Am I a Liberal?
What Political Stance Do I support
Many people online assume I’m a liberal.
The American political understanding is so underdeveloped, especially within its conservative wing that folks on the right assume that those who disagree with them have to be “liberals” or “democrats”.
I mean… I criticize Trump, I talk shit about billionaires, and I stand up for marginalized communities.
However, just because I check off the Trump fan’s liberal bingo does not mean I am a liberal or Democrat.
At the same time… I think it’s important to be transparent as many people who follow me probably identify as liberal or with the Democratic Party.
We don’t build mass movements based on deception; we base them on transparency and integrity, in my view.
No I am not a liberal. I am extremely critical of liberalism.
P.S. This is for my liberal friends and followers to read this entire article through and not dismiss it. If you disagree with me that’s understandable, but we can chat about it after you read this whole article. Keep in mind this article is entirely my opinion and my views as I am writing this.
So what is your political ideology?
I’m not going to lie I am still exploring my political identity so I tend to avoid labels.
All I know is that unlike liberals I am anti-capitalist and am for dismantling the system as it is to start something new. A lot of my ideas are also rooted in the black radical tradition.
The general label I like to use is “leftist” as it encapsulates many left-wing political ideas and analyses without necessarily committing to one.
While the term leftist can include Marxist, socialist, anarchist, and other forms of left-wing political thought it’s not necessarily exclusive to any particular camp.
Even as a self-described leftist, I try to avoid beating on liberals or Democrats as others online might do.
This is probably why I’m often labeled as being a “liberal” on top of many other reasons.
Nevertheless, unlike many leftists, I don’t attack liberals as much because I think differently about current events.
What do I mean by that?
The Enemy of My Enemy
Liberals (in the American context) are the enemy of the Republican Party in the United States. Liberals are the enemy of fascism.
Liberals are more open to questioning systems, more willing to take the concerns of marginalized communities seriously, and are more able to take on the perspectives of other people from my experience.
Liberals in this case with the election of Trump aren’t my enemies unlike how many other leftists might see it. Liberals can be powerful allies as they’re more likely to think through left thought outside of liberalism.
I also think we need to be more critical of systems rather than people. Yes people, this can include liberals, have said and done awful shit. But I believe a lot of this comes from the systems in place rather than individual bad actors.
I am critical of liberalism for various reasons as a political ideology and system, but I am more accepting of liberals as individuals.
Liberals are the enemy of my enemy. Liberals can be part of mass movements to fundamentally change our society.
It’s much easier to push liberals further left and to seriously consider left-wing political thought in its entirety than it is to make a fascist take liberalism seriously. This is all my opinion, of course, feel free to disagree.
What Does This Mean?
What are my intentions with my pages and social media?
I’ll lay out my intentions like this…
Everyone within the left political spectrum (however you want to define that) has a common enemy… Trump and the rise of fascism.
Building solidarity with liberals makes sense for further educating others on the issue of fascism.
Ideally, I want liberals to move further left. I want liberals to question the Democratic Party, capitalism, Western imperialism, and the utilization of identity politics in the absence of material progress.
Liberals represent millions of Americans. Leftists should aim to tap into mass movements by building solidarity with liberals on important issues.
I know quite a few leftists, even some of whom who follow me, would highly disagree with building solidarity with Liberals but it is at this time that mass movement is the only way out from Trump’s America.
We have to put aside our differences and collaborate against a common threat. This does not mean leftists will be any less critical of liberalism and its role in the rise of fascism.
Nevertheless, we need to stop the online battles that distract us from taking action in our communities, organizing, and educating other people. We get so hooked on these online battles that we miss out on the bigger picture.