I’m not banned yet because the admin’s at least a bit sympathetic, but I sure as hell don’t think 90% of the group’s gonna want to speak to me after this. I told them I’m voting and campaigning for a 3rd party candidate who is anti-Israel and pro-trans and explained that I could not in good conscience vote for Biden after his blatant and willing complicity in genocide. Here are some of the arguments I encountered in response to that:

  • “Not voting for Biden makes it easier for Trump to win, and Trump will genocide trans people in addition to Palestinians. Therefore anything you do supports genocide, so you might as well support less genocide.”
  • “Your trans friends will all know that you’re functionally anti-trans.” (I’m sure this would be a shock to my trans friends in my org, all of whom have made it clear they will also not vote for Biden)
  • “Trump would genocide Palestinians even harder.”
  • “Biden wants to stop the genocide, but the Republicans won’t let him.”

Some choice quotes:

Have pride in your self centeredness, I guess.

Choosing someone who you know cannot win, especially as they’re not the chosen candidate, is only symbolically different than choosing apathy.

It’s just objectively how it works in this system. There is no non vote.

And it is most depressing your friends here at home are not important enough to check one box for.

And this:

[The Palestinian] genocide is going to happen regardless of the two. But the one that’s happening here, that one can be stopped. And you refuse to do anything about it because you think you’re so much better.

You’re right about one thing, though. I do think I’m better than people who give their endorsement to running over Palestinian children with tanks.

And I’m better than people that choose two genocides at once, I guess. If we’re ranking each other. I’d laugh if it wasn’t stupid.

  • AfterthoughtC - he/ him@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    5 months ago

    A thought experiment that came to my head: Say in an alternate timeline Biden is more or less the same or ‘okay’ on other issues but the ‘single issue’ is something else. The Israel-Palestine war either does not happen during his term or he gives a way more convincing 'anti-'genocide response. Instead he is either super pro-life or super transphobic. If the former alternate Biden actively works with republicans to pass bills to restrict abortion access and calls pro-choice protestors who get beaten up pro-baby murder. If the latter alternate Biden actively works with republicans to pass bills to criminalise trans people, calls trans-supportive parents and teachers child molestors and claims Rowling etc. are victims of cancel culture. How would liberals justify this as the lesser evil?

    • FunkyStuff [he/him]@hexbear.net
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      5 months ago

      We more or less already live in that reality since Biden has done nothing to combat states banning abortion or going after trans people. Libs cope by pretending it’s not happening and Biden is actually a progressive.