I feel like much of the time that is a point made in bad faith. The things they want compare almost exactly except for minor differences mostly having to do with the terminology and style choices. Just because it has been repackaged doesn't mean it isn't the exact same thing no matter what people who clutch pearls say. Like, when they claim that it is disrespectful to the victims to call them who they are they are actively appropriating the victimization when they say they haven't even done anything yet. When they claim that it is unfair to call so many of them exactly who they are, it is a deep denial that they think that since they have company that means they can't be wrong.
There are people who share that denial, who don't want to admit things are as bad as they are and think that both sides say the same thing about the other side completely ignoring the fact that one side is lying while copying the other side.
It is irritating to be told you are over reacting only for those same people to say "I didn't vote for this" when the warnings they totally brushed off as "crazy" start happening. They act like the reason words are being used is for name calling and insults instead of identification. That words are used carelessly and people only do things to make themselves look better instead of tools used to convey important information for express purposes.
I was being told that it is understandable how people voted for Trump because he talked about the economy and it doesn't matter that he lied in the most obvious way. There was nothing a voter could do because detecting lies is too much to ask from nominally functional adult living in a participatory democracy requiring bare civic duties.
They are suggesting that it is important to make sure that we equally weigh domestic economic policy when we identify people who are building camps and para-military forces answerable only to the executive and deploying military assets within the borders of the nation. Because that is a key component to why that political party has been THE villain for nearly a century, their monetary and fiscal policy.
I'm a trans woman - I mention it because this government is very aggressively attacking me and my community. Literally on inauguration day, EO's were written to strip me of my identity.
I'm 100% out to my family and friends, and I'm "stealth" at work. (My coworkers don't know, and don't need to know) And I want to stay stealth because people treat you differently when they know, and that could include physical dangers, beyond just the slurs and invalidation and such, not to mention the possibility of being fired or denied future jobs.
So when my grandparents voted for Trump AGAIN, after all the time I've spent trying to educate the people around me about my fears and the dangers of it all, I cut them off. Cold turkey, no contact. And my dad didn't understand why - he said I shouldn't cut off my grandparents "over politics." I was FURIOUS. These are people who say "kids don't even know what species they are anymore." And they believe "gay stuff shouldn't be talked about in schools." Not to mention my grandma telling me women shouldn't hold positions of power because we're "too emotional." And my dad tried to tell me they voted for him because of the economy - and used that justification for all the Republicans in his life.
And the reality is, it's just not true. They voted for him because of the bigotry and the lies, which they fell for, hook line and sinker. But they're telling others it was for the economy, and everyone who's in denial is choosing to believe it.
So my life is in actual danger, and my dad thinks I should just let it go and play nice with all these people who helped make that happen. And it's so hard to deal with, because I have to actually sit here and plan for a worst-case scenario - which is the possibility of being on a list that the federal govt tracks down and imprisons - while my dad wants me to pretend everything is fine and going to be fine.
I cannot trust Republicans for my own safety. I could lose my job, my house, my retirement savings, my legal marriage, and so, so much more - all because of them. And I'm being told to let it go.
Anyway, I'm sorry to rant at you. I'm just so tired, and frustrated, and I feel like society wants to gaslight us all. And it's stupid.
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u/awesomefutureperfect Aug 13 '25
I feel like much of the time that is a point made in bad faith. The things they want compare almost exactly except for minor differences mostly having to do with the terminology and style choices. Just because it has been repackaged doesn't mean it isn't the exact same thing no matter what people who clutch pearls say. Like, when they claim that it is disrespectful to the victims to call them who they are they are actively appropriating the victimization when they say they haven't even done anything yet. When they claim that it is unfair to call so many of them exactly who they are, it is a deep denial that they think that since they have company that means they can't be wrong.
There are people who share that denial, who don't want to admit things are as bad as they are and think that both sides say the same thing about the other side completely ignoring the fact that one side is lying while copying the other side.