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Free Gaza / Palestine supporters: I have a question for you (Discussion about media)
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this post was submitted on 07 Nov 2024
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There were undoubtedly some right wing/pro-Russia agitators trying to push the message that they're "just as bad" and likely some genuine believers saying this too, but the vast majority were not saying this. Most people opposed to Harris/Biden on this issue were simply opposed to the wholesale murder of innocents, and understood that Trump would be worse (e.g. the uncommitted movement said this explicitly).
From my perspective what was much more common was the use of this exact line of reasoning (like your post) to ignore/sideline people with legitimate humanitarian and political concerns. I can speak for myself: I oppose what I see as a genocide and America's complicity in it chills me to my core. I am not stupid enough to think Trump is better or even the same, and from the others I saw making this argument on Lemmy at least, they didn't seem to think that either.
In fact to the extent I tried to influence others it was to push the democrats to be better and hopefully actually win the election.
That didn't stop the accusations, though. I often explicitly wrote that Trump is worse and advocated voting dem, but it didn't make a difference. In fact just before and after the election, one user was convinced I just hated the democrats and was trying to suppress the vote.
So 1) no legitimate politician pushed this message because it is a straw man. I agree with Bernie and AOC.
I would argue the disinformation campaign was mainly running in the other direction. Apologists for the democrats' stance on this acted as though everyone who criticised the democrats was in fact using the straw man argument, and often implied it was a right wing/Russian misinformation campaign.
The effectiveness of any genuine right wing agitators on this is dependent on the fact that people like me exist who have a genuinely different position on this than the dems. They stoke the division and let us fight it out. That doesn't mean you shouldn't push back on any claims that "they're the same" and it doesn't mean I should avoid voicing my opposition to genocide. What it means is, unless I respect that you are just opposed to false claims ("they're the same") and you respect that I am simply opposed to the killing of children (And not singing from Putin's hymn sheet), then we will tear each other apart.
It was "memed" on the fucking news, for over a year now. It is not a meme, it is the reality we've all been living in which two groups of dishonest actors wanted to influence. The right/agitator influence of "they're just as bad" and the left/democrat influence of "these people support Trump/work for Putin." The dems wanted the issue buried so they didn't have to focus on what was clearly their weakest area. Because they have supported the killing and deep down, I believe they understand that this is morally unconscionable.
Anyway, just my two cents. If you take a step back from the election and just look at this as a disconnected political issue I would hope that we actually pretty much agree. So why would people like me be the enemy?
I appreciate the viewpoint.