#'voting for kamala is a privileged stance' 'not voting is a privileged stance'

[froggierboy]

i think a lot of americans ought to grapple with the fact that there is no level of engaging or disengaging with our electoral system that will absolve us of benefiting from the oppression and violence our government wreaks on other nations

[justinspoliticalcorner]

John Pavlovitz at The Beautiful Mess:

This is an urgent moment.

In the days before the most consequential election of our lifetimes, a disturbing fiction has taken hold in many progressive voters’ minds: the idea that rejecting Kamala Harris in the voting booth is a way of hurting her personally; that abstaining or protest voting is an effective individual penalty for what they believe is her mishandling of the deadly crisis in the Middle East (one that began decades ago and that will surely outlive all of us). They see their vote (or their lack of it) as a righteous middle finger to the Vice President, and almost gleefully imagine they are injuring her by opting out or voting third party, boasting about enjoying her possible defeat:

This emotional response, is and has always been evidence of people of privilege who are either not students of recent history, have not been paying attention to the words and actions of the two candidates, or who refuse to play the movie ahead past November 5th. Ever since the sickening Hamas-birthed terrorist horrors in Israel on October 6th and Israel’s scorched earth response since then, we have seen a rising sentiment here among some Left voters that has made this a dealbreaker for them regarding the Vice President, despite the simply unthinkable alternative. And yes, the Biden Administration’s handling of the staggering violence that has unfolded in Gaza is surely greatly flawed and far from what many of us wish to see, myself included. But the reality, is that while a rejection of Kamala Harris would be a political defeat for her, it is an act of premeditated violence against the Palestinian people.

Donald Trump has admitted to weekly conversations with Benjamin Netanyahu, and that he has advised him to “do what he needs to do” in Gaza. He has recently promised to reinstitute a Muslim ban here, and in May of this year, the wannabe president said, "Under no circumstances should we bring thousands of refugees from Hamas-controlled terrorist areas like Gaza to America.” Trump has also repeatedly promised “bloody” mass deportations of immigrants from this country, both legal and illegal. In what universe will willfully placing him in power do anything but put the people of Gaza in greater peril? What is the substantive evidence that this will ultimately be anything but a performative purity stance, that helps no one other than those who squander their votes by intentionally empowering a monster? Kamala Harris is an imperfect human being, but one who will be accountable to the American people as its leader. She will be a President who we can criticize and call to task in areas of disagreement—and we will. Donald Trump will be a sociopathic, violent, self-described “dictator on day one,” with complete immunity from any atrocities he chooses. To both sides these two candidates and offer false equivalencies is tantamount to participation in further bloodshed.

This piece from John Pavlovitz is spot-on regarding the Gaza Genocide and harm reduction measures being necessary by electing Kamala Harris.

[dalekofchaos]

Chappell Roan is right

Chappel rightfully called out her problems with the Republicans and the democrats and the choices we are given this election and people have a problem with it?

No one here had any issue with Macklemore outright saying he wouldn’t vote for democrats in the fall because of the genocide, and instead praised him for using his platform to speak out, but Chappell Roan says she can’t endorse Kamala but will still vote for her and she gets torn to shreds and “clearly doesn’t understand anything about politics.”

And then the white liberals and privileged gay men came out to smear her name and even began to question and police her queerness. I saw a looooot of progressive white gays side with Zionists in an effort to put a queer woman in her place for the last few days.... Ya'll are worse than the fucking MAGA cultists, at least their evil is obvious, ya'll act like condescending well meaningful bigots but dare to act better.

Notice how when a woman, especially a lesbian with strong convictions or morals stands up for what's right and calls out the hypocrisy of the democratic party, them funding a genocide and not doing enough for Trans people and the LGBTQA+ community in general, they all turn on her for not showing blind allegiance when they have shown nothing but broken promises in return?

Chappell Roan reasonably arguing that she would like better candidates, while clearly stating she thinks Harris is the better candidate. And then read endless comments from Harris supporters saying Roan is an idiot. This is cult behaviour. She's on your side, why demand absolute loyalty?

The people who support Kamala think a winning strategy is to belittle anyone who supports Kamala in the wrong way. Thereby driving away people who would otherwise support her. This, supposedly, is the grown up rational strategy.

And Chappell has a right to be pissed about how the Democratic Party's policies have failed Trans people and the LGBTQ+ community as a whole.

These are the polices that are harming Trans people.

This article alone just shows how the LGBTQA+ community feel unprotected and unheard by the democratic party.

It also doesn't help that in the most recent debate, seeing how trans and queer rights were not even once a topic of discussion. Seeing how trans and queer rights were not even once a topic of discussion. It hurts, and its a terrifying reality we live in.

It’s not just debates. Feel free to check the Democrats 2024 platform’s LGBTQ+ section (pp. 56-57), there’s almost nothing in there for trans people.

So I don’t blame her for not wanting to put her name behind someone who represents a party that just is NOT doing enough.

The way Chappell Roan is just saying we need to hold politician’s accountable to higher standards and demand more from them instead of just accepting their actions, is completely logical and reasonable. The fact that some on the internet has bullied Chappell Roan for dare saying republicans and democrats have both done a terrible job as leaders instead of just blindly praising them is crazy. Like she's saying she's still voting blue, but she's not happy with them which that's valid, that's what normal people should do, question your candidates and request them to be better the same way people are demanding Chappel to be "better." it’s so refreshing to see a celebrity actually talk about and criticize politics instead of just making an instagram post once and pretending everything will be fine once kamala wins. Also a lot of the people who are questioning her queerness on twitter. Gross. idc if you're mad about her recent stances or not, but policing someone's queerness is honestly homophobic and it shows the internet only accepts someone's identity so long as they always agree with them.

Make no mistake about it. Trump, Vance and the Christofaasicts are a clear and present evil.

But how do you decide to fight that evil with Bush and Reagan era republicans to endorse you? Reagan and Bush DESTROYED this country. You think Trump is bad? Everything you think Trump did bad. Everything you know is wrong with this country. It all comes back to Ronald fucking Reagan and there is a goddamned fucking reason why people considered Reagan the Antichrist. On his best days George Bush was a worse president than Donald Trump. The Iraq war was worse than anything Trump did. 2,000,000 civilians killed and 37,000,000 were forced to flee their homes. Nearly everything terrible Trump did in office, Bush laid the groundwork for it. and the fucking democrats rehabilitated him.

How do you look me in the eye and say Kamala getting that vile fucking goblin DIck fucking Cheney's endorsement is a fucking good thing? He should be tried for fucking war crimes, not endorsing Kamala Harris.

Not to mention a black muslim man was wrongfully executed two days ago and no one did a damned fucking thing. Not the so called "pro-life" Republicans and not the democrats. No one in the Biden admin fought for Marcellus Williams

It’s funny watching people go after Roan for having reservations about the Democrats on the same day that a report was released that Blinken knew Israel was starving Palestinians while the Biden administration pretended that it wasn’t happening so they could keep sending weapons.

People would rather smear Chappell Roan than hold politicians accountable. They would rather bury their heads in the sands. Unfriendly fucking reminder, THIS was liberals reaction to the names of Palestinian children being named at the DNC and wouldn't even invite a Palestinian to speak at the DNC.

THIS is the face of the democrat party and liberals. They have shown us time and time again that they are not on our side. They will defend white interests over the collective struggles of Black, Brown, poor and disenfranchised people around the world. This is what Chappell Roan is trying to tell us why she is unhappy with voting for Kamala Harris. Biden, Kamala and their ilk are funding and arming a genocide, not doing enough for LGBTQA+ rights.

They spend millions to billions of dollars on Israel's war crimes, meanwhile people still don’t have healthcare, access to affordable housing, affordable education, no clean energy, reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights are trampled on and disability benefits get denied to deserving applicants- and people wonder why I say I hate this fucking country.

I am so fucking tired of human rights being held hostage because YOU empowered the Republicans.

You had ages to Codify RVW and didn't fucking do it. You allowed the Republicans to kill it and you let them see what they can do and because of that we have Project 2025 on the horizon and you have completely and utterly fucked over women and the LGBTQA+ community just so you can hold our fucking rights hostage as leverage for us to vote for you.

Here's what's gonna happen. Either we get a straight up Christofascist dystopian nightmare or "nothing will fundamentally change 2.0"

UNFUCKINGFRIENDLY FUCKING REMINDER, WE HAD MULTIPLE UN RESOLUTIONS TO FREE THE HOSTAGES AND END THE GENOCIDE, BUT THE US CONSTANTLY VETOED IT.

So vote whoever you want for, but use critical thinking and for fuck's sake, if Kamala wins, don't act like this is over. Demand better. Hold Kamala and her administration accountable. If Trump wins, don't blame Chappell and don't blame leftists. Blame Kamala and the democrats for refusing to change. For refusing to fight for their voters interests. For refusing to stand AGAINST A FUCKING GENOCIDE!

“fuck Kamala, yet fuck Trump a bit more too. so I’ll vote Kamala if I have to, and nothing else. and will protest her everyday forever afterwards,” is *the* mainstream youth opinion, but white liberals and privileged white gays are too self-obsessed and self-absorbed to get that.

People have more expectations of 20 year old pop stars than of the government and I think that’s a major problem.

Chappell is a beautiful anomaly. Be like Chappell & demand more.

Chappell picks local drag queens as her openers, donates concert proceeds to charities supporting trans poc and palestianians, etc, wanted to read Palestinian poems at the white house when she refused to let them pink-wash her, constantly vocalizes what side of important issues shes on but the second she refuses to blindly endorse a candidate for valid reasons.

Her stance is the most punk rock thing I’ve seen from an artists since Green Day dropped American Idiot and since Sinéad O'Connor took a stand against the Catholic Church and stood up for Palestine. Truly, so eloquently put and she’s a rockstar and I need everyone to understand how much I love her.

It’s so refreshing to see a celebrity actually talk about and criticize politics instead of just making an instagram post once and pretending everything will be fine once Kamala wins.

I can't help but feel if a straight white male cis celebrity had said what Chappell said he'd be treated as some sort of political wizard.

This is from the same Chappell Roan who called out the incredibly parasocial relationships about celebrities is weird and dared to stand up for herself and put up boundaries and since then everyone has just been looking for a reason to be outraged by whatever she says/does

Chappell cares about Palestine. That's a huge thing with her. Right, like, right. And it's a huge thing with a lot of young people. Like, you're not really gonna get an enthusiastic endorsement from somebody who's very, you know. Anti-War in Gaza. You're like, "you should be settling." It's like, not your place to tell her what she does and doesn't value. Chappell's an artist. Chappell's not a politician. Chappell doesn't owe you a fucking thing.

So yeah, Fuck Trump and fuck Kamala and Chappell Roan, keep going because you are a star and an icon because for once we are seeing someone who won't spoon-fed propaganda and stands up for their convictions and morals. We are TIRED of the "lesser evil" So yeah Chappell is right.

[allamericansbitch]

Genuine question. What do you think about all of the political pundits and news anchors and other celebrities praising Taylor for the endorsement? They’re all saying she made such an eloquent statement but it wasn’t that good…?

I feel like both 'sides' of this are missing the point because it's the internet and all nuance is lost. Taylor finally endorsed Kamala and took an actual political stance for the first time in 4 years, and that's great. That act is gonna do wonders for the election and really helped move eyes and ears toward Kamala, Tim, and their campaign. There's no doubt it'll make a huge impact. So the reporters who are saying she made an 'eloquent statement' are correct, she did. So people who are looking to hate on that have no reason to hate on that aspect. She did a good thing by endorsing Kamala.

However, that's not what the issue was that people were talking about for years prior that hit a peak a few days ago- it's a part but not the whole picture. Her statement about the election missed the big picture, it never once condemned what people have seen her tolerate personally. Taylor, for the past 3-4 years has repeatedly surrounded herself with close-minded, ignorant, and actively bigoted people. From the people she's voluntarily chosen to work with (i.e David O Russell; a known abuser) to people she chooses to publicly be friends with (Brittany Mahomes, Lena Dunham, Zoe Kravitz, etc) and even repeatedly defended dating vocal bigot Matty Healy. She has repeatedly surrounded herself with people who actively go against everything she says she believes, and actions speak louder than words. How can you say you're an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and publicly be besties and lend your spotlight to someone who doesn't believe trans women are women and shouldn't be in women's sports (Brittany Mahomes). How can you support victims of SA/DV when you're friends/work with abuse apologists and actual abusers? How can you be an ally towards POC when you defended dating a man who publicly said he gets off to porn of black women getting beaten, or while you wear jerseys and support your current partner's team- a team that has made a mockery of Indigenous people who have repeatedly begged for them to stop? How can you be an ally for women when you haven't spoken up for Palestine, where women are being treated in unimaginable ways due to the ongoing genocide. That's the issue, her actions vs. her words.

She can say she believes in these subjects, and that's good it's better than nothing, but we all know the words are pretty empty and for show. A show is good but it always ends and you're left with nothing afterwards. She probably won't say much else about the election because in her mind she did her duty, and that to her is the bare minimum. Half-baked activism is applauded because we are so used to getting nothing. Endorse a candidate and go back to being friends with people who don't see certain groups as human beings. Tell people to vote but don't condemn their hatred, because then you'd also be condemning some of your friends. Enable that behavior and live in that privilege, it'll work out for her and that's what matters the most.

[blautitlewave]

Been seeing some chirping on Twitter and TikTok by certain Pro-Palestinians that are browbeating black americans for supporting Kamala because "Kamala supports genocide" and that black and indigenous americans are complicit in genocide by voting for Kamala and boy does attacking two of the most marginalized voting blocs in America certainly NOT help your cause, ESPECIALLY since the way our country works is that even if we do vote for the "right" person, the person who wins inflicts their shitty policies on all of us. Those who vote for the "right" person don't get exempt from the shitty harmful policies by the "wrong" person, nor do the americans who actually want to change things get a voice. Why? Because the people being voted in are boomers that have gerrymandered and suppressed votes. Because this country is made up of power-hungry bastards that undermine any and all attempts at true democracy. The only thing sane Americans can do is damage control every election cycle.

Your revolution via third party isn't going to happen. By all means sacrifice the guaranteed safety net for BIPOC and disabled and queer and women citizens so you can 'maintain your morals'. I used to think that way too, and then I stopped thinking like a privileged fucking idiot.

Kamala can be theoretically persuaded to take a pro-Palestinian stance. Trump can't. Hope that helps.

[margoshansons]

Thinking about how the Chappel Roan situation and I got to get some thoughts out as a non-binary, disabled, bisexual person with the ability to give birth.

I understand her take. Dems and the left should be criticized and questioned, the same way the right and Republicans should be too. I support Kamala as a candidate but there’s still a lot I disagree with her with and want to see changed (her stance on Palestine and Israel being a prime example of this).

But this is not the election to pull that card with. My very identity, my very way of living is at stake with this election. One side is actively working to erase vital rights that communities and people fought for and DESERVE, gut the education department so they can control the populace, and actively supports and befriends other genocidal maniacs (Netanyahu and Putin).

I’m lucky that I live in a blue state but I have friends who don’t. I have family who don’t.

I’m privileged enough to not only be white and female presenting but to also pass as straight. I have friends who aren’t. I have family who aren’t.

This is not the election to vote small. This is not the election to say “both sides are bad”. Yes, I understand she’s simply saying she doesn’t agree with policies on the left but that becomes irrelevant when the policies the right are pushing are actively harming trans people, black people, gay people, and people who give birth.

���Both sides are bad” and “Criticize your leaders” work in any other election BUT NOT THIS ONE.

Because with this election, there is no “lesser of two evils”. This election is a choice between life and death for most of us, and I know what I’m choosing.

[militantinremission]

Vivek Ramaswami: The Perils of 'Race Neutrality'

Vivek Ramaswami's interview w/ Ann Coulter killed many birds w/ One Stone. Her blatant Racism & his acceptance of it spoke Volumes. Vivek has been pushing an Anti- Black Narrative for several years; I have personally said that he WILL become a victim of the Institutionalized Racism that he marginalized & dismissed. Ann Coulter is NO DUMMY! She tested his 'Race Neutral' stance from the start of the Interview. When she told him Point Blank that she agrees w/ him on many issues, but won't vote for him because he's 'Indian', Vivek didn't blink. He later commented that he 'respected her Courage to speak honestly'(???). THIS is what separates Black Americans from 'Brownfolk', & why ANY Black & Brown Coalition is just a pipe dream.

I have said a few times that Black Immigrants & Brownfolk don't have the same experience as Black Americans. We have an American Experience of Institutionalized Systemic Racism that has endured for Centuries. From the American Constitution, to Local Law, legislation has been put in place w/ the intent of marginalizing Black America as a Collective. For example: Property Taxes are lower & Insurance Rates are higher in Black Communities, compared to similar situations (same Property Lot size, same Vehicle) in Non Black Communities. This is by legislative design. 'People Of Color' don't share that experience. Like Irish, Italian, & Eastern European Immigrants, these Folks experienced a Period of 'Social Hazing' by the Mainstream, but are eventually included into American Society. They know Discrimination & Prejudicial Bias, but few experience the level of Systemic Racism that Black America faces daily.

Vivek Ramaswami's Case is worth noting. He's a 2nd generation American- a child of Brahmin Parents; both w/ Post Graduate Degrees (like Nimrata 'Nikki' Haley & Kamala Harris). He was born & raised in Ohio, attended Private School, & was able to amass Hundreds of Millions of Dollars at QVT Financial (managing their Biotech Division). By all accounts, Vivek is living The American Dream. His brief Public School Experience in Cincinnati has obviously affected his view of Black Americans. He has gone out of his way to slander the Black American Experience; marginalizing Our History & Our Struggle, but his Family arrived in the 1980s. He positioned himself in Conservative Politics & rose to prominence spewing Anti- Black rhetoric. Conservative News Media Outlets gave him a wave to ride, but he Wiped Out in the Iowa Primary.

Despite visiting all 99 Counties, Ramaswami received a meager Return on his Investment. Iowans liked his talking points, but weren't comfortable w/ his Religion (Hinduism) or his 'Brown Skin'. The conversations that his Wife had w/ Iowan Voters were cringe worthy! Many looked her in the eye & stated their mistrust of his 'dark complexion' & questionable Christian Values; this despite Vivek touting his Jesuit Education non-stop on the Campaign Trail. Black Americans (other than Sen. Tim Scott) would've been insulted, but Vivek & his Wife apparently took it on the chin. He dropped out of the Race after Iowa, & predictably kissed the ring of Donald Trump. Throughout his Presidential Bid, Vivek Ramaswami sounded like he was auditioning for the Office of Vice President more than President.

Donald Trump recently had an Event at Mar A Lago that Media is calling a 'Vice Presidential Sweepstakes'. Ramaswami was among those being considered. It appears that his interview w/ Ann Coulter was an effort to beef up his Social Capital among MAGA Republicans, but Coulter deflated his Trial Balloon before he could reach a proper threshold. I personally find it comical. Vivek got so wrapped up in his perceived White Privilege, that he didn't realize what he REALLY had was Anti- Black Privilege. He thought that his wealth put him in the Ballpark, but didn't realize that most Americans don't know much about Hedge Funds or Biotech. Vivek literally flew beneath the radar, but his glaringly Non- White features overshadowed his rhetoric.

Like most 'People Of Color', Vivek Ramaswami failed to understand that AmeriKKKa sees him & his demographic as nothing more than a 'Buffer Group'. Their arrogance & smugness towards Us, blinds them to the fact that they are tools of Benign Neglect Policies; set up solely for the purpose of marginalizing Black American efforts to exercise a Right of Expression... Middle Class & Poor Whitefolk are becoming aware of just how much money this demographic earns; i'm anticipating a pushback at some point. AmeriKKKa IS NOT a Democracy, it's a White Supremacist Capitalist Republic. In This Land, The Wealthy Rule & Wealthy Whitefolk (i e. WASPS) are at the top of the Totem Pole... To date, the average Asian American Family earns more than the average White American Family. Black America knows FULL WELL what happens when Whitefolk begin to think that a Non- White Population may B outperforming them. For their own sake, Latinx & Black Immigrants should pay close attention.

When We factor in the Sabre Rattling between The U.S. & China over Commerce & Taiwan, plus rising tension between The U.S. & Hindustan/ Bharat over alleged Election Tampering, there may B some blow back on Asian Americans; especially during a Time of Economical Uncertainty- think Japanese Americans during WW2... Chattel Slavery has provided Black Americans w/ a unique perspective that Immigrants don't have. Whitefolk regarded Us as Sub Human (3/5ths of Humanity), so they weren't discrete about their actions around Us. This gives Us an intimate understanding of HOW AmeriKKKa moves. We warned these 'People of Color' about the folly of Race Neutrality, as We warned Poor Whitefolk about the folly of choosing White Privilege over Progressive Politics 135Yrs ago (i.e. The Populist Movement). NO ONE took heed to Our Prophecy- that American Capitalism WILL come for them, once We're neutralized. As always, it's Profit over People.

-The pendulum swings both ways.

[salty-socialist]

A Leftist's Opinion on Community Response to Hurricane Helene, Chappell Roan, and the 2024 Election

Context and request: I'm a white, queer leftist. I understand that I am coming from a place of privilege. This is written after I have looked into responses from BIPOC and communitiesI'm less involved with.

If you have a problem with something I said or something to contribute, feel free to open a (CIVIL) discussion with me.

I grew up in Alaska for the first 16 years of my life. I was lucky enough to be in almost a political bubble. Most of my family are democrats, and the ones who weren't still cared for me even though I was visibly queer. I have godparents who saved me from abuse, but also voted for Trump twice. My home is a red state filled with Libertarians. But it's also the home of my queer friends, of my indigenous friends, of some of the most leftist people I've had the honor to work with.

I moved to Seattle at 16. Again, I was privileged enough to live in an upper class neighborhood and my school was mostly white. I was living in Seattle during the height of the George Floyd protests and encampments.

I was liberal in Alaska, and it was that upbringing which paved the way for me to become fully leftist in Seattle. Because Alaska may be in support of Trump overwhelmingly, but Seattle showed me the pageantry of white liberals in blue states.

In Alaska I was on the marksmanship Rifle Team for my high school. The whole team went to the gun control protest in Sophomore year. We all staunchly believed in gun control (and for my part, I still do).

In 2020 I was living in Seattle and watched as registered democrats I knew said that BLM didn't make sense because All Lives Matter. I saw the white fear from liberals as protests became more aggravated.

All of this to say, watching some white democrats respond to Hurricane Helene and the devastation of south/midwest towns and lives has been absolutely horrific. To say that you care less about the devastation of peoples' lives because they live in a red state? How does it feel to take on the same stance of human life that Ronald Reagan perpetuated during the AIDs crisis? There is nothing to justify that level of destruction of human lives. It also shows a lack of understanding for the systematic oppression people in these areas face. They're gerrymandered and suppressed to hell, all while democrats often fully write off southern states so most active campaigning they're getting is republican.

For Chappell Roan I'll be more brief. Yes, her phrasing lacked the nuance it should have been delivered with. She needs PR help and you can tell that she became famous slightly too fast. But it is absolutely valid to refuse to endorse Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. I will be voting for Harris and Walz in the coming election, but I would never endorse them. We are witnessing a genocide as our government sanctions and funds the militaristic bombing of thousands of innocent lives. Chappell Roan has not been silent on her support of Palestine and for her to actively endorse Kamala would go against the beliefs she has perpetuated to the world.

I will be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the coming election. We're not in a position at present to vote in a third party candidate. While there's policies and actions of the Biden, now Harris platform, that I will continue to speak out and fight against, I do believe that there is a clear difference in danger to US communities between the policies of the democrat and republican parties. Additionally, I will be voting with the knowledge that if Trump is elected he will likely be able to stack SCOTUS even more republican than he already has. His appointments to SCOTUS during his tenure as president are a huge reason why Roe V Wade was struck down.

Please remember to check your voting registration as well as deadlines, or please register here.

If you have $5 or more to spare, please consider donating to one of the GFM in this linktree to help a Palestinian family escape Genocide. There are also some who have escaped but are now without the resources to start their life. If you don't have the money please consider boosting the families. Each family listed is one I have personally donated to. Please also check out Operation Olive Branch and the good work they are doing.

[hunkygreenbean]

I know I've reblogged a lot of post with the same sentiment, but I feel like I need to make one of my own.

If you abstained from voting for Kamala Harris because she would not help Palestinians, you do not give a flying rat's ass about Palestine nor do you care about human rights period. Your inaction has cost many their rights.

Yeah, Harris probably wouldn't have cut spending to Israel while continuing her performative speeches into her presidency. But do you seriously think Trump will do better??? Are the rights of your friends, your family, hell, even yourself worth it???

Trust, that the people who had the ability to vote on Tuesday but willingly chose not to because of the Biden-Harris' handling of Gaza are the most privileged among us. They will likely feel little ramifications from the Trump presidency. They wanted to have their little moment of moral supremacy, to think they were above us suckers who were participating in a corrupt system filled with corrupt candidates. They think this is a fucking game. The communities that support this stance are just a circle-jerk of hollow performative one-upmanship.

Harris would not be the greatest for Gaza, but Trump will be a whole lot worse. Not only will the people in Gaza continue to suffer, but here in America many communities will soon be living under similar conditions. And I'm not joking when I say that. Don't believe me? We've had an actual ethnic cleansing in America as recent as 2014. Many people remember it as just a water system fluke, but it was actually a series of deliberate despotic policies that resulted in the death and illnesses of hundreds of thousands of people. You might remember it as the Flint Water Crisis.

Y'all remember Flint?? Remember how Snyder (then governor of Michigan) declared a fake state of emergency to overthrow local governments and install his cronies in mainly Black communities?? Remember how he built a completely new water system (the one that had already been built with public monies was running fine), as an excuse to "temporarily" provide Flint residents with water from a literal industrial waste water plant??? Remember how he and Obama tried to downplay the water situation??? Remember how public health officials were asked to lie about lead levels in the blood of children??? Remember how Obama also sent in the actual fucking Army, not to help with water treatment, but to test out weapons that would be used in Syrian airstrikes on civilians???? To this day, no one can leave Flint. No one wants to buy a house with bad water. People still cannot drink from their taps. This was a mini genocide carried out in the good ol' US of A, and no one noticed.

Flint was just a little taste of what is to come. The apartheid that y'all claimed you were standing up against is about to be in your very own backyard. And you helped create it.

To my leftists and Palestine supporters that did their civic duty and voted for Harris on Tuesday: Thank you, and I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that hate and division won. I'm sorry for all the suffering that is to come. But nevertheless, I thank you for at least trying. Thank you for doing something.

P.S. I highly recommend watching Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 11/9" on YouTube. It explains what led to the first Trump Presidency, as well as Flint, Hitler's rise to power, and what the future might hold if Trump won again.

[thelamb1429]

IMPORTANT

Topic: The election

I know I don’t post a lot, and honestly I didn’t plan on saying anything at all. But I need to clear some things up for folks.

1. I know I don’t have a ton of followers. Regardless, if you voted for any Republican candidate (especially Trump), stay FAR away from me and my content. Unfollow me, block me, just get away from my blog.

2. We need to have a real talk with some of yall so called “leftists”/“liberals” out here.

What happened to protecting one another?

More so, what exactly is this whole calling the red states “Dumbfuckistan” about? What is the praying for the south to be completely destroyed by natural disasters about? What the HELL is praying for the muslims to get deported about?

I say this as a minor who would have traded every breath i have left in order to be two years older so that I could have voted for Kamala. I say this as a minor in Mississippi that could not vote because I’m too young. Many of us WANTED to vote for Kamala. She wasn’t perfect, but she was our best shot.

Take into account for a second the fact that the south has some of the highest amounts of felons in the country. And think about how many people under the age of 18 that would have given anything to vote for Kamala, to have a chance at saving ourselves too.

This leaves MILLIONS of people in the south and other red states who wanted her in. We prayed, we tried convincing our parents and other family and friends, we did everything we could do.

We’re just as mad as the rest of you, possibly even angrier. Because we can’t vote to save this country, but have to feel the catastrophic effects of this election regardless.

Was voting third party a dumbass decision that several people made? Dear God, yes it was. Historically speaking, of course no third party was ever gonna win. It just doesn’t work like that.

But when young leftists trapped in these red states, especially the deep south, see everybody else saying that we all deserve to be killed in horrific natural disasters, it doesn’t make any of us hopeful for a future where we can finally vote and make a difference. When we see people saying we should deport the muslims because a handful voted third party, we see exactly where yall actually stood the whole time with human rights. When yall post about how you’re gonna turn a blind eye when women in the south are bleeding out from ectopic pregnancies, we’re gonna remember how you were never actually here for all women at all.

People in the south royally screwed everyone over. Ourselves included.

What you don’t realize is how living in a blue state is a PRIVILEGE that thousands of us would die just to have for a year. Unfortunately yes, we are outnumbered down here. We’re horrifically stuck in our ways and there’s too many older people voting for our states to actually prioritize any marginalized group of people.

But over these last few days, it’s become increasingly obvious that nobody’s giving a damn thought about the people in red states who cannot do a damn thing about it except for begging their families to change their stances on stuff. Nothing except for rallying and volunteering and praying and begging that maybe, MAYBE, somebody would change their mind.

Many of us won’t be lucky enough to leave the prisons that the red states truly are.

We hate us just as much as yall do.

But wishing harm onto EVERYBODY down here does not, in any way, reflect the values of the left that I grew up learning from.

People who weren’t able to have a voice of their own during this election need yall more than ever. We need yall from here on out. We need yall to fight and vote and speak up until we’re able to, because we want out just as much as yall do. We haven’t had ANY rights in a long, long time.

I haven’t seen many issues on Tumblr, but I say this because I’m seeing it everywhere else on the damn internet. On almost every other damn platform in the world.

Be angry and be loud and pissed off because yall deserve to be, but don’t forget about the rest of us here who never once asked for this. Those of us in the most dangerous states for any minorities to be in. Those of us who’ve never had a chance to openly hold hands with a partner, even in our own homes. Those of us who’ve had to practice any faith they’ve ever had in secret because Christianity is drowning us everywhere we go. Those of us who’ve lived through the negative consequences of the reproductive laws passed down here.

When you think about the red states, think about the people who had no voice, who wanted freedom and feminism and acceptance, and will suffer from this election anyway.

Thank you.

[coochiecowgirl]

Hate how my roommate is obsessed with Kamala Harris bc like yeah I also want to have her as president instead of Trump but also we can’t ignore her stance on Palestine among other things. And like. In 2020 everyone was talking about how we had to vote for Biden and then continue to push for things to get better but I feel like people became complacent and did not push?? And it’s just happening again.

When I think too hard about politics and capitalism I truly want to give up and die. And I’m thankful I’m privileged enough that certain things don’t affect me the way they do others, so I’m able to ignore things. It’s exhausting to always be thinking about the state of the world. Sometimes I feel like a bad person because I’m not doing enough. But I can also barely force myself to shower more than once a week so idk how I’m supposed to get the energy to care more and do more in support of the things I do care about. I’m just trying to exist.

I just don’t get how my roommate chooses to ignore Kamala’s stance on Palestine and praises her on other things. Like. I feel forced to vote for her because I know it’s a two party system and if I don’t vote for her then my vote basically won’t count. And thankfully I live in a democratic state so I know my vote will actually count. But I’m not voting for her because I actually want her to be president. I feel like there’s too many people in my life who are way too excited about voting for her. And like yeah I get that it’s exciting for there to be a first woman president, especially a woman of color, but women of color can still commit war crimes lol.

I’m just never gonna be happy with the political system in the USA so I tend to keep my mouth shut bc I don’t wanna tell people how I feel and then have to defend myself or whatever.

[prozach27]

I say that Jill Stein voters are taking the moral high ground because your own post engages in thinly veiled discussions of ways in which we can “repent” for our vote. It’s the smug self-confidence of saying “you’re lashing out at the wrong people” when no, I’m fully aware of who I’m lashing out at and it’s you! :) Notice how you conveniently side stepped the fact that who you’re arguing to vote for was personally endorsed by David Duke, grand wizard of the KKK. Stop engaging in these topics at surface level if you aren’t prepared to go deep.

The reason why posts like this are being spread and the reason why third party voters are being shamed is due to the very notion of “if you want to feel good about your vote, then just feel good about your vote and stick by it.” This isn’t a feel-good discussion where we all hold hands and pray for peace and nobody’s in the wrong, so anyone who gets upset is now ruining everyone’s fun. You are being asked to put your adult pants on and make a decision about who to pick out of two presidential candidates: neither are great, but one is more amenable to lessening the violence in the Middle East than the other. Acting as though any position that isn’t your exact position therefore deserves no support is privilege. Acting as though you shouldn’t feel bad for your vote when you’re using it in a way that doesn’t lessen harm is privilege. If your only option is “I vote for the person who I think will fix everything” or “I vote for no one at all,” that is an objectively privileged position that doesn’t take into account how even a 1% decrease in tension in the Middle East will save literal lives. Note, by the way, that you’ve never ONCE mentioned how Jill Stein will do this, what the good qualities she has are, or why she’s a viable candidate - only that she’s an ALTERNATIVE to two bad choices so without any deeper analysis she’s therefore your option.

Saying that you won’t vote for Kamala because her job is to uphold the law and she hasn’t done that is a very clear demonstration of how little good faith you’re actually approaching this conversation with. She has the same general stance towards Israel as just about every other candidate barring Trump, and let’s not forget that he’s a literal felon with more counts against him than any president in history. You don’t get to demand people respect you for half-baked thoughts, especially when what you’re advocating for causes this much harm. At this point, your position is so poorly thought out that it honestly comes across more as election interference than it does genuine debate.

It’s wild the number of posts I come across where people act like voting for or supporting Harris and Walz in the election is tantamount to implicitly supporting genocide. You know what actually helps genocide? Doing nothing while pretending you have the moral high ground. America is deeply tied to Israel and there will be no candidate who is as critical of their actions as we want them to be. We as private citizens do not have the power to make the USA suddenly cease all activity with Israel and demand an uncompromising ceasefire deal. Instead, we have to get our hands dirty and decide what path forward will mitigate as much harm as possible. You have one presidential candidate saying Israel needs to finish the job and another saying that we can’t ignore the tragedies in Gaza while vocally supporting a temporary ceasefire. These are your two picks. Thinking any third party candidate has a shot when none have any wide-reaching name recognition less than 100 days before the election is a fever dream.

The question then becomes, are you willing to say you voted “correctly” by voting for someone who has no shot of winning but is most closely aligned to you? Or are you going to vote for who will do the least harm? The idea that voting for a president involves liking them is a fairy tale. The establishment will always be the enemy of civil rights and safety. You’re voting for which opponent you want in office. The writing is on the wall about which candidate will be less of an uphill battle to fight against, and sidestepping the responsibility of making that decision by throwing away a vote isn’t moral or intellectually groundbreaking - it’s cowardly.

[waynecowles]

Daily Jot: Should Christians vote for sinful candidates – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com

Many Daily Jot readers have expressed a concern about voting in the upcoming election. Their concern is that both candidates are sinful. Kamala Harris for not only her character but also her stances on issues. Donald Trump for his character. The common question is, “Should Christians compromise the principles of God by voting for knowingly sinful candidates?” The other question is, “are there any scriptures that support compromising conviction for the “greater good?” Are Christians supposed to “hold their nose” and vote for the candidate that best aligns with God’s principles when both candidates are known sinners or are they to not vote at all? To many the answer is simple. Others struggle with it.

A Daily Jot reader recently wrote: “I am truly struggling with the idea of maintaining my civic responsibilities which would lead me to compromise my obedience to the Word of God and my convictions. I have ALWAYS been a "you must vote...it is your privilege and duty to do so" person… with these types of candidates from both sides of the aisle, who openly deny protecting the life of the unborn, deny the Biblical definition of marriage, openly espouse the acceptance of sin, openly encourage people to lie or compromise "for the greater good," I am struggling to be willing to vote for any of them. My question is...how do you reconcile civic responsibility with Biblical responsibility?

Romans 12:21 says, “Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” To me, the platform of one party is inherently evil. That party’s candidates are also very lost and often evil. And we can see what it is doing to this country. They demand we accept evil. Voting for those candidates is voting for an evil agenda. Another verse that comes to mind is Ephesians 6:11-13 where we are exhorted to put on the whole armor of God so that we can stand against the wiles of the devil and having done all, to stand. None of this is saying there is compromise by standing against evil. If you think the Republican Party is evil, maybe parts of it are. But compared to the Democratic Party and its candidates, there is clearly a difference. David Brody reports that over 200,000 Evangelicals for Harris/Walz have signed up to volunteer and vote for the Democratic Party ticket.

God has supreme authority over all things. He also delights in seeing how his people allow him to work through them. If, for example, Trump wins and God didn’t want it, Trump would not be there. Meantime, we have the God-given freedom to vote and choose. There is perfect liberty in Christ and God is a God of freedom. We have choices to make. Voting is one of them and responsible citizenship requires it. Vote for the person you believe best represents the precepts of God. But not voting is shirking the responsibility of freedom—freedom granted by God. As John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” We are experiencing the consequences of our choice in leaders. The virtuous need to vote.

[sa7abnews]

Harris dodging flip-flop attacks as faceless surrogates flip key positions: 'Playing politics'

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/16/harris-dodging-flip-flop-attacks-as-faceless-surrogates-flip-key-positions-playing-politics/

Harris dodging flip-flop attacks as faceless surrogates flip key positions: 'Playing politics'

Vice President Kamala Harris could be “playing politics” by allowing her subordinates to take the lead on her making major policy shifts, rather than pushing them herself, a Republican strategist says.Unnamed officials have announced Harris’ new stances, reversing positions she had previously stated on issues such as fracking and “Medicare for All,” but Harris herself has not yet publicly addressed these changes.While the Harris campaign appears to be pushing a reworked agenda, one political strategist told Fox News Digital that “anonymous, on background campaign staffers do not take public policy positions, candidates and elected officials do.”Dallas Woodhouse, State Director for American Majority-North Carolina, a nonprofit conservative training organization, said that Americans should assume that every position taken by Harris during her previous presidential campaign for President and the positions taken by the Biden-Harris administration are exactly hers today, “until she herself explains otherwise.” KAMALA HARRIS, TIME COVER GIRL: IS HER SURGE AGAINST TRUMP FUELED BY AN ENDLESS MEDIA HONEYMOON?”The American public will never accept a candidate changing all their stated positions from just a few years ago without thorough examination and explanation,” he added.Harris advisers recently told Axios that “Harris doesn’t want to be completely defined by the Biden-Harris record.” The publication reported that she is seeking to distance herself from Biden on several issues, including his economic policies.Fox News Digital asked the Harris campaign if she plans to personally announce her new stance on the key issues but did not receive an immediate response.These are some of the major issues on which she has reversed or walked back her views.Harris said during her first presidential bid in 2019 that she would ban fracking if elected – a key issue among a critical voting bloc in battleground states like Pennsylvania.”There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking, I have a history of working on this issue,” Harris said in 2020.Republicans, including former President Trump, have used her past comments on the issue to blast her in several campaign ads since she launched her 2024 campaign.But campaign officials for the Democratic nominee are now saying that Harris will not ban fracking if she’s elected president.Harris published a plan for “Medicare for All” during her 2019 presidential election, writing that her goal was to “end these senseless attacks on Obamacare” and that she believes “health care should be a right, not a privilege only for those who can afford it. It’s why we need Medicare for All.””The idea is that everyone gets access to medical care. And you don’t have to go through the process of going through an insurance company, having them give you approval, going through the paperwork all of the delay that may require. Let’s eliminate that,” Harris wrote in 2019.Additionally, then-Senator Harris cosponsored Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Medicare for All Act of 2019.Despite her past support, a campaign official told Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy that Harris will not push the subject of “Medicare-for-all” this cycle.AMERICANS CRITICIZE KAMALA HARRIS’ ‘COWARDLY’ AVOIDANCE OF PRESS AS CANDIDATEColin Reed, a Republican strategist, previous campaign manager, and co-founder of South and Hill Strategies, expressed skepticism regarding the credibility of Harris’ recent policy change.”When Vice President Harris ran for the White House five years ago, she was a sitting U.S. Senator and the former attorney general of the largest state in the nation. In other words, an extremely accomplished individual with plenty of time on the national stage to form opinions on the big issues,” Reed told Fox. “The idea that she could, over the span of five years, just change her tune on a dime on a slew of major big ticket items strains credulity,”Reed said her shift on Medicare For All “would cost $44 trillion dollars – more than our entire $35 trillion dollar national debt.””Either she was wrong then or is playing politics now, and voters will figure it out whenever she decides to answer questions in an unscripted setting.”Under the current Biden-Harris Internal Revenue Service rules, taxpayers must report all tip money as income on their tax returns. Harris has supported measures that allowed the IRS to track and tax workers’ tips and even cast a tie-breaking vote in 2022 to pass legislation that increased IRS funding for this exact purpose. However, Harris recently said that she supports ending taxes on tips for service worker employees – an idea floated earlier this summer by Trump, who received plenty of positive feedback.”We’ll continue our fight for working families of America,” Harris said at a recent campaign rally. “Including minimum wage, and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers.”Vice President Kamala Harris has previously supported rolling back Trump-era border policies but is taking a stronger position on the southern border crisis this election cycle.When record numbers of migrants were coming through the border in 2022, Harris said that “the border is secure,” during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”Harris was criticized by border state Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, shortly thereafter, who told CNN that “the border is not secure.”Harris is now making border security a top priority for her 2024 campaign, talking tough on the campaign trail and suggesting in a new campaign ad titled, “Tougher,” that more needs to be done.”Fixing the border is tough, so is Kamala Harris,” a voice in the ad can be heard saying. “Kamala Harris has spent decades fighting violent crime. As a border state prosecutor, she took on drug cartels and jailed gang members for smuggling weapons and drugs across the border,” a narrator says. “As vice president, she backed the toughest border control bill in decades. And as president, she will hire thousands more border agents and crack down on fentanyl and human trafficking.”

[theghostofashton]

not to be bitter or anything but it is infuriating to see people in awe of how bad trump’s administration has been when.....he told us. he told us throughout his campaign exactly what he was going to do, and he did it. 

people just didn’t take him seriously. they got all bent out of shape over fucking emails. so many people chose not to vote in 2016 because they couldn’t handle the system we have in this country, the “lesser of two evils” mechanic that governs our elections. (which uhhhhh newsflash the way to change something isn’t to just take yourself out of the equation??? not putting in any actual work to change the system and just stubbornly digging in your heels and refusing to play helped trump. that’s what it did.)

it’s frustrating to me because it didn’t have to be like this and i reblogged so many things and told so many people (i was 17 in 2016 so i couldn’t vote) to just get the fuck over themselves and vote hillary and not enough people did. and it’s incredibly more frustrating to see this happening now. again. 

if trump wins in november, we will have this fight again in 2024 (if he doesn’t turn this country into a complete fascist dictatorship lmfao). we will have it until people get their heads out of their asses and vote blue. this fight started the moment y’all decided hillary’s emails and whatever the fuck else this “fiscally conservative” stance was were enough to get you to vote for trump.

it is a privilege to be fiscally conservative. it is a privilege to walk around and whine about kamala harris and joe biden while not understanding that if they do not get into office we will most likely be stuck with a conservative supreme court and every ounce of good done in the last century (legalizing gay marriage, legalizing abortion, etc) will be overturned. 

please vote in november. tell your friends and family. explain to them what’s at stake. i mean this in the most dire, anxiety-inducing way possible: we cannot afford to bow out of this. we cannot afford to not show up. 

[brick-van-dyke]

Yes, but in the grand scheme of things blaming them instead of using that energy in other, more meaningful, actions have dampened resistance. At least in my opinion. And it could lead to far worse consequences if we choose to divide ourselves over something like this.

Yes, you're absolutely right to feel the way you do and it makes sense you're angry at those who didn't vote, but my main point here is that, specifically; focusing your rage on them rather than the system itself for allowing a felon and war criminal to run at all is unproductive and will only create more issues rather than fix anything. I know it's easier to blame those who are more accessible; leftists online, but the real enemy who created this whole entire issue and who wrote up Project 2025, led to this situation, etc. are the real enemies here. Again, Hilary did get the majority vote and that's really important to remember. Again, this year, there was a record turnout of young leftists again according to at least the earlier polling. Even then, Trump won by a lot and it's very important to value how much worse it is that individual votes aren't being counted and how badly the system actually functions. Blaming individual leftists (who make up a very small number when the majority of blue votes are lifetime democrats who are liberal) just isn't sensible and will only distract from acting towards meaningful change.

The whole point I've been making here is that the system itself is inherently fascist , regardless of who is running and when, and has been long before Trump even began running in just 2016 (very recent), and it's very important not to lose sight of that or risk dividing ourselves to the point any action we could take would be snuffed out by the police. My entire point in the above is to note how useless and a waste of energy it is, no matter how much a Kamala may feel like the best candidate to you and how much you personally feel that it's privileged for others to let the opportunity to stop Trump slip though their fingers by refusing to vote at all or voting third party, to blame such a minority of people for Trump getting in hole letting go of the long extended history of horrors commited by this system itself. Doing this only restricts your own ability to actually work with these same people because there is safety in numbers when it comes to the larger job of fixing this system (something that can't be done through simply voting) AND actually staying safe amidst it, rather than doing what we can to barely survive in it on our own without our respective communities and voting being out only method of engaging with politics. When activists say "voting is the bare minimum" it's because it only restricts worse cases like Trump and that's it, never actually fixes. What is needed is for people like us, who aren't tied to a corrupt system, to end that corruption with the power of numbers, disruption and resistance.

TLDR, I understand emotionally and I empathise with wanting to lash out at people who may feel or seem "privileged" in my own view, but logically it's more productive to work with those same people who are going to have different stances on voting because, historically, we have always won victories with solidarity and loved through genocides by sticking together rather than blaming each other. We relied on lesbians in the AIDs genocide and, at least for me in Australia, the disabled community here has ties to other activist groups for support. We need to trust and hold onto that unity right now rather than let this crumble any activism or potential actions we could take to self advocate for our own rights. Sorry for the long essay thing I just really wanted to be clear on what I meant.

As the final votes are counted in the US election and the results draw near, I want to warn once again:

Don't blame other leftists for whatever happens.

Remember, it is the electoral college, propaganda and the system at fault here. Please do not use your energy blaming other leftists, rather, use that energy to hold the system accountable.

I know it's easy to fall into the line of thinking that "others must be privileged and so I should blame them first and foremost for any struggles I face under Trump" and to hate all those who didn't vote at all. I know that perspective may feel satisfying when you need to blame someone material, accessible and easy to hold accountable, but they are not the root cause of what is happening. And no, there is a way to fight back and to use the power of your voice, actions and resistance to harm this system and hold it accountable.

Please, please remember that it wasn't any other leftists not voting in 2016 who led Trump to get in and it wasn't them who designed the electoral college to be unfair, all when Hilary did get the majority of the individual votes in 2016 but the system appointed Trump anyway because of the electoral college and because the US system is inherently unfair.

I want to remind everyone that the same backwards laws were still passed under Biden after Trump was replaced in 2020. The same aggression towards democracy existed as evident from Trump's fanning of flames even away from the presidency, the appealing of protections under Biden's watch and racism still increasing after 2020 and to this day.

And I want to remind everyone that it is the system that allowed Trump to run again, that allowed a felon to run at all in 2024.

I don't say this to dismiss voting, bit to remind despite any result that we have to remember who the real enemy is, and it isn't each other; it is the system that pits us against one another so that we are too distracted to fight it.

Regardless of who we voted for or didn't, we must all work together to resist.