I hope this is relevant for this community, because I don’t know where else to post this. I’m honestly scared to post it anywhere else.

I live in Eastern Europe. I’m a university student, and recently, we got an American exchange student. They’re a very outspoken liberal.

A few days ago, we took them out with a few mates out for beers (they’re under 21, so they didn’t drink, even though you can here if you’re at least 18) to break the ice and make them feel comfortable. We got talking and because I’ve never been to the US, I asked them what I thought was an innocuous question. For some context, I’ve been a communist for a very long time, and joined the communist party the day I turned 18.

I basically asked them: Why would I vote for Harris? How would that improve the situation in the US and abroad? I’m not too familiar with her, but her politics don’t seem too appealing, especially her support for Israel and her incarceration background.

That made them launch into a screaming rant about how I’m a conservative for doubting her abilities and deserve to be jailed for wanting to infringe on the rights of women. There were a few more insults targeted at me for asking that question, I didn’t really understand them. The entire time, I was not even saying anything, I was honestly too shocked to react, but they just kept screaming until they got up and stormed out in a rage after calling me a Trump supporter, misogynist, and a fascist. My mates were equally confused. We tried to figure it out, but everyone is equally stumped.

I’ve been thinking about that entire situation for a couple days, and I’m so confused about their reaction. They even refuse to speak to me now.

What have I done wrong? Can someone please explain? ☹️ I really don’t understand what happened. We have liberals here of course, but even the worst ones never behave like this.

  • davel [he/him]@lemmygrad.ml
    ·
    4 months ago

    The worst part about it is that I was also roughly on their level only 2-3 years ago. I know exactly what they think.

    Almost all of us were some number of years ago, and we know exactly what they think because we used to think them. It’s pretty funny/annoying when they say we’re in an echo chamber/bubble, as if we haven’t been receiving exactly the same indoctrination, education, and propaganda as they our whole lives. Everything they know, we also know, so who’s the one in a bubble?

    • l0tusc0bra@lemmygrad.ml
      ·
      4 months ago

      Exactly. I never actually say "I heard all of this shit back when Kamala as POTUS was a laughable notion and Biden was considered our saviour from fascism" but I should probably start doing so. These lib cheerleaders have inherited their master's desire to only acknowledge history if it somehow benefits their short-term goals. Maybe Trump getting elected will prompt them to think about fascism beyond Death Camps and being mean to minorities for fun. Probably not though.

      • davel [he/him]@lemmygrad.ml
        ·
        4 months ago

        In moments of weakness (or when they’re incorrigibly fascist) I do a little dunking, but I try to think about what rhetoric would have worked on/for past me and use that.

        Huey P. Newton:

        I dissuade Party members from putting down people who do not understand. Even people who are unenlightened and seemingly bourgeois should be answered in a polite way. Things should be explained to them as fully as possible. I was turned off by a person who did not want to talk to me because I was not important enough. Maurice just wanted to preach to the converted, who already agreed with him. I try to be cordial, because that way you win people over. You cannot win them over by drawing the line of demarcation, saying you are on this side and I am on the other; that shows a lack of consciousness. After the Black Panther Party was formed, I nearly fell into this error. I could not understand why people were blind to what I saw so clearly. Then I realized that their understanding had to be developed.

        • l0tusc0bra@lemmygrad.ml
          ·
          4 months ago

          True, very true. I suppose that lately I've decided to focus on studying theory more now that I have the time, but also because I think I've hit the wall when it comes to getting liberals to understand that revolution isn't something we have to totally make up from scratch. Plus I haven't completed some key texts. I just don't think that I could ever successfully play a role evangelizing libs to be leftists, since that is apparently what we're talking about here.