cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/60070513
This is something I always get in arguments about, whenever I use the word tankie hexbear and grad users argue that its just a term for socialists.
I’ve always just used it to referr to authoritarian communists, i.e, people who unironically support modern russia, and/or oppose ukraine, and think nothing happened to the uyghurs.
I use it specifically for communists and socialists that lean too much on figures and less so on ideas. Specifically figures that use authoritarianism to achieve their position. No matter how you paint things, I will never agree with the idea of work/re-education camps. If you can look at that and be okay with it, I’m curious what mental gymnastics were required to get there.
For the record, I’m a socialist but I look forward not backwards. We can achieve these things without having to use authoritarian tactics.
Nice instance.