Trump knows what he’s doing when he calls his enemies “vermin” in his speeches and online. He’s dehumanizing them. This has happened to my community twice in my lifetime: once during World War II, and again during the pandemic. It is so dangerous, and Trump knows it. He’s preparing his base to do things that you can’t do to other humans, only to subhumans. Be warned. Be vigilant.

@georgetakei To be fair it is no worse than what the left has done to him. They have called him that and worse.

That said I dont particularly mind dehumanizing someone who doesnt act human (compassion towards their fellow man)... So dehumanize away, at worst ill judge you on who you target (as im sure Trump is targeting anyone who doesnt support him it is that aspect that speaks against him for me).

@freemo @georgetakei tolerance and inclusivity isn't just a set of morals, it's also a social contract - Trump and his like aren't entitled to the benefit of compassion and tolerance as he is operating outside that social contract.

@darreninthenet I disagree on the compassion. He is worthy of compassion because without it we are no better than him. He just isnt to be seen as humanized ( a member of society). But compassion should always be universal... Tolarance I agree with you, we dont have to tolerate him.

@freemo @darreninthenet

Freemo is either ignorant or a closet asshole. A number of posts on his page appear to support right wing viewpoints although as subtly as possible.

@RodneyPetersonTalent Oh I have no intention of making it subtle..

I lean left but am decidedly close to center and am more than happy to adopt some right-wing points among my overall left-wing stance.

Points to you though for trying to weapoinize someone having opinions that dont 100% line up wuith yours as if people are trying to hide it, I dont hide it.

@freemo @RodneyPetersonTalent Amazing how choosing your own opinions gets you attacked from both sides, isn't it?

Defining yourself as "right wing" or "left wing" is defining yourself as non-thinking. Both of those positions are self-contradictory and would run off a cliff if given the chance.

Both have some valid points, and a lot of accumulated ideology they have not thought through.

@mike805

Well said... the people who look for even the slightest subtle hint of a thought on the right as an excuse to attack someone or discredit them proves to e they **are** the problem right now, and not the solution. Toxicity at people who are partly on your side does nothing but to weaken the case for your side to anyone who is on the fence.

This person has certainly done more to increase Trump's vote count than I could ever hope to do.

@RodneyPetersonTalent

@freemo @RodneyPetersonTalent Thought policing does seem to be a mostly Left wing phenom. I have read Right side forums and they are much less aggressive about it. They can barely keep blatant trolls out.

Although the Israel/Palestine thing is a humanitarian disaster, the divide within the Left is quite a spectacle. The inability of the Left to admit "their side" did a horrible evil is amazing. Even Greta T is now in trouble over it. Proving she's not really about climate, just wants attention.

@mike805

I think it may be that the right just doesnt put a priority on keeping trolls out. I guess they feel the free speech is too important a principle. As with most things Im a mix of both, im fine with keeping blatant trolls out but generally feel that we should give more leadway to open discussion than censorship without ignoring either.

What is "their side" when it comes to the left? Israel? From what I've seen the conflict has been divided on the left (some strongly in each camp) so the left doesnt have a clear side... The right however seems to be 100% against Muslims (as their religious hatred always seems to take priority) and with either support or indifference regarding Israel. Largely the right just seems happy they are killing muslims meanwhile the left cant make up its mind about iif jews are a whites or not so they cant decide if they are ok to hate or not.... yea its a shit show.

@RodneyPetersonTalent

@freemo @RodneyPetersonTalent The Western Left (with the exception of explicitly Jewish groups) seems pretty anti-Israel right now. And that is driving the Jews out of groups they felt at home in, which may break up the Leftist coalition.

The Left see Israel as colonial occupiers much like the old South Africans. The Holocaust sympathy has pretty much worn off.

Liberal Jewish "tikkun olam" with its "everyone is nice like us" mindset has done as much harm to Israel as to America.