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.
Yep. This is how LGBT people in the US are cowed to the dems. With fear. With browbeating arguments to "safety" that never seems to materialize (and comes at the expense of the safety of others).
And it works because there genuinely are threats. Hate crimes, etc.
But its always the most comfortable members of the community that place their safety over solidarity. That's what kept me aligned, even before I read much theory, was seeing the absolute most beaten down people in society be the most eager to put themselves on the line when they were able to provide aid to others, or make a change or a statement. If they can do it what's my excuse?
its touched on in an old paper written during the 2014 israeli war on gaza that I really like (CW transphobia mentions):
"Even a Freak Like You Would Be Safe in Tel Aviv: Transgender Subjects, Wounded Attachments, and the Zionist Economy of Gratitude"
The "safety" line is such bullshit. I don't see armed Dems on the line at drag story hour events protecting against the 3%ers across the street. It's leftists that actually show up. All these people do is throw $20 at Human Rights Campaign and go to brunch.
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Democrats at the national level don't actually oppose Republicans. Kamala keeps saying she wants bipartisanship and promises to appoint a Republican to her cabinet.
No matter who wins, we get Fascism! Yaay
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