Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: To The Atlantic, Media and Others Who Get Antifa Twisted [View all]ancianita
(35,932 posts)70. Well, the word sounds weird, yes; likely, the word got shortened for efficiency's sake.
No, I don't support violent protestors who identify as antifa. But I do support protestors who defend against violence they don't initiate.
I'm totally down with anyone can come up with tried-and-true ways to get this neoNazi white supremacist sickness out of our country. Because they in no way represent the patriotic traditions of American dissent. We have to regulate these poisonous, violence-fomenting displays. I'm hanging with and supporting people who show up to defend.
As Schwarzenegger says, in so many words, a country that defeated Hitler's armies has no place for neoNazi ideology or their bigoted supporters.
The fact that neoNazis can cry "fire" in racist, white supremacist parades in public arenas -- and it's still deemed legal -- while to cry "fire" in a crowded theater is not legal, shows a huge deficiency in our public vigilance to square constitutional rights and human rights.
Many benefit from this emotional mess, but as MLK said, "injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere."
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
106 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Communists will, since they've been seen, in reality, to be authoritarian. Socialism is not.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#4
Perhaps you should amend the statement "The Left will never be authoritarian." in your OP.
Marengo
Aug 2017
#5
Nope. That's the hard line clung to by old cold warrior leaders here. It's not. I've been there.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#14
Does the political opposition have the same level of access to the media, and the same amount...
Marengo
Aug 2017
#18
Cuba is a one party state, a socialist state with province representation from The People.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#20
Does the Cuban government allow criticism of itself in the media? Criticism from non-communist
Marengo
Aug 2017
#22
Socialism is The People's state, so there is no "us vs. them" political mentality.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#85
There is intense discussion. No memberships. No "us vs. them" politics. Just solidarity politics.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#103
The laugh shows you as not only disrespectful but not understanding a thing about antifa history.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#46
Oh, no doubt a tourist is different! But a Spanish speaking tourist like me asks questions and gets
ancianita
Aug 2017
#77
Just more proof that communism has shown itself as authoritarian. You're right.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#83
Me, too. I mentioned Marco Rubio to Cubans. They laughed, said anyone who visits Cuba knows more
ancianita
Aug 2017
#95
You're right. I should. There were eight of us, four of whom are fluent in Spanish; one English-only
ancianita
Aug 2017
#98
Their problem is that 95% of the country has no Internet. It's in blackout. Partly because they
ancianita
Aug 2017
#101
I've never seen one. I do have a two excellent links you can start with, though.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#100
Yeah, tell it to the 100 million killed by Communist political violence around the world
Expecting Rain
Aug 2017
#8
I'm not presenting the authoritarian left. I'm talking about anti-fascism, socialism and solidarity.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#19
There are anti-fascist elements that are as authoritarian as the fascists, such as Maoists etc.
Marengo
Aug 2017
#28
Of course. When we demand commitment to solidarity, we can literally 'see' both sides' provocateurs.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#30
Are the authoritarian and anti-democratic elements within the antifa movement as a whole being...
Marengo
Aug 2017
#33
From what my friends say, yes. The church and other orgs are clear headed about solidarity.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#35
That's it? Welp, not one person on this thread, or in DU, has expressed anything to the contrary.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#91
IMO Liberals don't support violent political movements that are clear enemies of liberalism.
Expecting Rain
Aug 2017
#92
Agreed, though I'm still not sure we know the G7 ideologies they protest better than they do.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#11
Interesting references. I distinguish decentralized socialism from centralized fascism. Antifa
ancianita
Aug 2017
#21
This past English teacher and student of linguistics agrees.How words get changed is the politics of
ancianita
Aug 2017
#25
The so-called 'antifa' is the same old 'anarchists' who have been showing up for years!
yallerdawg
Aug 2017
#26
Not in Charlottesville. Not where my friends see it. One travel friend walked arm-in-arm with Cornel
ancianita
Aug 2017
#29
True. That, they do. Media bias is simple: give the appearance of thought for profit.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#36
Freedom of assembly means that we ALL have to keep them out of protests. Let's be clear:
ancianita
Aug 2017
#38
I'm not the only Democrat who respects him. There are plenty of black Democrats who do, too.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#43
Cornel West called President Obama the "first niggerized black president."
Expecting Rain
Aug 2017
#45
That's it? West said some words you don't like? Throw his entire history as a black Democrat
ancianita
Aug 2017
#47
No, Cornel West was addressing President Obama directly when he called him "niggerized."
Expecting Rain
Aug 2017
#48
Context is still everything--of Cornel West's life and work, and of the black tradition of critique.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#68
Ad hominem attacks on me are not welcome and are a violation of board rules.
Expecting Rain
Aug 2017
#69
You missed my point. Obama knows that West was describing context, not faulting Obama.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#71
He isn't the last word on what works and what doesn't. This will sort itself out, with attention
ancianita
Aug 2017
#37
Nope! Can't stand with extremists from the Left or the Right. If that's casting shade, so be it.
Petrushka
Aug 2017
#41
When i was growing up the word "abolitionist" was a bad word and they were dangerous people.
haveahart
Aug 2017
#53
History proves how large groups of people can get the language of solidarity wrong.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#66
Right. Anyone avoids groups that try to defend against toxic racist fascism. The scene is scary, but
ancianita
Aug 2017
#57
That's as far from my intent as any antifa support can be. But please explain more what ideas are
ancianita
Aug 2017
#63
Are you refusing to elaborate on your claim? Your questions seem to imply that you feel no
ancianita
Aug 2017
#65
The problem as I see it is lumping all who oppose Fascism into one group-"Antifa".
jalan48
Aug 2017
#67
Well, the word sounds weird, yes; likely, the word got shortened for efficiency's sake.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#70
OK. I came up with a name to replace "Antifa." I answered Mineral Man's suggestion: U.S. DEFENDER
ancianita
Aug 2017
#74
Thank you! I'll be getting it today. It's great that we share readings in times of signal-to-noise
ancianita
Aug 2017
#61
Hey, there's a helluva lot going on. No worries. I'm glad you're reading here. Thank you!
ancianita
Aug 2017
#80
So true. I used to subscribe to them both. Still love Harper's. I don't agree about EU antifascism.
ancianita
Aug 2017
#81
Yes, important points. Also, we need to focus on a model that can best secure nationwide solidarity
ancianita
Aug 2017
#105
Yes! And thanks for pointing to Putin's Russia as a successful form of Fascism...
AntiFascist
Aug 2017
#106