5 ms·

In this context it's very clearly about the PRC, referencing specific history, not some generic hypothetical communist. Nobody calls berkeley student marxists

In this context it's very clearly about the PRC, referencing specific history, not some generic hypothetical communist. Nobody calls berkeley student marxists 'bandits'.

catalogia 6y ago
That context doesn't change my comment. Affiliation with the CCP, past or present, is an ideological affiliation. 'Syrian' is not. Comparable to 'Syrian bandit' would be 'Chinese bandit'. If you want a Syrian analogue to 'communist bandit', you might try 'ba'athist bandit'. 'Communist' and 'ba'athist' are ideological affiliations, as are affiliations with the Chinese Communist Party or the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party specifically. 'Syrian' and 'Chinese' are not ideological affiliations.
- free_rms 6y ago
  You're aware it's a 1-party state, right? That's an awfully fine hair to split. The people making that comment are talking about the government and the nation, not an ideology (which is barely even followed in practice, anyways).
  - catalogia 6y ago
    Despite what the CCP would like you to believe, being ethnically Chinese is not synonymous with supporting the CCP, anymore than being ethnically Syrian makes you a supporter of Syria's Ba'athist Party. This is not a "fine hair to split." Whether these political organizations adhere to their own professed principles is completely irrelevant; neither do. Whether these political organizations tolerate opposition is completely irrelevant; neither do.
    - free_rms 6y ago
      Now you're really in the weeds. Syrian isn't an ethnicity. Druze, arab, kurdish..
      - catalogia 6y ago
        Okay I'm through with you, ignorant racist troll: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrians https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrians
        dang 6y ago
        That is seriously not cool. Please don't go there, no matter how wrong someone else is. That only makes this place even worse. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
      - dang 6y ago
        Please stop using HN for political flamewar. It's not what this site is for. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

In this context it's very clearly about the PRC, referencing specific history, not some generic hypothetical communist. Nobody calls berkeley student marxists 'bandits'.

catalogia 6y ago

That context doesn't change my comment. Affiliation with the CCP, past or present, is an ideological affiliation. 'Syrian' is not. Comparable to 'Syrian bandit' would be 'Chinese bandit'. If you want a Syrian analogue to 'communist bandit', you might try 'ba'athist bandit'. 'Communist' and 'ba'athist' are ideological affiliations, as are affiliations with the Chinese Communist Party or the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party specifically. 'Syrian' and 'Chinese' are not ideological affiliations.

free_rms 6y ago
You're aware it's a 1-party state, right? That's an awfully fine hair to split. The people making that comment are talking about the government and the nation, not an ideology (which is barely even followed in practice, anyways).
- catalogia 6y ago
  Despite what the CCP would like you to believe, being ethnically Chinese is not synonymous with supporting the CCP, anymore than being ethnically Syrian makes you a supporter of Syria's Ba'athist Party. This is not a "fine hair to split." Whether these political organizations adhere to their own professed principles is completely irrelevant; neither do. Whether these political organizations tolerate opposition is completely irrelevant; neither do.
  - free_rms 6y ago
    Now you're really in the weeds. Syrian isn't an ethnicity. Druze, arab, kurdish..
    - catalogia 6y ago
      Okay I'm through with you, ignorant racist troll: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrians https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrians
      - dang 6y ago
        That is seriously not cool. Please don't go there, no matter how wrong someone else is. That only makes this place even worse. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - dang 6y ago
      Please stop using HN for political flamewar. It's not what this site is for. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html