For the past few years, I’ve been seeing a rapid increase in liberal rhetoric surrounding secession, and it scares me.
I’m white, engaged to a black woman. We have already gotten pretty overt hostility from racists in our community. When people say shit like that, they’re saying it’s okay to throw me, my fiancee, and tens of millions (including other liberals) to the wolves to win some political points.
It embodies the disregard for human rights we see in the U.S. government. I feel like me and my soon-to-be wife are just props to them. We exist when it’s convenient, but the moment it isn’t, we’re fucked.
I don’t even know how to address it, either. I don’t want my family and anyone who isn’t white or doesn’t have the right religion, skin tone, political beliefs or sexual orientation to live as a second class citizen, but a growing number of “allies” seem to think it’s okay.
Most of us can’t “just leave” like they say, either. That’s too fucking expensive. It’d financially destroy most people if they tried to uproot their lives like that.
That tracks. And to be frank, I don’t know if they’re wrong. Globally, it looks like neoliberalism is crumbling, including in America. The rise of modern fascist movements and the end of democratic pretense in conservative parties is a testament to that fact.
And as bad as liberalism has been, it’s kind of a “devil you know” going up against one that will be even worse. It’s a race to the bottom for us.
But in a sense they’re also dropping the pretense. It isn’t nice but it is good that they are being clear, when pressed, about how little they care about you. When things go sideways their plan has always been to abandon working and marginal people and retreat to their safe enclaves.
You’re right, in a weird, and very uncomfortable way, it’s been liberating to know that libs never gave a shit. It’s the truth, and it hurts, but at least I can plan for it, rather than wait for help that’ll never arrive.
The West Wing is like the neoliberal bible and even there the great victory is “less concessions than expected.”