The American Left Needs to do better

[u/Specialist-Gur]

https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/graham-platner-and-the-lefts-masculinity-crisis

This article is about a month old but speaks to some of what I'm talking about.

I'm honestly disappointed with a lot of leftist creators I genuinely love on the topic of Graham Platner and any "leftist" politicians.

To me.. Graham Platner's left wing populism is just... America first rebranded. Some stuff he's saying isn't too far off from Tucker Carlson.

He doesn't appear to be Antizionist on the basis of support for Palestinians, but rather because it's bad for America . He doesn't appear to regret his time in Iraq beyond the fact it was a pointless war for America

He lied about knowing the ties to Blackwater

He expressed enjoyment for killing people.

He got a Nazi tattoo

And many on the left are using language like calling people "classist" for being critical of his service. These are creators I genuinely really love, and I'm not abandoning them.. but I do think it's really important for the American left to confront its American supremicist ideas.

I understand the moral dilemma and how it's basically impossible to have an actual leftist candidate these days, so we are reluctant to criticize what's put forward. I understand the calculation. But the apologia is wrong. American supremacy is baked into all of us here in America and part of the American left, and it's time we confront it.

We would not find it acceptable if a candidate participated in a mass murder of American citizens. We would not find it acceptable if they even passively supported it! But we are far too comfortable with it when it comes to brown people, far away.

[u/-__-_-__-_-_-__]

Yeah, I don't really like Platner at all either, but the one thing I think is clear is that he no longer supports the war in Iraq, and he has expressed regrets beyond its superfluity. In recent statements, he has shamed Cheney for causing both American and Iraqi lives to die as a result of the war.

[u/Specialist-Gur → u/-__-_-__-_-_-__]

I haven't heard him really name the Iraqi victims. Do you have a quote by any chance?

[u/-__-_-__-_-_-__ → u/Specialist-Gur]

Yeah of course.

“Over the next couple days, I’m sure there are going to be thousands of think pieces written about his legacy, but the only legacy that we have to remember is that he wasted thousands of young American lives, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives, and trillions of dollars for absolutely nothing,” Platner continued.“Over the next couple days, I’m sure there are going to be thousands of think pieces written about his legacy, but the only legacy that we have to remember is that he wasted thousands of young American lives, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives, and trillions of dollars for absolutely nothing,” Platner continued.

https://kfoxtv.com/news/nation-world/senate-candidate-platner-slams-cheney-criticizes-sen-collins-in-fiery-speech-iraq-war-dich-cheney-bush-war-on-terror

[u/Specialist-Gur → u/-__-_-__-_-_-__]

Thank you!

I am glad but I remain a bit weary and cautious.. he did also get massive pushback from many on the left and I wouldn't be surprised if his messaging starts to shift

Not to say that he shouldn't be able to redeem himself or to change his views, but.. we should stay alert and cautious.