Fighting the Far Right With Far Right Talking Points Only Validates the Far Right
Democrats making comparisons between U.S. politicians and Fidel Castro, embracing anti-immigrant policies, and employing anti-trans dog whistles are only validating and emboldening the far-right
The Democrat shift to the right grows increasingly scarier every day. From embracing the most anti-immigrant bill in nearly a century and shifting policies that now have a majority of the U.S. favoring mass deportations to a Texas Democratic Senate candidate employing anti-trans dog whistles to counter ads by his opponent, Democrats are putting at-risk groups in greater danger.
In Texas, Senator Ted Cruz has shifted his ad campaign from attacking his opponent, Colin Allred, on immigration to trans issues. Allred responded to Cruz’s attack ads by employing an anti-trans dog whistle about “boys playing in girls sports”. This is problematic for many reasons starting with validating the far-right in suggesting it's an issue at all. The trans kids in sports issue has always been a far-right solution in search of a problem. It’s so rare that it seldom affects or even shows up in most U.S. communities. Yet, Allred validated it as ‘a problem’.
His team’s tactics reach the lowest common denominator while ignoring scientific research and social discussions over the last several years and from decades past. It’s not a new conversation and it’s only an issue for bigots and those who refuse to learn anything because of the implicit bigotry that was drilled into them by ignorance. Trans people are people and they deserve to be treated with the same respect we expect from others.
They don’t deserve anti-trans policies driven by white nationalist nonsense.
Allred’s ad emboldens bigots by acknowledging their ignorance. I have no doubt people will vote for Allred over Ted Cruz. It’s Ted Cruz. Everybody hates him (including Republican voters). Take it from a Texan, people despise the dude and he knows it. But, aside from being better looking, how much different will Allred be for Texans? He sounds more like Cruz with every ad we see on TV. Is that the point? Because it feels like it’s part of an overall Democrat strategy to appeal to MAGA.
That’s pretty scary if you’re not white, not male, or are part of the LGBTQ community.
Allred, like most Democrats, is embracing the far-right bill passed in the Senate earlier this year dubbed the “bipartisan border bill”. If Democrats win the presidential election and take control of both houses – as they hope to do – why suddenly embrace a bill that is a gift to MAGA Republicans in Congress over a bill like the truly bipartisan bill in 2013 which is far more humane and comprehensive in addressing myriad issues within the immigration system?
The current bill is drafted with a focus on Latino immigrants. Anyone who’s read it knows what I’m talking about. It will impact every Latino in the U.S. whether they were born here or not. Aside from the detention camps Trump wants, it does a lot of what MAGA conservatives want and it would subject us to racial/ethnic profiling, searches, and questions about our citizenship.
It’s not just local and state cops that will be encouraged to target Latinos.
The ever-increasing powers granted to federal agencies like Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will allow them to harass and surveil us with impunity. Yet, the bill continues to be referred to as bipartisan when it’s a far-right, authoritarian, police state bill that focuses on closing the border, brutal enforcement, and incarceration while limiting migrants' rights.
It does nothing to reform the system that is so desperately needed.
If the only way you can fight back against bigotry is with more bigotry, you’ve lost the plot. In politics, you’re supposed to differentiate yourself from the competition. Trying to appeal to the opposition’s voters by echoing the opposition alienates rational thinkers who seek equal rights for all. As populism takes over in politics, it’s worth remembering that the most favored populism in history represents the majority who want to live free from bigotry and hate.
As both major parties shift to representing more exclusive clubs that peddle far-right talking points, the dangers for marginalized groups will only increase. As voters who care, it behooves us to call this out and be aware of the shift in the public’s thinking due to changing rhetoric by political candidates who are desperate to win. Desperation makes them vulnerable; desperation without thinking breeds failure. Politics isn’t all about gotchas for clicks on social media.
Politics have real-world implications. Never forget that part.
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“As both major parties shift to representing more exclusive clubs that peddle far-right talking points, the dangers for marginalized groups will only increase” is just fascism which we’ve misnamed democrats since Clinton embraced Republican talking points in policy rather than provide a peace dividend.