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"States' rights" is used as a dogwhistle in the United States for supporting legally protected racial, sexual, and religious discrimination. [edit] In many pol
by jadell 8y ago
"States' rights" is used as a dogwhistle in the United States for supporting legally protected racial, sexual, and religious discrimination.
[edit] In many political circles. In the antebellum era of US history it was used to excuse and defend slavery, and later, Jim Crow laws and segregation. There is a legitimate need for states to protect their rights, but that's not how the phrase has been used historically.
- jmole 8y agoIt's also the reason California can pass a net neutrality law. Two sides to every coin.
- dannypgh 8y agoI'm pretty sure "subjugation of the population through chattel slavery or Jim Crow" and "net neutrality" are on different coins. That can't be your calculation in deciding whether or not to side with the "state's rights" camp. I am in favor of concentrating power in the hands of the people and have a bias towards local over regional or national. But I won't ignore the reality that many who have pushed for "state's rights" as a term were specifically fighting for the rights of states to oppress minorities. This is why I prefer to express my politics through phrases like "power to the people" and not "power to the states" - when states are undemocratic, they should have no rights.