222 points
*

This is persuasion done correctly. “I understand how you are feeling. Israel’s crimes and US support of them should be important to all of us. You aren’t wrong to have your reservations, and I agree change is needed. That being said, please let me tell you why it’s important to participate.” No insults, readily apparent empathy, and a sound argument.

permalink
report
reply
87 points
*

People have been doing exactly that since back when we were trying to somehow get Biden to win.

The message isn’t the thing. It is the speaker. Because even the tankiest of tankies are going to be wary of insulting Sanders in front of their audience. And this is why celebrity endorsements matter.

permalink
report
parent
reply
29 points
*

Edit: I’m changing my stance on how common this is after a few hours looking at top election posts and comments across boards. The abuse definitely exists, but in most places it WASN’T at the top. While “vote bullying” happens, I was wrong about how much support it gets. I’m happy to be wrong and glad to see that people usually are pretty decent about presenting their arguments. I still think OP’s article shows how people should be convinced.

I get what you are saying and half-agree. Where I respectfully disagree is that people have always been this reasonable. By writing “this is how it’s done correctly, with respect and logic” I’m juxtaposing Sen. Sander’s approach vs. “vote with us or else you’re -insert insult here-” posts, comments, and memes. I’ve seen tons of some attempts to dehumanize or discredit critics of Biden/Harris/Dems on Lemmy and other platforms. You are right that some most have always tried to be empathetic and civil.

I also agree high-profile endorsements matter. That bugs me a little bit because I think arguments should succeed or fail on their own merits and not reputation. But I know I’m a consciously “have no heroes” person because I believe everyone is fallible. I definitely have people I respect a lot, but no one that I’ll agree with all the time.

permalink
report
parent
reply
18 points

Eh. It started respectful, but dealing with the same tired “never genocide” canvassing of every single election thread gets old. And the people making those arguments know exactly what they’re doing.

Do you expect the opposition to fall over themselves to be respectful and accommodating while the other is not playing by the same rules?

Does that remind you of something the Dems were very heavily criticized for doing in the recent past?

permalink
report
parent
reply
9 points

Generally speaking, people AREN’T saying “vote with us or else you’re a piece of shit” to anyone who is (good faith) complaining about Biden’s horrendous record on genocide and Kamala being unlikely to be much better. We almost always point out "Yeah… it sucks. But do you think trump will be any better? and get responses along the lines of “WELL I WON’T VOTE FOR GENOCIDE!! THAT IS MY LINE!!!”

It has nothing to do with the way the message was said and pretending otherwise is an active insult to everyone who gives a shit.

The only reason this MIGHT make a dent is because it is Bernie Sanders. The guy who opened a lot of people’s minds to the reality that there is something better than late stage capitalism and beltway liberals.

permalink
report
parent
reply
17 points

And this is why celebrity endorsements matter.

Good call. When your “role model” (for lack of a better term) takes a position on something, it tends to give it more credence to the target audience.

I have a great deal of respect for Bernie Sanders, so his words carry some weight with me. He is being a voice of reason.

permalink
report
parent
reply
16 points

I’ve seen threads from only hours ago where lemmygrad denizens were shitting on Sanders as far too conservative. Like… honestly, at this point, I think many people in that crowd are just leaning into being agitprop trolls for t3h lulz, or something like that. It’s deeply stupid imo, but they seem to not care.

permalink
report
parent
reply
16 points

The tankies on Lemmy are not the progressives that Sanders is speaking to.

Those progressives feel disenfranchised by Democrats and will rightly drop support for the “moderate” candidate next time there’s an election where the alternative is not a mask-off fascist. Some of them might do it this year, unfortunately. Maybe this is their first time voting, and they’re struggling with settling for the lesser evil. Maybe they’ve been doing it all their life and they’re tired of it. They’re the ones Sanders is trying to persuade.

Tankies, on the other hand, don’t actually give a fuck about their own moral arguments. They would be in Gaza murdering Palestinians with their own hands if they thought it would accelerate the collapse of the US and the rest of the western world. But why get your hands dirty when Trump can drop MOABs because of “the power” or whatever dumb shit he’s going to do. They hope Trump wins so that China and Russia will need to rescue the world from a fascist dictator in the US. They’re hoping for a new world order - like what the allies did after they defeated nazi germany.

It’s easy to confuse them around here because there are so many tankies among the well-meaning progressives getting swept up by tankie opportunism.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

There are many shades of tankies.

The hardcore Hasan fans (and, probably Hasan himself) are generally good folk with strong leftist ideals who drink a bit too much of the kool-aid and have a tendency to be useful idiots who spew blatant pro-russian propaganda (remember the first few days of the war in Ukraine? I sure do). But when someone they know/“know” cares about them is saying something? They listen.

Hexbear and lemmygrad are full of the kind of tankies who manipulate THOSE tankies. The ones who are gleeful to spew pro-russian propaganda because it proves they are REALLY leftist… or because they are literally paid to do so.

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point

Nah it’s just america’s center being extremely right-wing.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

Sanders is a SINO according to the tankies, and plenty of commenters have trashed him here the other times this argument has been posted.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

Sanders In Name Only?

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

People have been doing exactly that since back when we were trying to somehow get Biden to win.

No. Centrists have been screaming that anyone who has the slightest misgivings about their genocide is a trumpist russian shill bot child. There has been no understanding whatsoever because centrists cannot fathom disliking genocide.

permalink
report
parent
reply
-2 points

So they’re abstaining from any chance of making the plight of the Palestinians better because someone called them names? Can you elaborate a bit? I’m (relatively) new to this side of the “aisle”.

permalink
report
parent
reply
0 points

Can’t wait to see this post and comments screenshotted on hexbear 🍿

permalink
report
parent
reply
0 points
*

Bernie endorsed Hillary too. Fat lot that did. My progressive friend still wrote his name in on the ballot.

Luckily my friend is done fucking around. But seems like a lot of the “leftist” vocal minority here on Lemmy want the rest of us to pay the “find out” tab for them again.

permalink
report
parent
reply
-6 points
Removed by mod
permalink
report
parent
reply
-12 points
Removed by mod
permalink
report
parent
reply
0 points

I get the feeling that you and yankgeniciders are the same person. Joined 6 and 7 hours ago, respectively, same message, same general vibe. Same signature type of stupid.

Hey at least you’re not dying to Ukrainians, so that’s pretty cushy.

permalink
report
parent
reply
18 points

Pfft.

Just had someone tell me that Bernie is too old and can’t think any more.

They just want an excuse to get noticed and pretend to be badass.

permalink
report
parent
reply
10 points

I really wish the USA was just seeing the end of a double-term Bernie presidency. I’m not dumb enough to pretend that it would have all been roses and prosperity (especially with the pandemic), but missing the setbacks of that 1st Trump presidency alone would have been pretty great. I -think- I’d prefer a younger president, but if an older president had to be chosen then Bernie seems articulate and compassionate.

permalink
report
parent
reply
3 points

Someone downvoted you for wanting to have seen a Bernie Presidency.

I don’t have words for these people.

permalink
report
parent
reply
-17 points
*
Removed by mod
permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

Good im glad you see how foolish you were being.

permalink
report
parent
reply
0 points

Did you just happen to join 7 hours ago to do nothing but spread confusion and misunderstanding days before a major election?

If so, was it from American soil?

I don’t know if you’re a Russian who is also an asshole. I do know that if I was, I’d be doing what you’re doing. It could be a coincidence.

permalink
report
parent
reply
60 points

Finally! Not the video link! Thank you!

permalink
report
reply
10 points

That was my bad. Thank you for everything you do!

permalink
report
parent
reply
41 points

I love Bernie. Clearest speaker ever

permalink
report
reply
33 points

AOC had a similar response on Pod Save America.

You win political influence by being a crucial part of a win. You lose political influence if your political opponents are in office. The best chance to have your voice heard on Israel is being a crucial part of a Harris win.

That is the calculation.

permalink
report
reply
13 points

Yep.

I would recommend folks watch this 20 minute video on Rules for Rulers from CGP Grey.

Despots, Presidents, CEOs, Deans, Homeowners Association Presidents, the guy who runs the open mic- at the end of the day they have to follow the same rules to maintain their power. The zero’th rule in the video is “without power, you affect nothing”.

I’m voting for Kamala, and I’m voting down ballot for any pro-palestine candidate. I want to send the message that in order to get reelected, she will need to change her stance.

When I see people not voting out of protest, they are giving their opposition the influence over their elected officials. Remember, they work for you, and voting is how you let them know what you want.

permalink
report
parent
reply
-4 points

AOC calculations indicate that she supports corporations over the rail union workers.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

And your calculations are you get off of losing and even people who agree with you on almost everything aren’t good enough to stop you from trying to lose more influence.

permalink
report
parent
reply
2 points

If AOC’s too Capitalist for ya I got bad news about 95% of America.

permalink
report
parent
reply
14 points

It is of my opinion that individuals that don’t vote in the upcoming election are complacent to the atrocities occuring.

I feel that this occupation is just repeating every few years since '87.

permalink
report
reply
3 points

You hear that Mexico! You’re complicit!

/s

permalink
report
parent
reply
5 points

No no no. I was told by some terminally online Republicans that everyone in Mexico is voting and that’s the only reason Trump will lose California.

permalink
report
parent
reply
4 points

I pet this complicit kitty that was super cute the other day.

permalink
report
parent
reply
1 point

“If you don’t vote, you vote for the winner.”

permalink
report
parent
reply

politics

!politics@lemmy.world

Create post

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to “Mom! He’s bugging me!” and “I’m not touching you!” Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That’s all the rules!

Civic Links

Register To Vote

Citizenship Resource Center

Congressional Awards Program

Federal Government Agencies

Library of Congress Legislative Resources

The White House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

News

World News

Business News

Political Discussion

Ask Politics

Military News

Global Politics

Moderate Politics

Progressive Politics

UK Politics

Canadian Politics

Australian Politics

New Zealand Politics

Community stats

  • 14K

    Monthly active users

  • 16K

    Posts

  • 446K

    Comments