(Posted in response to a vulgar AI image meme I saw posted on an acquaintance’s feed, depicting Vice President and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris in a shaming way. I will not share nor link the image. <horror emoticon; nausea emoticon>
The person posting this is a middle-aged woman like myself. And is a woman of color. Though I don’t know her well, she definitely comes across as deeply tender and compassionate IRL. When I read further down to a long comment she made, It became clear that she is feeling utterly and completely demoralized and frustrated.
Here is what I commented in response to her post:
First, let me say above all I understand your disillusionment with the establishment party system. I share that disillusionment.
As a deep-green environmentalist (who is often viewed by fellow environmentalists as being too extreme) and left-leaning anarchist (who thinks that the people who are known as “liberals” today are actually just another flavor of conservative), I too do not identify with either of the establishment parties.
And I will always keep working toward a country where we have a real choice.
That said, when I saw this image I felt sick to my stomach. Posting this kind of shaming imagery about another woman is to me an example of the “mean girl” culture. And I know from your comment that you share my aversion to mean girl culture. (I knew that already, as you are such a deeply kind and compassionate individual.)
Not everyone is going to share our politics. And yes, it gets deeply frustrating and demoralizing when both of the establishment parties seem to be two flavors of the same oppression. [Added later to this blog post: I guess I would characterize it is sort of a blend of elitism/classism and authoritarianism.]
But we can’t lose sight of the fact that there are still differences. One party at least is not actively trying to take away all of our rights to our bodies and trying to shut down our right to protest and express ourselves. One party won’t take us further down the path to fascism that we are dangerously sliding into.
The challenge for us everyday people is to always keep working, whoever is in office. To use our voices to oppose war, misogyny, genocide, the carceral system, environmental destruction, everything else that the big political parties and corporations have such a huge vested interest in. We can’t ever stop pushing for the highest good. I am here with you.
Much love to you.
Further Exploration:
• Yesterday I made this TikTok video attempting to explain to fellow lefty anarchists why I am enthusiastically voting for Kamala Harris, a member of an establishment party. I certainly know to expect negative reactions from fellow lefties. As I say in the video, I’m not arguing. By which I mean, I totally get all of the arguments why I should keep voting for who I really want instead of an establishment candidate. It’s that same old same old debate. I have often voted for the “third” candidate. And, I’m not condemning any fellow lefties for choosing not to vote establishment. Again, I totally get it.