Lefty Memes
An international (English speaking) socialist Lemmy community free of "ML" (read: Dengist) influence. This is a place for undogmatic shitposting and memes from a progressive, anti-capitalist and truly anti-imperialist perspective, regardless of specific ideology.
Serious posts, news, discussion and agitprop/stuff that's better fit for a poster than a meme go in c/Socialism.
If you are new to socialism, you can ask questions and find resources over on c/Socialism101.
Please don't forget to help keep this community clean by reporting rule violations, updooting good contributions and downdooting those of low quality!
Rules
0. Only post socialist memes
That refers to funny image macros and means that generally videos and screenshots are not allowed. Exceptions include explicitly humorous and short videos, as well as (social media) screenshots depicting a funny situation, joke, or joke picture relating to socialist movements, theory, societal issues, or political opponents. Examples would be the classic case of humorous Tumblr or Twitter posts/threads. (and no, agitprop text does not count as a meme. Please post agitprop here)
0.5 [Provisional Rule] Try to use alt text or image descriptions to allow for greater accessibility
(Please take a look at our wiki page for the guidelines on how to actually write alternative text!)
We encourage alternative text (from now referred to as "alt text") to be added to all posts/comments containing media, such as images, animated GIFs, videos, audio files, and custom emojis.
EDIT: For files you share in the comments, a simple summary should be enough if they’re too complex.
We are committed to social equity and to reducing barriers of entry, including (digital) communication and culture. It takes each of us only a few moments to make a whole world of content (more) accessible to a bunch of folks.
When alt text is absent, a reminder will be issued. If you don't add the missing alt text within 48 hours, the post will be removed. No hard feelings.
0.5.1 Style tip about abbreviations and short forms
When writing stuff like "lol" and "iirc", it's a good idea to try and replace those with their all caps counterpart
- ofc => OFC
- af = AF
- ok => OK
- lol => LOL
- bc => BC
- bs => BS
- iirc => IIRC
- cia => CIA
- nato => Nato (you don't spell it when talking, right?)
- usa => USA
- prc => PRC
- etc.
Why? Because otherwise (AFAIK), screen readers will try to read them out as actually words instead of spelling them
1. Socialist Unity in the form of mutual respect and good faith interactions is enforced here
Try to keep an open mind, other schools of thought may offer points of view and analyses you haven't considered yet. Also: This is not a place for the Idealism vs. Materialism or rather Anarchism vs. Marxism debate(s), for that please visit c/AnarchismVsMarxism.
2. Anti-Imperialism means recognizing capitalist states like Russia and China as such
That means condemning (their) imperialism, even if it is of the "anti-USA" flavor.
3. No liberalism, (right-wing) revisionism or reactionaries.
That includes so called: Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism, Dengism, Market Socialism, Patriotic Socialism, National Bolshevism, Anarcho-Capitalism etc. . Anti-Socialist people and content have no place here, as well as the variety of "Marxist"-"Leninists" (read: Dengists) (actual ML's are welcome as long as they agree to the rules and don't just copy paste/larp about stuff from a hundred years ago).
4. No Bigotry.
The only dangerous minority is the rich.
5. Don't demonize previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.
We must constructively learn from their mistakes, while acknowledging their achievements and recognizing when they have strayed away from socialist principles.
6. Don't irrationally idolize/glorify previous and current socialist experiments or (leading) individuals.
Notable achievements in all spheres of society were made by various socialist/people's/democratic republics around the world. Mistakes, however, were made as well: bureaucratic castes of parasitic elites - as well as reactionary cults of personality - were established, many things were mismanaged and prejudice and bigotry sometimes replaced internationalism and progressiveness.
- Absolutely no posts or comments meant to relativize(/apologize for), advocate, promote or defend:
- Racism
- Sexism
- Queerphobia
- Ableism
- Classism
- Sexual assault
- Genocide/ethnic cleansing or (mass) deportations
- Fascism
- (National) chauvinism
- Orientalism
- Colonialism or Imperialism (and their neo- counterparts)
- Zionism
- Religious fundamentalism of any kind
view the rest of the comments
This is a crazily aggressive response that makes a lot of arrogant assumptions, and all at someone who is admitting they were wrong about half-heartedly defending a politician. No wonder people never admit when they are wrong.
Wait, what's the display name for then?
I am an anarchist, and anti-electoralist. All I have ever done to defend him was say that it is possible he had changed, and that I didnt like when people cherry picked quotes without also showing his later statements on those quotes, and that I was pissed about all these people outside of Maine all of a sudden having something to say about Maine politics.
I do my part in my community. I do not need to add electoral politics to "reparate" onto that list.
Ah. I had thought you were a 1) Mainer that 2) forgot the first thing about intersection 3) was to #landback to the Cree. The first thing as anarchist that we should be doing is anti-electoralizing populists in Maine and beyond. Maine doesn't need Senators, it needs a revolution. If Platner really cared for Maine, he should be landbacking and reperating the people he affected by both on his tours & his merc deaths. But since we both know this is about money, Dems&Reps won't assist. Maine’ Senate seat needs to come from the bottom. A homeless Cree would be poetically just.
My reaction is justified if you did study anarchist principles. I only apologize for assuming you had anything to do with this FPtP campaign. It’s fine to want intersect for unjust slander. But Platner isn't an anarchist whatsoever. I admit my assumptions were wrong.
Truce?
It wouldnt be the Cree, it would be the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, Mi'kmaq, Abenaki, and Wolastoqiyik (maybe some others that I am not aware of).
I do read theory, but it is likely different than yours. I do not believe that landback or any of the change that is needed here will come from a politician. Especially if the strategy is to find a politician that is working class, holds all the right views, and has any viable chance of winning. I don't see electoralism as a viable strategy, but when need be I feel the strategy is to find the most agreeable one and then apply external pressure (through direct action, protest, and advocacy) for the change we want. While Platner hadnt advocated for landback, he did advocate for queer rights (including trans), universal healthcare, divestment from Israel, and had the endorsement of the labor unions. That was as close to agreeable as I saw. Now I wasnt ever gonna campaign for him, and hell I didnt even think I was gonna vote for him, but I did see him as the most agreeable choice when the alternatives were Susan Collins and Janet Mills (who has a long history of blocking important legislature and being hostile to idigenous tribes). However with the rape allegations (his response to it being the cherry on top), it doesnt matter how agreeable I perceived him in the past. The only hope for an agreeable senate seat is if Platner drops out and Troy Jackson gets the seat. And frankly I do not have much hope for the electoral politics working out well here.
Instead I am going to hold course to direct action as the strategy I want to invest my effort into. If others want to put effort into other strategies, the 100% can. But I expect people to tolerate and respect where I am choosing to put my energy, just as I respect and tolerate where they put theirs (and not to assume I am just being an armchair politician).
This is all to say, thank you for apologizing and I appreciate you being amicable now. I apologize if this comes off blunt or like I am trying to get the last word in, that is not my intention. I just wish to explain myself so you have a better understanding where I am coming from with this, address any loose ends to the convo, and to just generally clear things up. And totally truce [pic related].
Also genuine question, are you from Maine?
Cool. I am going to stick to reminding folks electoralism doesn't liberate and empower us proles. All the while reminding Mainers how much they actually need to reparate.
Liberals in this network just keep diving our collective efforts, and it's extremely venomous.
Empowerment grassroots. It doesn't populizes its demands.
I already saw populists already swinging for Jackson instead of demolishing deathcamps.
Until we are all free✊🏿!
Because you did not do shit.
You supported a nazi, knowing he was a nazi, because "People can change UWU". Not even because he changed, but because theoretically people can. And all you did what "I acknowledge I was wrong". And? are you in the streets protesting for his resignation? are you doing anything besides telling us you are cool with nazis as long as they don't engage in sexual violence towards white women?
No, you are just trying to get sympathy online with zero praxis.
I was a zionist growing up. I went to Israel when I was 18. I saw apartheid with my own eyes and have been trying to make reparations.
I participate in a local anti-war orgs help organize, protest as often as I can, I write antizionist articles and essays, I organize a local Jewish bund. Why? Because I have to, because I still feel guilty for the things I said when I was 18, because I wont stop feeling guilty until Palestine is free. If I was like you I would say, cool, glad I learned and don't have to do anything about it.
Where the fuck is your accountability?
As far as it sounds, you are a nazi supporter that happens to be against rape.
Admitting being wrong is just useless chatter unless your actions show it.
I organize an activist and mutual aid group, so you can get off your high horse and stop accusing me of doing nothing. You saw one comment and assumed I am doing nothing. You saw through one window and think you can saw through my whole house.
And no, I wasnt defending him because I just think people can change. I thought he did change because of his apologies and beliefs. I felt the tattoo was not evidence enough against this because I could see scenarios where a former soldier, mercenary, and bluecollar worker from Maine would get a tattoo not knowing it was a nazi symbol.
Now leave me alone or I'm just gonna block you. I no longer have the patience for your bad faith scolding and demands for self-flagellation.
Edit: also thinking that someone making a couple comments on the internet giving the benefit of the doubt is somehow equivalent to nazi apologia or defending colonialism and genocide is, once again, crazy.
Edit 2: Also also, as someone pointed out, this person is a fucking victim blamer. So frankly they can eat shit. Crazy they think they got ground to stand on. https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/comment/26963454
He had a nazi tattoo.
You do not get to be so naïve, that is called wilful ignorance.
If he changed, he would have removed it out of his own volition. He knew it was a nazi tattoo, he liked it, and only got a coverup after national outrage. You chose to support a nazi because you chose to be ignorant.
There is absolutely no excuse, and you have to accept that you weren't tricked to support a nazi, you chose to support one.
He was a goddamn blackwater mercenary with a nazi tattoo. I have absolutely no idea who anyone can be so stupid as to support him. This is MAGA levels of stupidity.
Good, block me, I have no patience for nazi supporters and apologists.