Articles observing and analyzing the basic mode of domination relying on control through charisma: lies, conspiracy theories, false consciousness, false binaries, historical revisionism, hero worship, scapegoating, dehumanization, and media manipulation.
Denying chemical massacres is a form of cognitive violence against us Syrians who strive for freedom, justice, and democracy. It hinges on a complete disregard for the truth and the lived experiences of communities subjected to political oppression.
The same energy is there today in Russia. There’s a pride in imperialistic, genocidal ambitions, and there is casual, proud use of genocidal language, cheering on the Russian bombs killing civilians and leveling towns.
The Assad regime’s open genocidal policies against its own people are enviable to people on the far right. For people whose politics come from identification with the state, this completely unrestrained killing is the highest form of freedom.
The idea of multipolarity needs to be understood & critiqued. The left cannot abandon anti-authoritarianism and internationalism.
Today, near my building, I saw that my neighbors had painted the “Z” symbol on their cars, this new swastika that marks the Russian military equipment going to attack Ukraine. They’re all in favor of the hellishness, the blood and death, the war. It’s so scary.
The default anti-military position is that when two imperial powers fight each other, you don’t take a side. This position is convenient but it’s not the situation that’s happening. There aren’t two imperialisms here, there’s just one imperialism against the people.
We had a political dissident in Winston Smith. He was an influencer on social media, getting the message out about different tactics than nonviolent protest. You can’t have millions of people getting ideas like that, you know what I’m saying?
The sectarian narrative is often completely false; this messaging of fear is designed to preserve authoritarian regimes in the face of popular protest movements that have nothing to do with sect.
Police and prisons are not the end-all and be-all of white supremacist power. Before the prison was established, before the official uniformed constables were in existence, there was still totalitarian control over blackness. Abolition must encompass critique of the entire settler colony.
No passport, no job title, no class position, no achievement will protect us from constantly being seen as outsiders, as those who do not belong. I don’t have to frequent hookah bars to understand the message of the Hanau terrorist and those who stoked his hatred.
