Seems people’s first instinct to this kind of criticism is to say “but what about the US?” Ineffective because many people who say this already know the US is bad. So instead I’ll say; I have queer friends in Russia. Queerphobia is horrendous, backwards, and not to be brushed off. Thus I deeply resent the US for forcing me to side with reactionaries against it. The US is that much of a threat to the planet.
Granted “side with” is doing heavy lifting. I can do the “critical” but I’m not sure how to do the “support” beyond simply voicing my opinions.
Whatever the case, though queerphobia is a tendency rightfully associated with fascists, that alone is not sufficient for fascism.
Queerphobia is horrendous, backwards, and not to be brushed off. Thus I deeply resent the US for forcing me to side with reactionaries against it. The US is that much of a threat to the planet.
Also, it is important to highlight that Russia; along with China, the Palestinian resistance and Iran; were victims of the dialectical baiting made by the US. I wrote a post about it going into detail what is the dialectical bait:
In this other comment, I added two emails of Epstein and his russian collaborator where they stated that they wanted to use this State Duma legislator that has support with the LGTB community.
Treatment of [Internationally Marginalized Communities] living in this one country, that proves that they are Fascist? This is a bad standard to set. Fascism is not merely reactionary social heirarchy, if we think along this line then we have to also accept that practically every non socially progressive society is Fascist, which would be most of them today.
Why do you assume that if I’m criticizing an anti-imperialist country for something then that must mean I think everything in the imperial core is all fine and dandy? You can support a nation in their struggle to defend themselves without whitewashing their shortcomings.
Because they aren’t “fascist” as another user said. They are still an anti-imperialist country with backwards/regressive social policies (quite literally regressive from the USSR). They aren’t even a “fascist” state in the traditional sense, as much as Putin holds power there are significant opposition parties that face typical capitalist prosecution and compete with capitalist interests. Yes, heavy prosecution exists but aren’t totally eliminated as you would see in a nationalist or national socialist regime. Imperialism is fascism; their LGBTQ rights are regressive but compare the incarceration numbers in America alone to Russia.
What point are you trying to illustrate by pointing out their regressive social policies?
We use and live the term critical support around here. You can support a party/nation/group for their fight against, say, the primary global contradiction of imperialism and fascism, while being critical of other behaviours or contradictions, say capitalist organization of the economy or treatment of minority groups.
As Marx defined it? (stalemate between bourgeoisie and proletariat, state not fully controlled by either, capitalist property relations intact?) Yeah, that seems like a more accurate description of Russia’s present state.
There is no stalemate between proletariat and bourgeoisie, what are you smoking. Russian proletariat has no political power whatsoever, same as in other capitalist countries. Putin reigned in the oligarchs to some extent purely to end the selling out of Russia to the west, if anything he transformed comprador bourgeoisie into national bourgeoisie. This is a lesser evil compared to continued looting of the country like under Yeltsin, but it does not empower proletariat politically.
Tell that to the LGBT people there…
There is more to fascism than queerphobia.
Seems people’s first instinct to this kind of criticism is to say “but what about the US?” Ineffective because many people who say this already know the US is bad. So instead I’ll say; I have queer friends in Russia. Queerphobia is horrendous, backwards, and not to be brushed off. Thus I deeply resent the US for forcing me to side with reactionaries against it. The US is that much of a threat to the planet.
Granted “side with” is doing heavy lifting. I can do the “critical” but I’m not sure how to do the “support” beyond simply voicing my opinions.
Whatever the case, though queerphobia is a tendency rightfully associated with fascists, that alone is not sufficient for fascism.
Also, it is important to highlight that Russia; along with China, the Palestinian resistance and Iran; were victims of the dialectical baiting made by the US. I wrote a post about it going into detail what is the dialectical bait:
In this other comment, I added two emails of Epstein and his russian collaborator where they stated that they wanted to use this State Duma legislator that has support with the LGTB community.
Treatment of [Internationally Marginalized Communities] living in this one country, that proves that they are Fascist? This is a bad standard to set. Fascism is not merely reactionary social heirarchy, if we think along this line then we have to also accept that practically every non socially progressive society is Fascist, which would be most of them today.
tell that to trans people in America. Women too. Anyone of color and especially south of the border.
Why do you assume that if I’m criticizing an anti-imperialist country for something then that must mean I think everything in the imperial core is all fine and dandy? You can support a nation in their struggle to defend themselves without whitewashing their shortcomings.
Because they aren’t “fascist” as another user said. They are still an anti-imperialist country with backwards/regressive social policies (quite literally regressive from the USSR). They aren’t even a “fascist” state in the traditional sense, as much as Putin holds power there are significant opposition parties that face typical capitalist prosecution and compete with capitalist interests. Yes, heavy prosecution exists but aren’t totally eliminated as you would see in a nationalist or national socialist regime. Imperialism is fascism; their LGBTQ rights are regressive but compare the incarceration numbers in America alone to Russia.
What point are you trying to illustrate by pointing out their regressive social policies?
I got the impression from OP that Russia was above reproach and were entitled to uncritical support. This was mostly a knee-jerk response…
We use and live the term critical support around here. You can support a party/nation/group for their fight against, say, the primary global contradiction of imperialism and fascism, while being critical of other behaviours or contradictions, say capitalist organization of the economy or treatment of minority groups.
yeah, those russkies should learn of the US about treating their LGBT community!
It’s Bonapartist. Not fascist.
As Marx defined it? (stalemate between bourgeoisie and proletariat, state not fully controlled by either, capitalist property relations intact?) Yeah, that seems like a more accurate description of Russia’s present state.
There is no stalemate between proletariat and bourgeoisie, what are you smoking. Russian proletariat has no political power whatsoever, same as in other capitalist countries. Putin reigned in the oligarchs to some extent purely to end the selling out of Russia to the west, if anything he transformed comprador bourgeoisie into national bourgeoisie. This is a lesser evil compared to continued looting of the country like under Yeltsin, but it does not empower proletariat politically.