this post was submitted on 06 Jan 2025
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Leopards Ate My Face

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Liberals warned me about not breathing air. I didn't believe them- until now.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 2 points 41 minutes ago

"I thought being a collaborator would foster upon me special class that would protect me and make me honorary white. That was proven wrong, and now I'm upset I'm being treated like everyone else"

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 44 points 1 day ago (3 children)

A friend of mine was raised Republican; he'd say, fiscal Republican. He was certain that people without healthcare could just get treated for free for whatever they needed and that POC brought it all on themselves. Generally, he thought that people were nice and good and would take care of each other as long as the people in need weren't miscreants.

Then he met a nice black girl, got married, and had some kids.

Now he's seeing how they're treated differently when they're not together, and how he's treated differently when he's with her.

How family is now all at odds as the grandparents are still in the old camp and aren't sympathetic to his findings and struggles.

The propaganda is hard to work around. They want to believe that there's good and evil in the world and good prevails. It's what their churches tell them. It's not until each one of them individually experiences hardship that they realize that something is off, and they still remain confused as to what's real and what's now.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 9 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

I've got an old high school friend whose family migrated from Taiwan when she was a kid. She was dyed-in-the-wool "China Bad / Communism Bad" and quickly adopted the Texas brand of anti-Communist Republicanism. She got a law degree, joined the Federalist Society, started a practice in the Houston suburbs, and even made inroads within the local Republican Party as a team player.

Then she tried to run for an open judicial seat in her neighborhood, during the Republican Primary. Instantly bombarded with crazy racist attacks. Tarred as a Chinese Communist. Smeared as a Manchurian Candidate. Received a ton of hate mail. Got blasted on in the local radio. Came in a distant third place with pretty much only her local friends and neighbors supporting her, in a crazy low-turnout election.

Democrats came and courted her as a possible candidate on their side, because the Democrats in Fort Bend are far more plural with a big East Asian demographic (but just as "business-friendly" neoliberal). She outright rejected the offer and doubled down with the GOP. Now she's hosting dinner parties with Dinesh D'Souz and Charlie Kirk to fund-raise for the same Trump candidates in her neighborhood that smeared her. She's convinced her turn will come. People in the party keep insisting (quietly and in back rooms) that they do actually support her and a seat will open up for her eventually.

Absolutely fucking crazy. I don't understand it at all.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 1 points 40 minutes ago

they want to believe their evil is good.

and that good in the world is actually evil.

[–] Dkarma@lemmy.world 15 points 5 hours ago

Classic conservative. Doesn't care until it affects them.

[–] dalekcaan@lemm.ee 48 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Liberals Warned Me About MAGA’s Racism. I Didn’t Believe Them—Until ~~Now~~ it affected me, personally

A tale as old as time

[–] whereisk@lemmy.world 4 points 1 hour ago

Let’s just say that deep and systemic thinking is not a conservative voter’s strong point. Every problem is individual and can be solved individually by individuals. Nothing is real until it happens to me.

[–] spirinolas@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Leopards are already stuffed, but the grub is so tasty they'll have just one more bite!

[–] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 2 points 9 hours ago

“It’s just a narcissist, sir. It’s narcissist-thin.”

[–] frayedpickles@lemmy.cafe 1 points 16 hours ago

This source is terrible.

[–] Etterra@discuss.online 40 points 1 day ago

Well then you're an idiot and deserve whatever MAGA does to you. You literally asked them to do it.

[–] Rooty@lemmy.world 50 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

I wish there was a poem about what happens when they start rounding up undesirables while you stand by and do nothing, and then they come for you in the end.

[–] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 points 1 day ago

First they came for the socialists, and I said get those fuckers—because socialist hate America. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I said good riddance —because I am a class traitor. Then they came for the Jews, and I said about time —because I am a piece of shit. Then they came for me—and I was as confused as an lamb to the slaughter.

[–] FilthyHookerSpit@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (1 children)

Funny enough, there actually is. A poem by Martin Niemöller. Full thing is:

"Y'all are dumb

Thought you were part of the in crowd, without a doubt

You fucked around

Now you'll find out"

[–] WanakaTree@lemm.ee 7 points 1 day ago

Ngl had me in the first half

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[–] rayyy@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Feeding time for the leopards.

[–] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 203 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (4 children)

I’ve often thought about that moment—the unnecessary injection of racial anxiety into my otherwise normal school day—when I think about the irony of progressive identity politics. My parents, both born in India but educated in America, would laugh about their well-intentioned but misguided friends who, in their eagerness to ward off the idea of “otherness,” ended up contributing to it.

So the people who knew the country well enough to see what was coming told you what was coming. You ignored them, your parents laughed at them.

But then a few days ago, I opened X to see my feed populated with anti-Indian vitriol—calling the country where my parents were born “filthy” and its people “filthy and undesirable.” Some condemned these comments but many others agreed, and still others criticized the critics for crying racism. But I could see it for what it was: raw bigotry.

Huh.

But now, we must all reckon with an ugly part of the MAGA agenda they did not realize existed.

Everyone who's head wasn't buried in the sand or laughing about "the irony of progressive politics" realized they existed.

And so, if Trump’s win is a revolutionary moment for MAGA, the people who voted for the revolution need to define which MAGA they believe in. Does “making America great again” revive the ideals of this country—or the grievances of a group of “native-born” Americans? If MAGA chooses the latter, those on the left who were dismissed as hysterical for crying racism will be vindicated in the worst way.

Whew, still not getting it I see. MAGA has made that choice already, and it hasn't moved one bit during the time MAGA has existed.

I didn’t want to fracture that pride with the news of an ugly turn in our country’s politics. How do you tell someone the country they’ve loved for 50 years is harboring a growing faction that wishes he’d never come?

I think you can only tell them to pay attention next time and not laugh at those trying to give you a clue.

My grandfather voted for Trump three times. Now, part of that movement is calling immigrants like him ‘filthy.’

Your grandfather empowered them and is part of the problem.

Damn, it's only January and my schadenfreude gland is already getting fatigued.

[–] whereisk@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

he is not anti immigrant he’s only anti illegal immigrant.

You thought “they’re poisoning the blood of our nation” was talking about illegal immigrants only?

Are you stupid or just bigoted against everyone else because you think you are too established to be thought as “other”?

Conservatives be conservatying no matter the skin color - until they come for them.

[–] Snowclone@lemmy.world 1 points 52 minutes ago

Well they lie about this constantly, every republican I've met will tell you 'I have nothing against immigrants'' but all them the details. Visa programs? (Legal immigration) nope, get rid of it. Refugee programs (legal and mandated temporary) That's the dog and cat eating black skinned ones, NO get rid of it! Amnesty seekers (our laws designate and protect them, not every other country, legal) nope that's the caravan of criminals roving free all across the boarder raping white women, kill em all. 'Chain migration' literally legal immigration, the majorly of legal spots to immigrate come from this and it takes UP TO 20 YEARS to get citizenship. Nope we don't need more fucking mesicans end it! There is literally no form of legal immigration they don't HEAVILY attack and hate.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 102 points 2 days ago

Mfw I realize they don’t consider me “one of the good ones”

[–] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 36 points 1 day ago (1 children)

India has its own problems with class/caste and the language that surrounds it. Officially it's no longer in play, but there are knock-on effects.

“filthy and undesirable.”

This already means something in the old caste system, specifically about the lowest "backwards caste" people ("untouchables"). Not to say that everyone involved has old-world bigotry in their hearts, but for those that do, this is likely an especially cutting insult.

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[–] EisFrei@lemmy.world 43 points 1 day ago

"But surely I'm going to be an honorary aryan?!"

[–] watson387@sopuli.xyz 163 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Apparently the writer has barely paid any attention to what's been going on over the last 10 years...

[–] optissima@lemmy.ml 154 points 2 days ago (2 children)

They were, this is classic "It's not racism until they're racist against me" development. It wasn't racist when it was against only Mexicans/blacks tho.

[–] GorGor@startrek.website 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

This was my take as well. They only realized the MAGA folks were racist when they called Indians filthy.

When they were calling mexicans rapists and murders 😴

When they said africa was full of shithole countries 😴

I could go on, but it is kinda exhausting. Coming up next is the working class people when they start getting called white trash. Its coming once they consolidate enough power and dont need them anymore.

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[–] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 day ago

The right being poorly educated isn't a quip; it's a designation. One they can neither accept nor escape.

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But they voted republican with a soft R

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 118 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Her turning point:

But then a few days ago, I opened X to see my feed populated with anti-Indian vitriol—calling the country where my parents were born “filthy” and its people “filthy and undesirable.” Some condemned these comments but many others agreed, and still others criticized the critics for crying racism. But I could see it for what it was: raw bigotry.

Same old story:

My life is filled with immigrants from India and Nigeria and Lebanon and the Dominican Republic—many of whom are definitionally the “working class”—who voted for Trump. They are family members and neighbors, cafe owners who greet me by name, doctors, cleaning ladies, the mailman, my Cape Verdean babysitter-turned-friend of many years. All of them opposed illegal immigration while defending Trump from critics: “He’s not anti-legal immigration, he’s anti-illegal immigration,” they’d said. “I’m pro-legal immigration—make it easier to do it the lawful way,” they’d say.

I will never understand how people can't see it's thinly veiled racism when it comes from the GOP.

[–] TheBat@lemmy.world 75 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I will never understand how people can’t see it’s thinly veiled racism when it comes from the GOP.

They're morons. Wanna bet a lot of them were swayed by anti-abortion or anti-trans rhetoric? If not that then, 'demonrats are going to turn this country communist' propaganda?

[–] Alwaysnownevernotme@lemmy.world 52 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Paying attention is gay, woke, and demonic.

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[–] EndOfLine@lemmy.world 73 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (7 children)

Whaaaaaat? You mean the bigotry and vitriol of the GOP isn't limited to Mexicans, Hatians, Chinese, Guatemalans, Columbians, Cubans, Women, Gays, Transgender, Liberals, Muslims, Jews, Palestinians, Athiests, Americans wanting affordable healthcare, Americans wanting a living wage, Americans wanting affordable housing, Americans wanting renewable clean energy, Americans wanting a clean environment, immigrants, healthcare workers fighting a global pandemic, journalists, hecklers, and generally anybody who does not vote Republican?

Please add any groups that I forgot.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 hours ago

Please add any groups that I forgot.

I think it's faster to list the people who aren't targeted; because it's ever more segregation all the way down. It's one 'other' group after the other, until it's just "rich, white, fat, lazy, male, narcissists who are me."

That poem's last lines should be "and then they came for my wife, but I was born correctly and so I understood. And then we came for me, and I didn't see it coming." Look at how donald turned on his co-conspirators when it came down to it all -- the entirety of othering pares down to narcissism.

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Communists, socialists, the educated, the poor, the homeless, vegetarians, people with hair coloring (except blond)

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[–] edgemaster72@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Don't forget military veterans, especially the ones that got captured and tortured, or sick or disabled as a result of their service. There's also treating Puerto Ricans like they're not part of the US.

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[–] newthrowaway20@lemmy.world 110 points 2 days ago (4 children)

How brave. Going out and broadcasting to the world just how dense you are.

[–] alquicksilver@lemmy.world 87 points 2 days ago

It's more than that, though. It's broadcasting that the writer is also a racist xenophobe because they didn't care until it affected their specific racial demographic.

[–] owenfromcanada@lemmy.world 37 points 1 day ago (1 children)

"Wisdom has been chasing you, but you have managed to outrun it"

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[–] JustZ@lemmy.world 64 points 1 day ago

"But then a few days ago...."

What, you crawled out from under a rock?

[–] GoofSchmoofer@lemmy.world 47 points 1 day ago

How do you tell someone the country they’ve loved for 50 years is harboring a growing faction that wishes he’d never come?

I think these three words in this sentence says a lot about the author. My guess is they felt that America didn't really have a racist population or felt it was small? When in reality it's always been quite large but mostly quite. Where now this population doesn't need to whisper anymore and they are seeing it for the first time.

[–] PDFuego@lemmy.world 57 points 2 days ago

Vivek fucks up recently so the racism against Indians surges, and now this person finally can't ignore it any more. "Oh wow they don't just hate Mexicans, Muslims, Haitians, illegal immigrants, and so on, they hate people like ME too?" And she's so deeply affected that she... doesn't say anything about it to her Trump voting family members for risk of upsetting them. You're a day late and a dollar short, lady. Or a decade late, a decade full of telling people who were warning you the whole time that they're wrong.

Do we just have to wait for the infighting to swallow up all of the token "good ones" one by one then try to pick up the pieces afterwards?

[–] TheBat@lemmy.world 55 points 2 days ago (3 children)
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