It seems that there is too much of a generalization here. Your given information about people calling you an alarmist is anecdotal. Where is the data that shows, from what the post is about, that all centralists act this way? I don’t see how being a centralist and being anti-facist can’t be true at the same time.
I fall into centralist territory, but I also believe that tyrrany comes from swinging too far to either side. Once you start moving so far in each direction you begin to have too much government overreach. Whether that comes in the form of dictating what car to drive, what is taught in school, who you can marry, or gender affirmation.
Nobody said it was all centrists, but there’s no such thing as benevolent neutrality when fascists are seizing power. There’s just not.
There’s also no leftist extremism in sufficient numbers to be a threat in the US. In fact, the vast majority of ‘the left’ in the US are actually traditional conservatives.
My anecdote may not be statistically relevant, but if you’ve spent time online in the last seven years, you’ll have encountered similar situations on a near daily basis. Pretty much every city has recently played host to openly Nazi rallies, and that’s because they’re comfortable coming out from under their rocks since one of the major parties accepts and supports them.
Currently in the US, the split is roughly 30% left of centre, 30% right, and 30% either centrist or not paying attention. That’s exactly the same breakdown of society as when the Nazis seized control in Germany. Centrism in the face of fascism helps the fascists succeed. We know this, and it’s part of why historians have been raising alarms.
“In fact, the vast majority of ‘the left’ in the US are actually traditional conservatives.”
There is a lot of truth in this. Years ago I abandoned the Republican party due to the ever growing bigotry towards POC. The caveat is that I cannot fully support the Democrat party with their own intolerance for, what I see as, personal liberties that they themselves are against.
The current political climate no longer allows room for moderate ideology and discourse. This comes from both left and right not being able to recognize their own extremist fringes.
“There’s also no leftist extremism in sufficient numbers to be a threat in the US.”
When COVID hit, the governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, attempted to violate New Mexican civil rights with her proposed policies. She was adamant about restricting travel within the state along with out of state travel. This would have been a death blow for people, like myself, who live in rural areas. My nearest grocery store is in Arizona which would have meant a 2+ drive to a city in New Mexico to purchase goods. Luckily there was a fight put up to prevent this and to allow individualas living in rural area to travel out of state as necessary for goods and medical visits.
Just as Nazi extremists are creating turmoil, we cannot forget the riots that caused the burning of businesses and homes during the riots of 2020. Instead of condemning the riots what did many Liberal politicians do at that time? Were the emotions and voices calling for justice warranted? Absolutely. Was the destruction that ensued afterwards warranted? No.
Recognition and combating of the violence and control that extremists are attempting on the average person is necessary no matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on.
I won’t disagree that the continued presence and surfacing of Nazi groups is alarming and needs to be addressed and resolved. What I can’t say is that this is the only political extreme that is surfacing in the United States.
It seems that there is too much of a generalization here. Your given information about people calling you an alarmist is anecdotal. Where is the data that shows, from what the post is about, that all centralists act this way? I don’t see how being a centralist and being anti-facist can’t be true at the same time.
I fall into centralist territory, but I also believe that tyrrany comes from swinging too far to either side. Once you start moving so far in each direction you begin to have too much government overreach. Whether that comes in the form of dictating what car to drive, what is taught in school, who you can marry, or gender affirmation.
Too much control is too much control, period.
Nobody said it was all centrists, but there’s no such thing as benevolent neutrality when fascists are seizing power. There’s just not.
There’s also no leftist extremism in sufficient numbers to be a threat in the US. In fact, the vast majority of ‘the left’ in the US are actually traditional conservatives.
My anecdote may not be statistically relevant, but if you’ve spent time online in the last seven years, you’ll have encountered similar situations on a near daily basis. Pretty much every city has recently played host to openly Nazi rallies, and that’s because they’re comfortable coming out from under their rocks since one of the major parties accepts and supports them.
Currently in the US, the split is roughly 30% left of centre, 30% right, and 30% either centrist or not paying attention. That’s exactly the same breakdown of society as when the Nazis seized control in Germany. Centrism in the face of fascism helps the fascists succeed. We know this, and it’s part of why historians have been raising alarms.
“In fact, the vast majority of ‘the left’ in the US are actually traditional conservatives.”
There is a lot of truth in this. Years ago I abandoned the Republican party due to the ever growing bigotry towards POC. The caveat is that I cannot fully support the Democrat party with their own intolerance for, what I see as, personal liberties that they themselves are against.
The current political climate no longer allows room for moderate ideology and discourse. This comes from both left and right not being able to recognize their own extremist fringes.
“There’s also no leftist extremism in sufficient numbers to be a threat in the US.”
When COVID hit, the governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, attempted to violate New Mexican civil rights with her proposed policies. She was adamant about restricting travel within the state along with out of state travel. This would have been a death blow for people, like myself, who live in rural areas. My nearest grocery store is in Arizona which would have meant a 2+ drive to a city in New Mexico to purchase goods. Luckily there was a fight put up to prevent this and to allow individualas living in rural area to travel out of state as necessary for goods and medical visits.
Just as Nazi extremists are creating turmoil, we cannot forget the riots that caused the burning of businesses and homes during the riots of 2020. Instead of condemning the riots what did many Liberal politicians do at that time? Were the emotions and voices calling for justice warranted? Absolutely. Was the destruction that ensued afterwards warranted? No.
Recognition and combating of the violence and control that extremists are attempting on the average person is necessary no matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on.
I won’t disagree that the continued presence and surfacing of Nazi groups is alarming and needs to be addressed and resolved. What I can’t say is that this is the only political extreme that is surfacing in the United States.