail. A kid throws a toy across the room? Criminal property damage. Attempted assault. Jail." We have enough laws that you're nearly always guilty of something -- it is an indefensible state of affairs and no place to condemn socialist states from.

    Maybe your friend is aware that the liberty situation isn't great in the US. But generally, someone concerned over 'civil liberties' is probably privileged and ignorant enough to not grapple with the fact that most people in the US don't have any de facto.

    • Nagarjuna [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      What about countries with actual civil liberties like New Zealand and Norway? Can the people there criticize AES states for their lack of civil liberties?

      • furryanarchy [comrade/them,they/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Didn't they make guns basically illegal in New Zealand? And the same for Norway? And both places have the same problems with cops and protesters, it's just not as obvious because people don't protest as often in those countries.