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RE: https://masto.ai/@rozeboosje/116074589130930308

To the folks in Europe, the problem with the US goes much, MUCH deeper than Trump or the nearly half of the electorate that voted him into office twice. That's too simplistic.

Also, be careful, you're telling on yourself. How so?

The problem, the real substance of the problem, is not just the overt #fascism and criminality of the Trump regime and MAGA. The deeper problem is the white supremacy the US middle class. Along with that, the 2 party system, both parties complicit in decades of criminal violence internally and abroad. Then, #neoliberalism / #global capitalism, the core of which is based in the US.

Your trust of the US has long been a mistake and, worse, you've been a partner in #US criminal misconduct that everyone casually calls "Foreign Policy". #Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Carter... keep going. US foreign policy is rife with grift, violence and war profiteering.

And #Europe has been a partner all along.

1/
#Genocide #War #Iraq #Gaza #NATO

Beardy Star Stuff 🏴🌹🇵🇸

@dennyhenke@social.coop · 2 weeks ago

I've mentioned several times in recent weeks that I'm currently reading Howard Zinn's A People's History and I not only suggest USians read it, those of you in Europe should read it, you seem to have bought the lie of the US as a champion of #Democracy and #HumanRights. It's bullshit. Utter bullshit. The US is complicit in decades of #Imperialism with interventions spanning the globe across every President and both parties fully participating.

Let's be fucking clear, the Democratic party is not an opposition party that speaks for Human Rights, democracy, peace, social justice or anything resembling global fairness. The Democratic Party is a party for capitalism responsible for mass murder in Iraq during the 1990s? Sound extreme? Pay attention. Tell me what you know about Clinton's 8 years of Iraq economic sanctions. How many died during those 8 years.

Central America? Yeah, the Democrats, were complicit. Spin the globe and put your finger down randomly. This is not hyperbole.

Beardy Star Stuff 🏴🌹🇵🇸

@dennyhenke@social.coop · 2 weeks ago

My take-away from that book is that the US government is decade after decade of criminality. What we see with Trump is more of the same and to pretend otherwise is a violation of the truth.

My fellow USians have long turned away from these truths because we're not interested in real equality, justice or democracy. The vast majority of the white middle class of the US have long stood by as passive bystanders to criminality. They don't want to be bothered because they're to busy living their comfortable lives, enjoying the privilege of generational white supremacy. They don't see it or don't want to see it. Maybe a bit of both.

We've got Trump because most here truly don't want to be bothered with the WORK and the RESPONSIBILITY of actually DOING democracy. Most here can barely be bothered to vote. Civic culture here is largely non-existent.

Our inattention and non-participation has consequences. We are now experiencing those consequences.

Beardy Star Stuff 🏴🌹🇵🇸

@dennyhenke@social.coop · 2 weeks ago

Ask any American why they've not been protesting every month of the past 30 years and they'll shrug and ask: Protest what? We're largely ignorant of the crimes committed by "OUR" government.

A "government of and by the people" is a fucking farce and always has been.

The people are busy watching tv, scrolling instagram, shopping or engaged on some other consumer family entertainment... or, working themselves to the bone so they can keep doing those things.

But what they are NOT doing is taking an active interest in the policies and activities of their supposed democratic government.

Confront a USian and ask, why are you not more active politically with protest or attending meetings and they'll shrug and say: I'm just one person, what can I do? Then they'll look back at their phone and scroll.

We've got decades of culture based on passive consumerism, not a culture of active citizenship. I've observed it my whole life and have no doubt it began long before.

Beardy Star Stuff 🏴🌹🇵🇸

@dennyhenke@social.coop · 2 weeks ago

So when I hear liberals in the US bitching about "the left" and loudly proclaiming they caused Trump or that the only way forward is to vote and campaign for Democrats I say this: Pull your head out of your capitalist militaristic party's conservative ass.

When I hear mainstream white middle class folk mock activists for their activism I want to offer you a hearty go fuck yourself.

EVERY. AMERICAN. SHOULD. BE. AN. ACTIVIST.

The job of democracy is not half-assed voting every 2 or 4 years.

Americans give up before they even try because they have learned to be helpless. It's convenient.

What can I do, I'm just one person.
I can't change the system.
I can't.
I can't.

Fuck you, how about you actually try?

So, folks, stop blaming Trump. This is a deep, decades-old cultural and systemic problem in the US. There is no band-aid. Get it out of our heads that any series of elections will fix this problem.

We've got a long, long way to go and we've not even begun to try.

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