4 ms·

We are past the point in history where it was hard to tell who the bad guy was.

by jmward01 5mo ago

vrganj 5mo ago
We're at the point of history where your grandchildren will ask you "Where were you when...?"
- ethagnawl 5mo ago
  This and also, "Wait, so you didn't do anything when ... ?" It gives you a new found level of empathy or, at least, understanding for the people throughout history who "should have done something". We all (well, most of us) grew up thinking that if we were a workaday German (fill in the conflict) with Jewish neighbors that we'd have obviously hidden them in our attic or whatever. It turns out the reality of taking that class of action is actually a lot more fraught that your 4th grade self thought it was. Would you harbor a neighbor facing deportation to some far flung prison camp? You have to be willing to face the consequences of losing your home, job, liberty and life. If not, what would change the calculus enough for you to do so? If you know they're in your country legally? If they were pregnant? If the prison was rumored to be executing people?
  - pjc50 5mo ago
    It was notable that in Minneapolis enough people were doing this kind of thing that ICE were seriously impaired, and had to resort to escalation and shooting Americans in the street.
  - 47282847 5mo ago
    „Wait, you really had access to fresh air and water, and you didn’t party all day to celebrate it while it lasted before all went to shit?“
  - giraffe_lady 5mo ago
    > It turns out the reality of taking that class of action is actually a lot more fraught that your 4th grade self thought it was. It's funny my entire adult life has been me slowly realizing that no, it is not. It is easy to do what is right, it is easy to see what is right to do. Stop making excuses and do it.
    - ethagnawl 5mo ago
      I don't know where you live or what your life situation is but this line of reasoning is quite privileged and naive. It's one thing to _do direct action_ somewhere like France where the stakes are relatively low but in the US, where there is no social safety net and bankruptcy, foreclosure and friends are forever looming, there is a very real calculus (as outlined in my previous comment ...) for people with adult responsibilities to consider.
      - giraffe_lady 5mo ago
        You're right, you don't know. Just as a quick relevant summary I'm american, old enough to be retired if that were possible, and have lived most of my life in poverty, illness, and incarceration with long stretches of homelessness. These are your adult responsibilities, it's time to grow up.

We are past the point in history where it was hard to tell who the bad guy was.

vrganj 5mo ago

We're at the point of history where your grandchildren will ask you "Where were you when...?"

ethagnawl 5mo ago
This and also, "Wait, so you didn't do anything when ... ?" It gives you a new found level of empathy or, at least, understanding for the people throughout history who "should have done something". We all (well, most of us) grew up thinking that if we were a workaday German (fill in the conflict) with Jewish neighbors that we'd have obviously hidden them in our attic or whatever. It turns out the reality of taking that class of action is actually a lot more fraught that your 4th grade self thought it was. Would you harbor a neighbor facing deportation to some far flung prison camp? You have to be willing to face the consequences of losing your home, job, liberty and life. If not, what would change the calculus enough for you to do so? If you know they're in your country legally? If they were pregnant? If the prison was rumored to be executing people?
- pjc50 5mo ago
  It was notable that in Minneapolis enough people were doing this kind of thing that ICE were seriously impaired, and had to resort to escalation and shooting Americans in the street.
- 47282847 5mo ago
  „Wait, you really had access to fresh air and water, and you didn’t party all day to celebrate it while it lasted before all went to shit?“
- giraffe_lady 5mo ago
  > It turns out the reality of taking that class of action is actually a lot more fraught that your 4th grade self thought it was. It's funny my entire adult life has been me slowly realizing that no, it is not. It is easy to do what is right, it is easy to see what is right to do. Stop making excuses and do it.
  - ethagnawl 5mo ago
    I don't know where you live or what your life situation is but this line of reasoning is quite privileged and naive. It's one thing to _do direct action_ somewhere like France where the stakes are relatively low but in the US, where there is no social safety net and bankruptcy, foreclosure and friends are forever looming, there is a very real calculus (as outlined in my previous comment ...) for people with adult responsibilities to consider.
    - giraffe_lady 5mo ago
      You're right, you don't know. Just as a quick relevant summary I'm american, old enough to be retired if that were possible, and have lived most of my life in poverty, illness, and incarceration with long stretches of homelessness. These are your adult responsibilities, it's time to grow up.