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Dear Americans,
I know there are some of you that are still good people, but the polls show that over 80% of Republicans and 30% of Independents (edit.. Fixed this) support this President. Overall is about 40%. Fucking two in five. This is fucking insane.
Know this: If you invade Mexico, it will very likely be WW3. If you invade Greenland it most certainly will be. Everyone that I know in Canada is preparing.
If you are a good American, you are at a turning point RIGHT NOW. You may be past the point where protest matters. Maybe a general strike is the next step. And maybe that cherished 2A, which you've paid for in the blood of dead children, needs to be exercised. The point wasn't just to look cool shooting your guns. You know what the purpose of the 2A is, and it's ugly and it's hard.
I'm telling you as a Canadian that if you talk about it and deliberate it, and talk about how people are acting and talk about how people are talking about it, you're wasting precious time. You need to ACT and you need to ACT NOW. I'm sorry, but it has to be you guys. You have friends and support in other countries, but YOU are the ones that need to lead it.
Edit. Looks like I upset some Americans. That's really unfortunate for you. If you think you didn't ask for this, think about how I feel in another country. You have the means to upset things, I do not. Take some responsibility.
Edit 2. To all of the good hearted and suffering Americans who read this, I want to pull back a bit. I know there are good people, I have family and friends in the US. In my defense there is a lot happening very quickly, and the potential for actual, existential impact to me and my family is becoming real enough that I've started a trigger based prep plan and have started reconnecting with my CAF contacts. In the last few days this has ratcheted up to a new level. I'm really fucking angry. I'm angry at everyone. I'm angry that I couldn't give my kids a future in a better world than I had. Yes I'm angry at you but not at you in particular. In fact I want you to have courage and strength because I realize what you face is also an existential threat. I want you to succeed. I need you to succeed. Please look past my anger and realize that you do have people around the world who will rise up and support you, who will fuel the fire. But we can't light it. That's all on you guys.
You are talking sense.
US liberals REALLY don't like that. The mere suggestion that their good intentions mean fuck all will turn them into rabid MAGA-level ad hominem shitheads real quick. They REALLY don't like being reminded that they're a bunch of goddamn cowards who care far more about maintaining their lifestyles than they do about their country.
What fire will we light? What will we do? Prisoner dilemma is in full effect. There are hundreds of millions of Americans spread over billions of acres of land. This isn't like getting past the tipping point of protesters in a few major cities, as would happen in Europe. This would require a movement the likes of which the world has never, ever seen in all of recorded history. And we've been purposefully divided for generations now, to avoid such a thing. Bread and circuses.
Lemmy is the real place people are huffing their own farts. People imagine, in leftist bubbles like this, that Average Joe down on Main Street USA believes some of the same. They don't. I'm in a gayborhood full of progressives, exactly where you'd expect to see movements coalesce. Everyone is trying to get through their day, still. Because no matter what any one of them do, 300 million Americans will continue doing their thing. Their rent and mortgage won't get cancelled because of this. Their kids schools won't suddenly become free, their groceries won't suddenly buy themselves.
I really encourage people to study game theory and understand the reasons underneath it that nothing will continue to happen, no matter how many impassioned speeches they type out on a forum. I really encourage people to go speak to non-leftist Americans, who are the majority.
I'm in a capitol city in the US, an today we had about 10 people on an overpass, holding up "fuck trump" signs and big banners that said - nothing about Venezuela or Greenland. They were Jan 6 banners. And not a single mind was changed towards our side. If anything it probably peeled a few more folks off our side, thinking "wow they look pathetic, everyone else has moved on, there's less than a dozen of them." We stopped realizing how we're perceived by the others here.
And let's talk about that. Jan 6 was the most troubling day our democracy has EVER FACED. I watched it unfold live, thinking, "surely this will be what breaks the maga coalition." You know what happened? Maga got stronger. They were emboldened. It was normalized for Gen Z, they think this is just politics as usual. And look how they voted in 2024.
Venezuela and Greenland are likely building his strength. Americans are idiots, they love strongmen, even if they're illusory. Surely that should be obvious to everyone by now. People associate the military's strength and legacy with Trump whenever he uses them. A lot of folks have hardons thinking about how our forces dropped from the sky and yanked a world leader out of his secure base in just 140 minutes. They think, wow look at us go! We're so strong, god bless the troops.
Yes, this is more or less what I've been telling people for almost a year now.
For all the doom and gloom stories you see about the US, life has changed very little for most of us. Your average American is living their life as usual, focused on one day at a time. As long as we're not hungry and don't fear for our physical safety, there's little that would compel us to risk imprisonment or deportation to oppose this regime. Those in power ensure that life is just comfortable enough for most of us that we don't dare disrupt the status quo. Even for those that oppose Trump/MAGA, the vast majority won't do anything more than attend a Saturday afternoon protest once or twice a year and then pat themselves on the back.
Conservatives have been wildly successful for generations at defunding and dismantling public schooling in this country. Our news media has been dumbed down by the likes of Fox News and relentless disinformation campaigns to the point where the news is more entertainment and propaganda than actual reporting. The result of poor schooling and a propagandized news media is that many Americans aren't able to distinguish between fact and opinion and they'll believe anything at face value. That's the abridged version of how we ended up with so many dumbasses that consistently vote against their own interests, if they vote at all.
The Americans you meet on Lemmy and Reddit aren't the norm. Most Americans are very poorly informed about world events and not curious enough to educate themselves. I would bet most Americans never had a single thought about Greenland or Venezuela until the last year or so. My MAGA neighbors don't care what happens in your European country and they almost certainly couldn't find it on a map.
You all need to stop waiting for Americans to rise up and save ourselves. I promise it's not going to happen. Cut your losses and build up your militaries. Even if we all get lucky and MAGA implodes, our electorate is stupid enough that it's only a matter of time before we'll vote in equally terrible leadership.
All those words, just to justify defeatism and despair.
I sure hope there are some Americans with some fight in them. All I've heard for the last 50y is how tough and patriotic Americans are. This is the time to prove it.
Most people only know what propaganda they have been fed. Here you are trying to divide us just like the wealthy have.
The US controls the world, nothing is going to happen.
We were at the turning point during the revolutionary war. The wealthy won, convinced the colonist to turn on each other and created a government hell bent on death and destruction.
The purpose of the 2nd amendment is to make corporations and their shareholders wealthy. The historical purpose was lost long ago.
We need to act for sure, but it is clear you have no idea what to do. Reactionary violence is not going to solve this problem.
I am from the US and you didn't make me upset at all. In fact, this was a pretty poor showing. Keep it up though. You have so much more to learn.
I will even give you some more. You live in a nation controlled by corporations. Be the shining light to the rest of the world. Take back your rights, eliminate the wealth gap, and create a government that resists corruption instead of embracing it.
Big surprise to hear patronizing condescension from an American. You've been huffing your own farts so long you don't even realize the limits of hard power.
Every empire falls and you dipshits are speed running the collapse. You lasted barely 250 years, actually pretty average, solidly middle of the pack. Maybe you stumble along shitting your pants for another 50y at most, but you've destroyed any goodwill or trust with the world, you showed your whole ass, and now the knives are out. It's all downhill from here. When people in my country are ready to ally with China, you just know you've lost the plot.
Get used to being ridiculed a lot more, and get used to actually being held to account for your spending and your actions. It will get worse from here. You've been given a free ride, but your exalted position is, at the base, provided to you by agreement with the rest of the world.
You think your shit don't stink, and you think you don't need friends. It does and you do. But this wouldn't be the first time friends and allies have tried to offer you advice, and it sure as shit ain't the first time you arrogant pricks dismissed it as irrelevant in your high presence.
My country has bled for you, we took in planes of people during 9/11, we send fire fighters during forest fire season, we sell you key resources on the cheap and we geared our economy towards not only an alliance but an assumed friendship. My family even went down to help after Katrina. You self-important pricks have never done anything like this for us, all you've done is bullied or ridiculed us.
By the way, I'm absolutely of the opinion that the wealth divide and wealth inequality is the main driver of all of this. But what I'm describing above existed and exists outside of that. And the state that we exist in now just is a state where half of the US supports all of this. I'm capable of acknowledging how the problem arose, and how the division and contempt was created, but it doesn't mean I'm compelled to ignore it or forgive it. And all of this does not absolve you of the responsibility to stop your country from destroying the world.
Looks like you got nothing but insults. A complete failure.
Please grow up, your not convincing me of anything. Go pray to your corporate overlords.
You don't even know how to ridicule. You are like a child that just learned that word. You think you are the first person to wish the US to fail!? Do you have any idea the millions who begged for this that are already dead.
I know the US is the most destructive country the world has ever seen. You are just another wanna be propagandist who is doing a shit job. Divide and conquer just like the wealthy have done.
Canada hasn't done shit for me, nor would I expect it to. You sound like a prideful nationalist to me. No surprise as Canada is also a fascist nation full of fools controlled by the wealthy.
I have already been an advocate my whole life, I have helped more people in a month than you will in your lifetime. I have been involved with local, state, and federal politics. I stood on my state government's steps demanding rights for people and was successful. I have lobbied my representatives in Washington DC in person.
Please take your high horse and ride it to fuck off land with your garbage takes. I am glad you can at least recognize the root of our problems. Stop grandstanding and figure out what to do. And for the love of god drop the sanctimonious bullshit. It is a very bad look for you.
I don't care what you've done in the past, and you shouldn't be too proud of it since it's clearly meant nothing and has been a waste given where we are now.
But sure continue to insult former allies and talk about how America is the greatest and strongest country. You're a shining example of an American, no doubt about that. You want to blame everything else but yourself, but too bad for you, because your country is dogshit and has done more to propagate wealth inequality globally than anyone else, despite all the work you or anyone else has done. But I guess you can feel high and mighty because you're not the problem, it's those evil corporations what did it.
Yes I love my country and wish for it to be a force for good, despite its many problems. And despite the fact that you think you're a good person, you really don't give a shit about the suffering you and your country are causing. We are not the same, and you should not presume to know anything about me. In fact I'm fairly sure I know far more about your country than you do about mine, because America is foundationally self-interested to the point of outright ignorance. It's what allows you to justify and wave away the increasing insanity.
You don't really care, that is obvious. You can't see the past and you certainly can't see the future.
You think it is an insult to tell you the motherfucking truth!? That your government has been a waste and that it is controlled by the same wealthy that control the US. This is reality and you better start opening your eyes.
I already explained the US is the worst. You are so stuck on stupid you can't stop the propaganda. Everything you do is exactly what the fascists do. Blame everyone else for the problems, in this case the US.
You hate the US for some imaginary reason. At least I have a real reason to hate my country.
You will need years of deprogramming and decades of learning to understand what is really going on. Good luck and may you learn the awful truth.
Nothing you've said is new or interesting to me. You're acting as if oligarchy and class warfare are new concepts. You don't have any special knowledge, just calm down.
I'm over 5 decades on this earth. I have a family with young kids, career aspirations and retirement plans. Your country has threatened to destroy all of that, and drive me back into the military, relocate my family. Your country poses an existential threat to me and my family, so I don't give a dry fuck about your abstract bogeymen at this point. I don't care how we got here, I care about what this threat means to me and my family. And how do you think you'll be affected? Do you expect to face an occupation by overwhelming military force? Do you expect to face the decision of whether to flee or fight for survival?
You have the luxury of criticizing ideology and politics and oligarchy and high minded concepts. I and my family may face life or death. We are not the same. Your concerns are potential moral dissonance. My concerns are mortal.
Anyway, I've realized this post in general and you in particular are doing nothing but enraging me. Don't get me wrong, I believe I'm justified to be enraged despite what you seem to have convinced yourself. But I want to cheer when I see my former American friends and colleagues start to fight back and have victories. I want to support them in any way I can. I don't want to lose sight of the fact that there are good people that are suffering in their own way. I want to feel vicarious pride when this entire fascist shitparade gets turned back. I've seen Americans do great things, and I want to see it again, and I believe there are good people there who deserve to see this too. Maybe not you - maybe you and I will never understand each other. But I want to pull myself back from the brink, and I don't want people like you to remove all hope from me.
Your rage has only blinded you to the truth and you have become what you despise. There is a way forward and part of that is recognizing where we are. You say you are in your fifties, but you think like I did when I was a teenager.
I am about to have my second grandchild. I am not your enemy nor are my fellow Americans.
If you think anyone but the perpetrators are the problem you have already fallen into their trap. You need to start understanding propaganda and the rhetoric of control.
The only side you should be on is that of human beings. If that puts you at odds with everything else so be it. It is not like being right was ever popular.
Frankly, I've explained to you why what I face as a small country under threat is not what you face as the aggressor. You say I'm blinded by rage and you talk about propaganda, but your country destroying my economy or attacking militarily is not propaganda. That's real life, those are real food shortages and real bullets. Don't get distracted by high minded ideology that points me at the oligarchs or the corporations or whoever is responsible. I don't care about that now. I have more pressing concerns.
In the process of discussing with you, you made it clear you don't care about my country so I don't expect you to understand what I'm going through. And I recognize that infantilizing others is an easy way to dismiss them and validate yourself, but as I said before you don't know me and I'm not sure why you think I'd be bothered if an Internet stranger thought he was more mature than me. As I said, I have more pressing concerns.
However, I updated my original comment because I realized that I have more I needed to say to my American friends and family and others like them. So I guess you can congratulate yourself for bringing me to that point. It's ok we don't have to like each other. I don't take it personally.
Frankly, you are a mess. You really don't know one end from the other and I hope you handle your family a shit ton better than this conversation.
You are constantly oscillating between being a victim and rage hating. The fact that I am more mature is self-evident. Your alarmism is unbecoming and counterproductive.
If you just came here to rage and not to discuss, understand, learn, or grow that is fine. You should at least be honest with yourself if you can't be honest with me.
I like you. You are certainly passionate and remind me of myself many years ago.
Wow you're a real sanctimonious ass, eh?. I even tried to bring it down at the end, and you couldn't find a way to meet me there, preferring to keep the insults and rage going. I thought your whole point was about propaganda driving rage? Are you Christian by chance?
You talk about suffering like you know what it is, but Americans have no idea. You've never suffered an invasion. You showed up years late to both world wars and then made movies bragging about winning them for the next century, ridiculing the efforts of the rest of the world. You think you're special because you've figured out the wealth divide. You're not special. You're another know it all who acts as both victims and savior. You are the shitty part of America who just happens to think you're better than the shittier part.
Don't you worry about me. Worry about yourself. I hope the worst for you, maybe you're in upstate NY when we cut your power, and you get the distinct pleasure of freezing in the dark.
Now go wrestle your nub to your new orange daddy, maybe this time he'll finish in your mouth ya cunt.
You act like a garbage human being. Have fun catching bullets in your made up fantasy.
I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet: I don't believe you or anything you've said.
I think you're a fascist who cosplays as an enlightened populist online, so your insults mean nothing, I see who you look up to.
Edit oh man kicking myself for not looking at your post history... You're a nihilist and you clearly think your cynicism gives you an enlightened perspective. But in the end, you offer no solutions and you end up in violence and ultranationalism. You have no objective. And you talk about propaganda driving rage. Its hard to imagine a less mature and accountable belief system.
I think you act like a mentally ill asshole. I am sure your family already knows this. My apologies to them.
No u
I’m simply going to say that the reaction to your comment is also a big part of the problem in the US. We are so hopelessly divided that we don’t even know where to start, much less how to talk about it. It frustrates me on a constant and enraging basis.
Also, you’re screaming to the void a bit. Making a plea to Americans as a whole on Lemmy is like burping into a mailbox and expecting the weather to change.
No offense meant, and I agree with the meat of your sentiment. Nor am I dismissing what you said - just giving my insight as someone who sees what this country is and what it’s about on the daily.
Dear Rest of the world: I think you're still in denial and need to understand some things.
There are three main factions in the US, two of which have actively taken a side: Pro-trump/Maga and Anti-trump/anti-fash (because this is way bigger than just trump). The third group is staying out of it and consists of the apathetic("I'm too busy just trying to get by"), the dual-haters ("Democrats are just as bad so fuck everyone"), and the frightened targets who are lying low.
When you say things like, "you sacrificed children for your 2nd amendment, this is what it's for,now is the time to use it" you are talking to the Magats. They love guns and the second amendment but they are the PRO-trump faction--they aren't going to go against him, they love him. The Anti-trumpers are not the gun nuts, though some of them have been acquiring guns recently out of fear.
The numbers are against the Anti-fash faction: There are a lot of magats/maga supporters, more than many want to realize or admit. They do not live in the same reality as the rest of us. They watch and listen to pro-fash propaganda from Trump, the media, their religious groups, and now the institutions of government itself. They believe it and believe in it. Anti-trumpers are in the minority compared to the magats and the third group. Looking at protester demographics, a large percentage are older/retired, which doesn't help in a general strike. These numbers will likely shift toward the anti-fash as things get worse, but it hasn't happened fast enough.
The entire republican party apparatus is completely under trump/maga control, and it controls the entire federal government and the majority of state governments. The Supreme Court majority is 90% in agreement with their agenda, so the regime can do whatever the hell it wants with impunity. And is.
The magas have taken control of the election process in many States. We don't know how free and fair the 2026 elections will be. We can be sure that by 2028 they'll have even more control over the election process in more states than they do now.
Trump will invade Greenland, at least if Europe and NATO don't make it clear they will go to war against the US to stop him and I've seen nothing but hand-wringing and "please don't talk like that" from them so far. Trump is all in on the "Sphere of Influence" worldview with Putin and in that worldview USA gets the Western Hemisphere. Europe and Canada: Stop wishing and waiting for American citizens to be able to depose this regime and start preparing for what you're going to do about the US.
How? Its not like we got here because the people okay with this are capable of being reasoned with and we refused to.
We've literally been trying to get people to wake the fuck up and smell the fascism for over a decade at this point.
Almost 4 or 5 decades at this point.
https://youtu.be/fam5wRXcoQE
https://youtu.be/vHn9AWYU0Hg
This would work if someone supported the dissenters financially. Until then you are asking people eho have been systemically drained to travel thousands of miles to their capital. Need I remind you Jan 6 only happened because Republicans paid for people to get there.
Oh wow, I didn’t think of “acting” — thanks for the hot tip.
Personally I don't think it'd lead to any war. If the US empire decides to take Greenland, the EU will almost definitely let it. Almost all European leaders are either weak and spineless or straight up American assets.
I mean, the historical parallel is Hitler assuming he could get away with Poland and he'd get more appeasement but instead suddenly found himself at war with France and Britain. You can get away with alot until suddenly you can't.
Ok. I didn't and never have supported anything Trump is doing, but I'll be sure to let them know at the next meeting that invading either Mexico or Canada will be really super bad. I'm sure they'll listen to me this time.