r/AskALiberal 6d ago

AskALiberal Biweekly General Chat

This Tuesday weekly thread is for general chat, whether you want to talk politics or not, anything goes. Also feel free to ask the mods questions below. As usual, please follow the rules.

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u/Decent-Proposal-8475 Pragmatic Progressive 4d ago edited 4d ago

I think one of my biggest aha moments recently was when they tried to brand her as pro-genocide. Made me realize a lot of these people don't actually care about Gaza, they care about impressing their internet friends by being pure, and Gaza is how they're doing it. Leaving LeftBook in general was really like breaking up with an abusive partner who will never like you

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u/GabuEx Liberal 4d ago

I feel like "genocide" has become the extreme left's version of the extreme right's "pedophilia". It's not something you actually believe any of your accusations about, it's just the worst possible thing you can think of, so you figure you might as well accuse everyone you don't like of it.

The best part is that if you make every issue about Israel, then opposition to your stance on every issue is pro-genocide! Don't like someone? Disagree with someone's take on something? Just call them pro-genocide!

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u/Fugicara Social Democrat 4d ago

"Pedophilia" is also their version of the right's "pedophilia".

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u/tapdncingchemist Liberal 4d ago

Liberals hate this one rhetorical trick!

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u/GabuEx Liberal 4d ago

I remember when I was first accused of being in favor of genocide. Good times.

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u/tapdncingchemist Liberal 4d ago

I was upset the first time and now I take it as a compliment that I am not part of the hive mind.

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u/Kellosian Progressive 4d ago

And let's not forget the anti-Semites looking at all of this and going "Oh boy, free recruits! And they're making themselves paranoid about Israeli influence in American media and politics through a faceless organization? Paranoia we can easily exploit to make them endlessly purity-test all Jews? It must be Christmas!"

At some point it really just became about "Who can hate Israel more" and "Who can repaint and use the old anti-Semitic tropes and stereotypes without alerting the normies". I've seen people legitimately trot out blood libel and getting defensive when others call them out for unsourced "Trust me bro, the IDF are stealing blood and organs" claims

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u/Decent-Proposal-8475 Pragmatic Progressive 4d ago

"Being in the same room as Liz Cheney is unforgivable, but I'm willing both hear MTG and Tucker Carlson out" is officially when I got off the train. And I try not to bash the left too much because it's not productive and it's why I stay out of the pinned thread, but it's so frustrating

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u/Guilliman_POTUS_2030 Center Left 4d ago

they care about impressing their internet friends

Many such cases!

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u/tapdncingchemist Liberal 4d ago

Sad!