I don’t know, man. I used to sympathise with the left and felt closer to it on a lot of topics. But now, it doesn’t seem like it has room for me anymore. I feel a lot of the left doesn’t care about Israelis suffering and would have been fine with letting the hostages rot in there forever. So many red lines were ignored, that “me too - unless you’re a Jew” became a sad reality.
So did I. I still support left-wing ideals, but would no longer identify myself as one of them. Their conduct pretty much tells me that they are on a par with the Nazis they claim to oppose.
I agree. I always wondered why so many people let the Nazis get away with exterminating the Jews - and in the last two years I’ve seen the answer. We’re lucky to have the IDF, because Jews can’t trust anyone else with their safety.
I thought I supported the Left because of their devotion to justice and tolerance, until I found out the Left doesn't support people like me (Zionists).
YES! Completely. I thought I was on the left but I realize now that I am more of a moderate. The people all the way on the left are just as awful as the people all the way on the right!
It changed completely. It made me realize that the far left does not practice what it preaches and it often serves the interests of Russia, China and Islamic extremists, not the interests of the people. I went from supporting progressives to supporting liberals. Progressives threw progressive ideology out the window when they decided to cheer for a far right cause.
I see the far left for what it is now, similar to the far right, with hate and conspiracy theories on both sides. I still stand with the left on some topics, but will never give the same amount of energy to them as I used to.
Honestly, I prefer the far right, as they’ll just flat out say that they hate Jews.
The left will give you a 45 minute dissertation on how Israel shouldn’t exist, platform and celebrate terrorists, explain why it’s okay for Muslims to kill Jews in Australia and DC and other places because Israel, and of course explain whatever self flagellating humiliation ritual they expect Jews to undertake in order for them to be tolerated in left wing spaces, and then after doing that insist that they don’t hate Jews.
It’s exhausting. At least the far right is honest about their beliefs.
I mostly agree. At least with the classic neo-Nazis you know exactly where you stand.
Practically though I'd imagine that the anti-Zionist tankies would spend so much time rationalizing and infighting, they are a bit safer.
The real problem is that it's not an either/or. That's the whole Red-Green alliance in Iran, and the emerging Red-Green-Brown alliance that seems to be emerging. The "Red" faction (socialists, communists, etc.) are usually there to provide cover and excuse. Even in a classic red-only situation, for example Russian Revolution and Chinese Civil War for example, there is going to be a faction that gets shit done. Look at Stalin vs. Trotsky, Xi Jinpiang's own dad was in a re-education camp. The infighting and purity tests on the tankie end of the spectrum will have teeth if given the chance.
Anti-Zionists on the left, antisemites on the right, and here I am, stuck in the middle, a Jew.
Idiotic and gullible left wingers aligning themselves with far right militants is as time honored a tradition as the far right militants immediately murdering the idiotic and gullible left wingers the moment they take power.
The poem does start with “First they came for the communists” after all.
For me, the real moral event horizon moment for the far-left was seeing them blaming Ukraine for being invaded on February 24th. That was the moment I saw them fully for what they are. Their reaction to October 7th just seemed to me like the natural consequence of their reaction to February 24th.
I completely understand this, but have immense concerns with growing, platforming and mainstreaming of antisemitism in the GOP, especially once baby boomers die off
Roughly 35 years ago I voted in my first presidential election. Back then, I was just figuring out where I stood politically, and a friend of mine was very conservative and turned me on to Rush Limbaugh. I latched on quickly, and voted straight GOP until 2016. My father, who passed in 2002, was a Reagan Democrat and usually voted for the person rather than the party. He was a business owner, staunchly Zionist, but being Jewish, left of center on most social issues. He and my sister joked about what could have possibly gone with me (was I dropped on my head as a baby or something?). My aunt was friends with Joe Lieberman, and I recall a couple heated discussions I had with her. I still loved her dearly, but I think she couldn't handle her nephew being a Republican. Out of undergrad, I worked for a conservative Jewish org in DC, but years later found myself in a lefty grad program pursuing a new career path. I worked in that world for 10 years, and my colleagues appreciated my different perspective on issues. I did become woke, but I was 2015 woke, not 2020 woke. Things took an ugly turn after George Floyd, similar to the GOP's nosedive into absurdity in 2015.
I've taken an honest look at both sides, but the radical left has always grossed me out. Today, the radical left has become the mainstream left, and frankly, the GOP isn't much better.
I have no political home anymore. Is it too much to ask for a party that believes in a strong national defense, a social safety net, low taxes, and common sense solutions to our nation's issues (immigration, for example)?
I do believe that the majority of Americans want these things. I do believe that a lot of Americans would support Trump's policies if he didn't pursue them with a complete lack of empathy AND if they were pursued by someone other than Trump. The middle could be the majority if we just stopped looking at politics as a sport.
Back to the OP's question - I think they are a pile of bigoted idiots, at best. I don't like the right either if they can't show some balls and speak out against the current administration. Both are useless, and we need new leaders now. For some reason, politics has always been a passion of mine, and today, what I am seeing in this country is making me sick to my stomach and has left me in a state of constant despair. I love this country; I wish our leaders loved it as well.
I’m absolutely an independent now.. I want NOTHING to do with what the left has become. It has been taken over by social justice warriors who masquerade as “humanitarians” but are more akin to Qanon at this point. They have been more vocally anti-Semitic and hateful than I have ever experienced from anyone on the right. If you disagree with them on anything, then they literally shun you and wish death upon you.. it’s absolutely wild. Now don’t get me wrong, I will still vote in ways I believe are in my best interests, but the Democrats have become a shell of their former selves and they have absolutely left Jews behind.
A lot of disappointment and horror. I was already getting disillusioned by how several people I used to respect fell straight into tankie thinking, Russian/Chinese apologia, and this general strain of self defeating/self sabotaging black pill "voting doesn't matter/you can't vote your way out of this" type mentality that refuses to improve material conditions in any way (or, to paraphrase Contrapoints as she eloquently put it in her "Envy" video, "They don't want victory or power, they just want to endlessly critique power").
I will say though, while the massive explosion of antisemitism and their mental gymnastics to rationalize it as "just antizionist" was bad enough, their enabling Trump's second victory from either not voting or voting third party was the final straw for me. I still support plenty of leftist policies, but their lack of pragmatism, demands for moral purity (while hypocritically glazing the worst kinds of people, ie throwing up over Kamala doing a couple appearances with Liz Cheney while praising Marjorie Taylor Greene for falling out with Trump), and exclusionary "high school mean girl" type behavior has driven me from wanting any part in those spaces. I just kinda call myself a generic hippie nowadays.
Used to consider myself liberal, and proudly. Not anymore. I am not naive enough to believe the right is any better with all the groypers and other jew hating bullshit, but I see things completely differently than I used to.
I used to be a left leaning moderate. I was never woke or a Bernie Sanders/AOC progressive. But I voted for Biden.
Now I have moved to being a moderate conservative. After 35 years as a Democrat, I no longer regard myself as a Democrat. Frankly, given the way they have handled Israel, the issue of antisemitism, and the issue of Islamic extremism in the US, they do not deserve my support. I do not plan to ever vote Democrat again. They have betrayed me. Betrayed all of us. And I’m mad as hell.
The only Democrat I’m not angry at is John Fetterman. End of list. Of the nighttime comic hosts, Bill Maher is where I fit.
Now, I see myself as politically homeless but most likely to vote Republican. I never in a million years ever thought I’d be saying this because I despised Trump 1.0 throughout that entire term with the hatred heat of a thousand suns…but I’m actually pretty happy with Trump 2.0 Helping Israel, defunding antisemitic universities, deporting Islamists, stopping immigration from Islamic countries. I’m here for ALL of it. And I was never a huge fan of the welfare state as a permanent lifestyle choice, nor the extension of welfare benefits and free everything to illégal aliens. And no, I’m not gonna learn any more new terms for it either. They are illegally here. Deal with it. 😛
And speaking of not learning new terms, I am done learning new pronouns that are made up words. Pick he, she, or they and I’ll call you that, but I’m not on board with making up new words for 40 new genders. I’m 60 years old and my bullshit tolerance threshold is low.
Never liked hard left at all so didn’t change. I hate both extremes and feel justified seeing the Tucker Candace Fuentes ilk infesting the right where we even have Vance now defending them.
I don’t know, man. I used to sympathise with the left and felt closer to it on a lot of topics. But now, it doesn’t seem like it has room for me anymore. I feel a lot of the left doesn’t care about Israelis suffering and would have been fine with letting the hostages rot in there forever. So many red lines were ignored, that “me too - unless you’re a Jew” became a sad reality.
So did I. I still support left-wing ideals, but would no longer identify myself as one of them. Their conduct pretty much tells me that they are on a par with the Nazis they claim to oppose.
I agree. I always wondered why so many people let the Nazis get away with exterminating the Jews - and in the last two years I’ve seen the answer. We’re lucky to have the IDF, because Jews can’t trust anyone else with their safety.
I thought I supported the Left because of their devotion to justice and tolerance, until I found out the Left doesn't support people like me (Zionists).
YES! Completely. I thought I was on the left but I realize now that I am more of a moderate. The people all the way on the left are just as awful as the people all the way on the right!
Same here.
It changed completely. It made me realize that the far left does not practice what it preaches and it often serves the interests of Russia, China and Islamic extremists, not the interests of the people. I went from supporting progressives to supporting liberals. Progressives threw progressive ideology out the window when they decided to cheer for a far right cause.
I see the far left for what it is now, similar to the far right, with hate and conspiracy theories on both sides. I still stand with the left on some topics, but will never give the same amount of energy to them as I used to.
Burned my DSA card. My politics hasn't changed, I'm just sick of the omnicause.
stopped counting myself as a leftist
Gideon Levi just called a Muslim woman a hero - for the act of extinguishing a public Hanukiah.
My impression of the Left, is exactly summarized by Gideon Levi's sentiment. These people have warped values that I do not see any way to repair.
Honestly, I prefer the far right, as they’ll just flat out say that they hate Jews.
The left will give you a 45 minute dissertation on how Israel shouldn’t exist, platform and celebrate terrorists, explain why it’s okay for Muslims to kill Jews in Australia and DC and other places because Israel, and of course explain whatever self flagellating humiliation ritual they expect Jews to undertake in order for them to be tolerated in left wing spaces, and then after doing that insist that they don’t hate Jews.
It’s exhausting. At least the far right is honest about their beliefs.
I mostly agree. At least with the classic neo-Nazis you know exactly where you stand.
Practically though I'd imagine that the anti-Zionist tankies would spend so much time rationalizing and infighting, they are a bit safer.
The real problem is that it's not an either/or. That's the whole Red-Green alliance in Iran, and the emerging Red-Green-Brown alliance that seems to be emerging. The "Red" faction (socialists, communists, etc.) are usually there to provide cover and excuse. Even in a classic red-only situation, for example Russian Revolution and Chinese Civil War for example, there is going to be a faction that gets shit done. Look at Stalin vs. Trotsky, Xi Jinpiang's own dad was in a re-education camp. The infighting and purity tests on the tankie end of the spectrum will have teeth if given the chance.
Anti-Zionists on the left, antisemites on the right, and here I am, stuck in the middle, a Jew.
Idiotic and gullible left wingers aligning themselves with far right militants is as time honored a tradition as the far right militants immediately murdering the idiotic and gullible left wingers the moment they take power.
The poem does start with “First they came for the communists” after all.
It wasn’t great before, but a boy am I disappointed that they sold out every alleged principle they claim to have held.
Yes, and after many events in 2023-2025. Something sinister has shifted in that party
For me, the real moral event horizon moment for the far-left was seeing them blaming Ukraine for being invaded on February 24th. That was the moment I saw them fully for what they are. Their reaction to October 7th just seemed to me like the natural consequence of their reaction to February 24th.
It was slightly above frustrated disdain before.
Now, it’s vitriolic contempt.
There a lot of people that will hide behind a cause as a veil to enable their most monstrous behaviors.
I used to call myself a Leftist because I agreed with a lot of stuff. Now, I'm just a Liberal. 🤷🤷♂️
I've pretty much been a Liberal in the sense of the Euston Manifesto through this whole thing.
I changed my party to Republican. Do not like the left at all.
I completely understand this, but have immense concerns with growing, platforming and mainstreaming of antisemitism in the GOP, especially once baby boomers die off
Charlie Kirk kept the antisemites in check and it’s sad that he was killed over free speech. Horrific that leftists were celebrating his death.
Roughly 35 years ago I voted in my first presidential election. Back then, I was just figuring out where I stood politically, and a friend of mine was very conservative and turned me on to Rush Limbaugh. I latched on quickly, and voted straight GOP until 2016. My father, who passed in 2002, was a Reagan Democrat and usually voted for the person rather than the party. He was a business owner, staunchly Zionist, but being Jewish, left of center on most social issues. He and my sister joked about what could have possibly gone with me (was I dropped on my head as a baby or something?). My aunt was friends with Joe Lieberman, and I recall a couple heated discussions I had with her. I still loved her dearly, but I think she couldn't handle her nephew being a Republican. Out of undergrad, I worked for a conservative Jewish org in DC, but years later found myself in a lefty grad program pursuing a new career path. I worked in that world for 10 years, and my colleagues appreciated my different perspective on issues. I did become woke, but I was 2015 woke, not 2020 woke. Things took an ugly turn after George Floyd, similar to the GOP's nosedive into absurdity in 2015.
I've taken an honest look at both sides, but the radical left has always grossed me out. Today, the radical left has become the mainstream left, and frankly, the GOP isn't much better.
I have no political home anymore. Is it too much to ask for a party that believes in a strong national defense, a social safety net, low taxes, and common sense solutions to our nation's issues (immigration, for example)?
I do believe that the majority of Americans want these things. I do believe that a lot of Americans would support Trump's policies if he didn't pursue them with a complete lack of empathy AND if they were pursued by someone other than Trump. The middle could be the majority if we just stopped looking at politics as a sport.
Back to the OP's question - I think they are a pile of bigoted idiots, at best. I don't like the right either if they can't show some balls and speak out against the current administration. Both are useless, and we need new leaders now. For some reason, politics has always been a passion of mine, and today, what I am seeing in this country is making me sick to my stomach and has left me in a state of constant despair. I love this country; I wish our leaders loved it as well.
I’m absolutely an independent now.. I want NOTHING to do with what the left has become. It has been taken over by social justice warriors who masquerade as “humanitarians” but are more akin to Qanon at this point. They have been more vocally anti-Semitic and hateful than I have ever experienced from anyone on the right. If you disagree with them on anything, then they literally shun you and wish death upon you.. it’s absolutely wild. Now don’t get me wrong, I will still vote in ways I believe are in my best interests, but the Democrats have become a shell of their former selves and they have absolutely left Jews behind.
A lot of disappointment and horror. I was already getting disillusioned by how several people I used to respect fell straight into tankie thinking, Russian/Chinese apologia, and this general strain of self defeating/self sabotaging black pill "voting doesn't matter/you can't vote your way out of this" type mentality that refuses to improve material conditions in any way (or, to paraphrase Contrapoints as she eloquently put it in her "Envy" video, "They don't want victory or power, they just want to endlessly critique power").
I will say though, while the massive explosion of antisemitism and their mental gymnastics to rationalize it as "just antizionist" was bad enough, their enabling Trump's second victory from either not voting or voting third party was the final straw for me. I still support plenty of leftist policies, but their lack of pragmatism, demands for moral purity (while hypocritically glazing the worst kinds of people, ie throwing up over Kamala doing a couple appearances with Liz Cheney while praising Marjorie Taylor Greene for falling out with Trump), and exclusionary "high school mean girl" type behavior has driven me from wanting any part in those spaces. I just kinda call myself a generic hippie nowadays.
Same. I hate it so much
Very, very much. Now I see them as worse than the MAGAs they complain about.
i feel like a rug was pulled out from under me
Didnt change at all. I knew their stand and their lack of thinking before that all together. Note: not a jew or Izraeli.
Used to consider myself liberal, and proudly. Not anymore. I am not naive enough to believe the right is any better with all the groypers and other jew hating bullshit, but I see things completely differently than I used to.
I considered myself a leftist prior to October 7th.
Since then, I have “left the left”. I now consider myself either a classical liberal or an moderate independent, depending on the context
I can’t be part of the political movement that sides with Islamists and encourages and celebrates political violence.
Yes, but also we have to remind ourselves the right is not our friends either
I have no political home anymore and feel like we are in our own
Used to be a lefty before October 7 that’s all I have to say. Now I’m pretty far right
I used to be a left leaning moderate. I was never woke or a Bernie Sanders/AOC progressive. But I voted for Biden.
Now I have moved to being a moderate conservative. After 35 years as a Democrat, I no longer regard myself as a Democrat. Frankly, given the way they have handled Israel, the issue of antisemitism, and the issue of Islamic extremism in the US, they do not deserve my support. I do not plan to ever vote Democrat again. They have betrayed me. Betrayed all of us. And I’m mad as hell.
The only Democrat I’m not angry at is John Fetterman. End of list. Of the nighttime comic hosts, Bill Maher is where I fit.
Now, I see myself as politically homeless but most likely to vote Republican. I never in a million years ever thought I’d be saying this because I despised Trump 1.0 throughout that entire term with the hatred heat of a thousand suns…but I’m actually pretty happy with Trump 2.0 Helping Israel, defunding antisemitic universities, deporting Islamists, stopping immigration from Islamic countries. I’m here for ALL of it. And I was never a huge fan of the welfare state as a permanent lifestyle choice, nor the extension of welfare benefits and free everything to illégal aliens. And no, I’m not gonna learn any more new terms for it either. They are illegally here. Deal with it. 😛
And speaking of not learning new terms, I am done learning new pronouns that are made up words. Pick he, she, or they and I’ll call you that, but I’m not on board with making up new words for 40 new genders. I’m 60 years old and my bullshit tolerance threshold is low.
Yes. I have become a political curmudgeon. 😉
Also, get off my lawn.
Never liked hard left at all so didn’t change. I hate both extremes and feel justified seeing the Tucker Candace Fuentes ilk infesting the right where we even have Vance now defending them.
Yeah Vance is bad news. He will go full on neo-Nazi once Trump is no longer his boss.
It made me realize that the left and right distinction doesn't matter and frankly never really did.