• Tankiedesantski [he/him]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      42
      ·
      1 year ago

      I’m still a proud leftist, but geez nothing has made me question that stance more than seeing how fervently the tankies deny genocides and defend aggressive warmongering—as long as the country perpetrating it is one that calls itself “communist”, or is a successor to one that used to call itself communist.

      If that were true then we’d all be falling over ourselves to defend Pol Pot instead of calling him a shit and a CIA puppet and not wanting anything to do with him.

    • raven [he/him]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      43
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      You see that’s kind of where the problem is. You can say there’s a genocide and I can say “where” and that gives me the vibe of a genocide denier. I’ve looked for evidence, I’ve asked for evidence, but the best I’ve ever gotten is a satellite image of some prison in China, some (AI padded) mugshots with no context, and some thorough browbeating by very serious liberals.

      Let me put this another way. I’m of Jewish descent. My great aunt was in a camp. I’m not trying to “deny” any genocides, but what should my standard of evidence be? Particularly when there is a clear incentive for western media to create false narratives about their enemies, and have done so before?

      If you have something to present that I haven’t seen, I and the other “tankies” are wide open to engage with it.

        • Brak [they/them, e/em/eir]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          35
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          bud im going to sincerely tell you to re-evaluate this take. i don’t have the time to deconstruct it for ya, but the “uyghur genocide” claims are basically an astroturfed campaign by an evangelical christo-fascist named Adrian Zenz.

          his offensive bullshit got amplified by the US because they’re ramping up for a second cold war with China. there’s a lot you can be critical about with China if you want, but you should base it in reality.

          i believe you’re leftist, you just have a bit more deprogramming to do when it comes to imperialism. that’s the hardest part for a lot of Americans since you’re trapped in the belly of the war beast.

          you already got a lot of the way there by supporting Palestinian liberation. You don’t have to take my word for it either, just dig into some other sources about this topic.

        • OurToothbrush@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          23
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Where is the violent rebellion? If a genocide is happening, the people being genocided always fight back violently. Where is it?

          Oh, the narrative relies on Uyhgurs all being sheep who line up to be killed, huh. Strange how overtly racist that part is given how many “leftists” believe the narrative.

    • Infamousblt [any]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      35
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Horseshoe theory only makes sense if you don’t think about it for even one second.

      So, not surprised it makes total sense to you

      • Zagorath@aussie.zone
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        1 year ago

        Horseshoe theory doesn’t make sense. That’s the thing.

        Until suddenly you start seeing people who call themselves leftists denying genocide. Which is something we usually think of as being a quality of the far-right.

        (The obvious solution here, of course, is that these people who call themselves leftists…aren’t. Because if leftism is about equality, there’s nothing equal about subjecting a people and preventing the continuance of their culture.)

        • 420blazeit69 [he/him]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          30
          ·
          1 year ago

          99% of the time, calling someone a genocide denier is just burden shifting. Genocide is a crime; you have to prove it happened, you can’t simply assert it did and then smear anyone who asks for evidence.

          We have spy satellites that can read a license plates and genocides, by their very nature, leave a lot of evidence. If there were a genocide in Xinjiang we’d have what we see in Palestine: tons of documentation in a wide variety of news outlets about crimes against civilians and actions like UN officials resigning in protest.

        • Infamousblt [any]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          22
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          Where are leftists denying genocide? I’ve never heard a leftist deny a genocide, ever.

          The reason horseshoe theory only makes sense if you don’t think about it is because it is entirely and completely surface level. A good recent example is that both the far left and the far right want to end the country of Isreal. So if you hear someone on the far left say “I don’t think Isreal should exist” and someone on the far right say “I don’t think Isreal should exist”, if you don’t think about it, you would conclude “wow they want the same thing! HORSESHOOOOEEE!!!”

          When the reality is that the right doesn’t want Isreal to exist because they hate Jews and don’t want Jews to exist, and the left doesn’t want Isreal to exist because Isreal is a genocidal apartheid settler colonial state. The left’s viewpoints have nothing to do with the ethnicity of the people who live in Isreal, and the right’s viewpoints have nothing to do with the actions of the country of Isreal. Therefore any actions taken by the right or the left towards their statement of “I don’t think Isreal should exist” would be entirely and completely different. Although they’re saying the same thing on the surface, literally 1 second of thought is all it takes to realize “oh those are actually entirely different things.”

          So if you think a leftist is denying a genocide somewhere and you start crying “MUH HORSESHOE THEORY” it just means you haven’t spent any time thinking about it. I bet if you did think about it you’d learn something.

          • Zagorath@aussie.zone
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            5
            ·
            1 year ago

            Where are leftists denying genocide? I’ve never heard a leftist deny a genocide, ever.

            In Xinjiang province of China. That’s where.

            But of course, if you define “genocide” as “thing that I’m willing to politically accept is a genocide”, it’s very easy to pretend someone isn’t a genocide denialist.

            • StellarTabi [she/her]@hexbear.net
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              23
              ·
              1 year ago

              But of course, if you define “genocide” as “thing that I’m willing to politically accept is a genocide”, it’s very easy to pretend someone isn’t a genocide denialist.

              Aren’t you just doing the opposite [insert whatever logical fallacy]? The Holocaust is established historical fact with strong consensus among historians. Most of the other relevant alleged genocides that alleged tankies are allegedly denying have a much different degree of geopolitical contention and consensus.

              What is the purpose of denying the Holocaust? Outside of the middle-east, it’s almost always a white supremacist or antisemitic agenda.

              What is the purpose of denying the Uyghur genocide? There’s no equivalent incentive. Nobody is denying the Uyghur genocide on the basis of race ideology. The narrative of the Uyghur genocide is purely a construct of NATO Imperialist/Colonialist rhetoric to the tankies. They absolutely do not deny the genocide for the purpose of advancing a genocidal agenda.

              Horseshoe theory does not apply.

              • axont [comrade/them, they/them]@hexbear.net
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                20
                ·
                edit-2
                1 year ago

                Yeah I wanted to see something like this. Every supposed genocide committed by communists, outside of maybe Cambodia, is very contentious among historians at best. The supposed Xinjiang genocide is not regarded as a factual occurrence by half of the world, and the fiercest proponents of an existing genocide are what …the CIA? NATO leadership? The same countries that endorsed the Iraq War? That right there should be enough to raise eyebrows. The lack of meaningful eyewitness testimony or you know, photographs or records should be something else. In 30 seconds I can watch footage of Israeli soldiers commiting war crimes and the only Chinese equivalent videos 've seen look like fairly routine prisoner transfers. Which is not great, don’t get me wrong, but having prisoners or treating prisoners unfairly or with cruelty is not genocide, nor is it some unique quality for a socialist country to have, or countries in general.

            • Infamousblt [any]@hexbear.net
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              23
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              The same people and organizations that talk about that genocide claim that communism and wokeness are causing a white genocide worldwide. Do you believe that too? It’s fine if you do, I’m just curious if you pick and choose what you believe based on literally nothing, or if you’re at least consistent with the propaganda you consume.

              • Zagorath@aussie.zone
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                arrow-down
                4
                ·
                1 year ago

                Oh, I see. I saw someone else make that same comparison just a minute ago.

                I guess this is the new tanky line? Try and discredit the Uyghur genocide by pretending it’s equivalent to bullshit claims about a white genocide? Nice. Clever rhetoric. Shame you seem to have exposed the astroturfy nature of your movement so blatantly with your timing there.

                • Infamousblt [any]@hexbear.net
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  25
                  ·
                  edit-2
                  1 year ago

                  I’m just trying to understand your level of acceptable evidence for what genocide is. If it’s “literally anytime anyone says the word genocide, it is a genocide no questions asked” then that’s fine. If that’s the case then lots of people call lots of things genocide all the time for nonsensical reasons, and by your measure almost everyone is a genocide denier. If it’s “I listen to right wing propaganda when it makes me feel good and confirms my racial biases and ignore it when it doesn’t” that’s fine too and would be a good thing to know about yourself.

                • sharedburdens [she/her, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  22
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  the only thing ‘astroturfy’ is how liberals will roll up acting like they’re ‘the most leftist’ and then try to draw a line where America’s state enemies are categorically evil, rather than just fucking organizing against the real evils happening where we all live.

    • axont [comrade/them, they/them]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      36
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Ok, the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia committed genocide when they were nominally communist at the time. Is that good enough for you? It’s the most noteworthy example I can think of. Actually maybe the Shining Path too, in Peru. I never liked them or their methods.

      The supposed genocide in Xinjiang is not at all the same thing. There’s no open warfare, rebellion, nothing to suggest what western nations are claiming is happening. The only evidence I’ve seen is that prisons exist in Xinjiang, and their prisons are much like prisons anywhere else on the world. All other evidence I’ve seen comes from one specific person, the deluded mind of Adrian Zenz. A man who cannot speak Chinese, has never lived in China, and he’s one guy.

      • Zagorath@aussie.zone
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        1 year ago

        There’s a big difference between being upset at some difference in ideology and looking at people sincerely defending or denying a genocide in the name of that ideological difference.

        • axont [comrade/them, they/them]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          29
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          There was a 2020 statement to the UN, read by a Cuban representative, speaking on the behalf of 45 other countries who were endorsing China’s policy on Xinjiang. Among those countries are Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Belarus, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Palestine (this one is important), and Myanmar.

          These places are completely disparate in terms of geography and state ideology, yet they all came together to very solidly proclaim China’s policy in the region does not constitute genocide. Palestine and Yemen in particular seems very egregious to me, because if anything those should be aware of what an ethnic genocide looks like, and yet they endorsed Cuba’s statements on China. Furthermore, China’s Xinjiang program ended in 2019 as far as I know. This is part of the statement those nations endorsed:

          “China has undertaken a series of measures in response to threats of terrorism and extremism in accordance with the law to safeguard the human rights of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. There was no single terrorist attack in Xinjiang in the last three years. People of all ethnic groups enjoy their happy life in a peaceful and stable environment. China maintains openness and transparency by, among other things, inviting more than 1,000 diplomats, officials of international organizations, journalists, and religious persons to visit Xinjiang who witnessed Xinjiang’s remarkable achievement.”

          At a certain point maybe you need to look in the mirror and ask if it’s yourself who’s clouded by ideology in this matter

          • BeamBrain [he/him]@hexbear.net
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            10
            ·
            1 year ago

            Since you brought up Yemen, it’s interesting to compare Google image results for the Yemen genocide and the alleged Uyghur genocide. Search the former and you get pictures of destroyed towns, columns of refugees, mass graves, and starving people. But Google “Uyghur genocide” and it’s nothing but pictures of protests in Western countries. You would think that the Uyghur people, being much wealthier than the Yemenese and receiving much more attention from Western journalists, would have an easier time getting those pictures out there.

    • HumanBehaviorByBjork [any, undecided]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      29
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Hm, so you’re saying that every political faction “denies genocide and defends aggressive warmongering”? Could it perhaps be that every faction gets accused at one point or another of genocide and aggressive warmongering, and it’s your responsibility as a political person to use your brain to figure out who is lying?

      • Zagorath@aussie.zone
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        3
        ·
        1 year ago

        so you’re saying that every political faction “denies genocide and defends aggressive warmongering”?

        No. Leftists who aren’t tankies don’t.

        • HumanBehaviorByBjork [any, undecided]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          27
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          I’m a leftist who isn’t a tankie. I don’t much care about China and I think the struggle for liberation can only be fought where we are at. I don’t uncritically accept the propaganda and the worldview of the state I seek to destroy at face value. Thus I do not accept claims about “genocide” committed by the US’ main rival without good evidence. Having principles and critical faculties are important to my politics. What about you? What makes you, someone who identifies liberals as “center-left,” significantly different from them? Your conditional support for Palestinian liberation?

          • HumanBehaviorByBjork [any, undecided]@hexbear.net
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            22
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            edit-2
            1 year ago

            like, “such and such country is committing genocide and covering it up!” is a very serious claim! fortunately, it is also very incredible. it’s improbable that mass murder of a population can go almost totally unnoticed except for reports and evidence from sources that are demonstrably untrustworthy. Just knowing who Adrian Zenz is should be making you suspicious unless you’ve completely disabled your bullshit detectors.

          • Zagorath@aussie.zone
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            Thus I do not accept claims about “genocide” committed by the US’ main rival without good evidence

            It’s very easy to say this, because it means you can just reject any evidence to the contrary as “not good” or “biased”.

            Separating children from their parents. Raising them to be assimilated with the majority culture. Clamping down on their expression of their culture. These are all acts of genocide.

            The most untrustworthy source here is the Chinese government themselves. Any report from a country should be treated with scepticism, but none more so than when that country clamps down on the free press.

            We have so many reports out of Xinjiang. Leaks from people in the province itself. Reports from the family of people there. Evidence inferred from satellite imagery and what information is publicly available from the Chinese government. There’s just no denying it. You can choose to pretend China’s doing nothing wrong if you like. I hope you sleep well, knowing you’re defending genocide.

            • raven [he/him]@hexbear.net
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              25
              ·
              1 year ago

              It’s very easy to say this, because it means you can just reject any evidence to the contrary as “not good” or “biased”.

              Accusations of genocide aren’t a fucking game. It’s either happening or it isn’t. Either the evidence is good or the evidence is bad (and all evidence is biased) So give us some good evidence.

              • Zagorath@aussie.zone
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                1 year ago

                What evidence would you accept? Because you act as though you’ve already convinced yourself it’s not real and wouldn’t accept any evidence to the contrary. What, precisely, would convince you that you’re wrong, if firsthand accounts aren’t good enough?

            • HumanBehaviorByBjork [any, undecided]@hexbear.net
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              25
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              “Freedom of the press” is a joke. I can see what our “free press” is doing with the butchery of Gaza. At a certain point you have to accept that your understanding of the facts is not, and has never been unmediated.

              Here is a good starting point if you want to understand the ways this has happened and more critically evaluate it.

          • Zagorath@aussie.zone
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            I’m a leftist who isn’t a tankie

            To be clear. If you call yourself a leftist, and you pretend China isn’t committing genocide, that makes you a tanky. That’s what tankies are: people who claim to be leftists who support violent authoritarian regimes.