Link to this fucking nerd: https://twitter.com/BenBurgis/status/1686818661204721664
So Ana Kasparian from TYT did the classic: 'The left's focus on identity issues divides us! I'm done with it!' after being called out for being a TERF and repeating typical transphobic right-wing rhetoric, which she constantly doubles down on.
This TYT called Ben Burgerfucker decided to defend her, while proudly proclaiming himself to be "socially progressive" and "pro-gay & trans rights", yet thinks calling out a fellow for spreading blatant transphobia is "identitarian scolding and purity-testing". Having believes means absolutely nothing to these idiots. Liberals will gladly defend TERFs as long as they're politically aligned with them.
It's always the same shit with these types of assholes. Conservatives do their culture wars, spread false narratives and implement laws criminalizing trans people's existence, and then when we defend ourselves and push back against the lies and bigotry that spreads even among supposed 'allies', all of a sudden we're the ones responsible for the culture wars and being "identitarian". Fuck off. And like any good class reductionist does, pretend like standing up for a minority and caring about their struggles is a distraction from class politics and fighting for better material conditions, just to hide the fact that you never really cared about said minority's struggles in the first place, and will gladly throw them under the bus because you don't care what happens to them. Also, the TYT are , yet they'll conveniently pretend they care about improving material conditions.
And yes, in that video Kasparian used the term "identitarian" to refer to intersectionality on the left. That term is literally used by Pan-European ethno-nationalists to describe their fash ideology, and she's trying to equate us with them. Another typical chud strategy. But apparently it's working for her audience, because even fucker Ben, the so called 'socially progressive' wanker is using that term now, and can't fathom how any of that is characteristic of someone shifting to the right, because like the typical he is, he doesn't want to look in the mirror and admit he's full of shit, and that his social progressivism is just performative bullshittery.
Every single day I lose more faith in these so called 'allies'. Fucking useless.
My rant is over. Gonna grab some more ganja to relax.
"Identitarian" is literally a thing that nazis tried to rebrand themselves to. It was also a popular fascist community on Voat.
Anyone calling trans people identitarians for calling out transphobia is just doing "the lgbt people are the real fascists" in a crypto-nazi underhanded way.
I hate it when libs(chuds at this point really) give condescending descriptions on strategy from the left when it always boils down to 'sacrifice the people of color and trans people! We can't save everyone!'
How about we put the wealthy white people last in the conversation and tell them their concerns and safety can wait until the next election?
And it always seems to escape them that the strategy they advocate pretty much describes the status quo.
Can't rock the boat when some people are trying to have brunch on the deck!
Not to get weird about it, but also it never works. This is not a puyi vs Romanov situation. This is them just lying about being liberals. Their points are meaningless because they are meaningless. To take them seriously is an insult to everyone else.
Very good point. Not weird at all. Assuming that these arguments are being made in good faith betrays the people targeted.
I noticed a quote about not giving propagandists the benefit of the doubt and your response really brings it to mind:
To assume their points come from a place of well-intentioned wrongness instead of deliberate malice presents a danger to marginalized people. They know it's not strategic or pragmatic. They just want an excuse to hate, and use civility politics as a way to gaslight and endanger vulnerable people.
Thanks for pointing this out the way you did. I don't want to hold water for the narrative that reactionaries are unaware of what they're doing.
Repurposing something I wrote earlier:
Ben Burgis is a hack. He, along with Douglas Lain, used to be apart of Zero Books and made Youtube videos for that publishing house’s channel. They’re both Left Coms who complain about cancel culture and political correctness (Burgis was even on Rogan). They even made a few videos bashing Michael Parenti that appear to have been deleted from the Zero Books channel. Even one of Lain’s videos is an interview with Glenn Greenwald with a thumbnail that says “Flashback: Glenn Greenwald is not your enemy”, while Burgis actually released a book with the title, "Canceling Comedians While The World Burns".
for some reason I feel like he was all over the place like 3-4 years ago, brought on as like the "smart book guy" for various Internet politics shows. absolute dullard who is actually dumber than he looks.
I'm pretty sure he pushed bonkers hard for that. Just inserting himself wherever.
I feel like after Michael Brooks passed, now that Ana Kasparian and Ben Burgis don't have him as an anchor, they've been floating off into chud territory ever since.
Pretty happy they got canned by Zero after the take-over (or take-back) by Repeater (which is made up from the original Zero crowd, from the Fisher days)
I vaguely remember them leaning into some terf shit shortly before all that, but I'm not sure how much of a part it played. Might be misremembering too, but I do definitely know both of those dudes suck at what they pretend to do, absolute con man level of analysis, all to further their little grifty careers
I literally thought this was an UlyssesT post until I read the name. Another Cherposter.
good news! i will not be "calling out" libs on their transphobia when a perfectly viable alternative exists
Maybe purity testing isn't such a bad idea after all. If you fail, it's straight to
Where tyt ever really a trans allies? I forgot they existed for years till Ana being terfy nonstop was posted here.
Short answer: no.
I started listening to TYT back when they were on Sirius (look it up - that was during the stoneage), and on and off until 5-6 years ago when I finally shedded my status.
I don't think they EVER mentioned trans anything until Ana showed up to take a stand for the stupid.
Weirdly enough, all the channels that were part of the overall TYT network like Secular Talk and Majority Report are. But TYT themselves have never been explicitly pro-trans from what I've seen. I remember them being against bathroom bills and stuff but you never saw the same level of solidarity towards trans issues that you did for BLM.
No, I was referring to "pro-trans" 'allies' like Ben burgerlib.
There's an Engels quote I can't find right now where he states that in retrospective, he and Marx focused so much on idealism as their enemy that they may have neglected to criticize vulgar materialism adequately. Judging from the worst online leftists, that's obviously correct.
it's what's come to be known as "vulgar" materialism, basically people going into analysis half cocked because they only have a vague idea of what materialism is
I love that. I think not enough nihilists have been exposed to that and had it blow the nihilism out the back of their heads
Oh yeah I actually meant your point but the comic is a great chaser for that point hahah.
I used to think it was mostly a thing only turbo s did, but I've run into plenty of leftists who will try to shut down a meaningful conversation when you bring some sensible criticism or analysis to the table, because the treats are under attack.
Let people enjoy things! Can't criticize muh treats.
Ben is so fucking smug for someone who knows almost nothing but being an academic snob and pretending to be the logical adult in every room he somehow squeezes into.
He knows that if we really did do purity testing, he would've failed that test catastrophically.
Reminds me why "Allies" are shit and an article that helped me reach the conclusion as to why "Allies" are shit ages ago when we had the same cycle happen. We'll see the same cycle continue to happen into the future as well.
Ally is not a title you claim. Being an ally is an action. Being an ally is something you do, always. It is not a label, as much as it is an action of supporting a community. You do not simply get to make a statement and leave it at that. Being an ally is something that is given to you by the group that you are claiming allyship with. It is not a badge. It is not a get out free card. It does not prevent you from being problematic, incorrect, or an issue. An LGBT ally can still be homophobic, biphobic, or trans*phobic. An ally’s place is to listen and learn, while amplifying the voices of the group they are aligned with. An ally is to never speak for, above, or against, the group they are an ally for.
Being an ally is not something you should expect praise for. Being an ally is about working towards the greater good for all involved and helping a group of people be heard with their struggles. This is an action. Being an ally, once again, is not a badge to be worn and flashed about. Being an ally should be a thankless job, because being an ally means being a decent human being. While being an ally is not seen as the norm, this is how it should be treated. Allyship should be seen as the norm, since being an ally is about respecting humans and granting basic human rights, privileges, and dignities. Being an ally is a collaborative effort between the ally and the group they ally is allied with.
One should not expect to come into this expecting praise. An ally should be humble. An ally should be steadfast. This means that if an ally is called out for problematic behavior, they listen and learn. They do not become defensive because becoming defensive means you believe your words to be correct. Allyship is not meant to be a token to be given and taken either due to personal issues within the community. If there is an issue, the threat should not be that you are an ally and thus, “on our side”. There should be an apology and a learning experience. Humans, by nature, are imperfect beings and even the most supportive ally is prone to problematic behavior. Allies, by their very nature, are not part of the community they are supporting and thus, will never truly understand the experiences of the people they are supposed to be supporting.
To add to this, i actually know a ton of cishet people who meet that definition of allyship just by being friends with me and other gay and trans people and behaving with basic human decency around us. It's not a high bar to clear, and most of the people in question aren't even that far to the left either. They've just always listened when we've shared our feelings and opinions, when we've aired our grievances, when we've needed a shoulder to cry on and have learned from that that they should probably ask us if something's hurting trans people instead of making assumptions. It's really not a particularly difficult thing to do and i have zero respect for anybody who even fails at that. I'm not asking anybody to get beaten up by cops for me or to drive me to another state to get SRS, i'm just demanding people to not be a complete, oblivious douche in my presence.
This is a great article on the subject of "allies". I fully agree with it. Thanks, comrade.
Also, at the bit about Piers Morgan claiming to be a trans ally in 2014, after he was called out on his bullshit. Back when he still had to keep the I suppose.
The part about cis queer people flocking to defend him because they wanted to appease a so called "ally" is something that still happens quite frequently.
Good article but who came into this thinking that Piers Morgan was anything other than a piece of shit? Obviously not an ally from the get-go.
I'm pro-trans, but will also defend people who defend those who think trans people shouldn't exist.
He is not the first person to think they're the genius to come up with tailism as the magic bullet strategy for the left, and he is not the last.
Division is a good thing. I'm involved in politics to separate myself from people I do not get along with.