MeowZedong @ MeowZedong @lemmygrad.ml

(Any/Comrade, Tankie for the unserious)

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2 yr. ago

Please explain to me how it works then.

True, but you can also see that I clarified my statement in better detail after initially wording it poorly. You got me, I guess I'll go rethink my entire worldview now.

I agree with you on both points, but that is not the argument that I was making. If you need some more context, Here's just one of the many additional comments I left in this thread explaining my position.

FYI, citing the fact that the meme originated in China does not negate how it is used by others after the fact. It's like arguing that when neonazis use the swastika, it's ok because its actual origins are as an ancient religious symbol. The meanings of things can change and be used for reasons other than their original intention.

I'm not saying the meme is racist, I'm saying that it's being used in a racist way here, specifically in the form of Sinophobia.

There's plenty of more recent examples, but I'm not going to go to the effort to dig up more in a conversation where the majority of the replies I get boil down to "nuh-uh, I saw different online stupid tankie."

If 2006 is the year that you landed on, I'll again point you to the two specific names I dropped, Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, both of whom experienced this with the US and allies more recently.

Do you see why I wouldn't bother putting the effort into finding a better source? The low effort replies and baseless personal attacks are all over this thread. Even the people I gave the benefit of the doubt to while replying didn't reply in good faith.

What do you feel like you've added to the conversation by trying to personally attack me? Does it feel good to attack someone behind the protection of anonymity? I wonder, if we did meet face-to-face, would you have the courage and strength of character to engage with me in a conversation as a fellow human worthy of respect despite our differences in belief or would you still hide behind weak, uninspiring insults as you have here?

Ah, the context of how you meant my username is ironic wasn't clear.

Why do you think the CPC takes the influence of culture so seriously? Of course they are aware how culture can influence a revolution.

Not sure if that was meant as a gotcha? I thought it was obvious given the conversation so I assumed you meant my username was racist. My bad.

Again, read between the lines.

I'm a communist who likes cats and puns. If you can make a compelling argument for how celebrating Mao in the form of a cat pun has a basis in racism and the historical oppression of a people, I'm ready to change it.

The origin of the meme is not what I have issue with. The issue is with its use in Western countries and the history of how these countries stoke sinophobia. Criticism rooted in racism spills over into the mistreatment of people from the country that is the source of that racist sentiment in addition to foreigners.

If you aren't familiar with the history of racism, go read up on it.

Read between the lines.

Culture has an impact on politics and can be the spark for sudden and violent political upheaval.

I think you misinterpreted part of what I'm saying. The use of the meme in Taiwan and Hong Kong were political dissent, not racism.

The use of the meme in NATO countries is racist due to their history of racism and because this is one of the tools these governments use to convince you that China is your enemy and you should support military actions against them before their military becomes stronger than that of the US and they lose their monopoly on international power and subsequently their power to bully the rest of the world.

Before you dismiss this argument by saying it's just because Xi doesn't like the meme, where did you get this information? From what I've seen the Chinese government has not responded and the reasoning behind the ban is purely speculative. Sure, I believe they banned the comparison as it was the basis of geopolitical dissent, but to claim it's because a world leader who gets insulted frequently and in worse ways has thin skin is a stretch. He has bigger worries than Westerners tweeting at him.

If you want a tool to fight the power of dictators, you'd be better served focusing on organizing the citizens of your own country against the powers that work against their interests at home. They point you toward foreign leaders and say "look, they're worse" so you won't criticize the shit job your own "representatives" are doing at home.

Projecting much? Care to explain how it isn't racist or damaging with an argument other than "nuh-uh"?

The US arrests journalists for not revealing their sources that are damaging towards the US government. I wonder why they want to know those sources so badly? Maybe Julian Assange or Edward Snowden.

Not from the US? That's ok!

Plenty of European countries also have laws on the books to deal with you harassing government officials. I'm not even going to bother going into the topic of how these same governments quiet the dissent of socialists to this day. Turns out, if they feel like your criticism is damaging enough, they CAN haul you off to fucking prison.

Say it louder and I'm sure that will make it true. YOU ARE FREE!

Right, because if you allow racist tropes a little bit of leeway they won't become normalized and propagate over time.

How has voting in your bastion of democracy been working out for you? Did you get to vote to go to war? It's not like your leaders are any less authoritarian.

Taiwan is where the former Republic of China retreated after being defeated by the People's Republic of China. The censorship of Xi=Pooh in China isn't rooted in racism, it's rooted in the political conflicts between the ROC and PRC. China censors these comparisons because they are used by opponents to attack the government. You don't have to agree with their methods to understand why they would want to do this. Censoring realistic threats to the ruling government is a common practice in all nations.

The racist aspect originates from how the meme is used in Western circles where there is a long history of racism towards minorities and the enemies of the US as well as a long history of sinophobia.

If your understanding of history, racism, and their opinions of Trump are so shallow, maybe lurking Lemmygrad to learn why users from this instance act so aggressively towards racism and war-mongering propaganda would be helpful.

Dehumanizing people through racism is a well established method the US has historically used when manufacturing consent to go to war among its people. Look at depictions of Germans and Japanese in WWII. Look at depictions of Koreans, the Vietnamese, Afghans, and Iraqis during the invasions of their countries.

Just because its origins weren't racist doesn't mean it hasn't taken on a racist meaning. Sinophobia is rooted in racism and ignorance.

There's a big difference here.

Is Trump's skin naturally orange? Is there a long history of oppressing white people in the US and other NATO countries?

Just because the Winnie the Pooh meme didn't originate as a racist symbol doesn't mean that it isn't used to propagate racism and sinophobia.

Said like someone who wants to maintain the integrity of their horrible, brainwashed echo chamber.

Right, because the meme about a Chinese man being a yellow bear isn't racist.

The Winnie the Pooh meme about Xi is just racism. I don't care if you think he's a dictator.

Why is that? Is it because you think it's funny that Winnie the Pooh is yellow and Xi is Chinese? Racism is so funny!!!

Probably the antiracists. You should wonder if you're on the right side when you are promoting and supporting racism.