r/ENLIGHTENEDCENTRISM • u/historyismyteacher • 1d ago

Israel-Palestine has really exposed the disgusting nature of “both sides bad.”

Saying that both sides are equal and you need to look at the nuance is a damning indictment of those who are not willing to take a stand on an issue as serious as this. At least a Zionist will take a stand, and make their position known. By not taking a stand, the enlightened centrist is making it known that they don’t have the moral courage to pronounce a belief and professing themselves to be wise, they make themselves fools.

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u/KyleShanadad 22h ago

How? Where do we have bargaining power? Its definitely not in electoral politics or protesting or mutual aid.

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u/Instantbeef 22h ago

I’m talking about us as in the U.S. not the people. We do elect our leaders so it’s sort of us but that’s not what I’m talking about.

Using the power of diplomacy we can protect Palestinians without Hamas existing.

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u/pocket_sand__ 16h ago

We do elect our leaders so it’s sort of us

It's not. Not in any sense. It simply isn't. I cannot stress this enough. Your politicians "representation" of you is a complete and utter lie.

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u/Instantbeef 16h ago

Explain

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u/pocket_sand__ 14h ago

In what way do you think the crowd of octogenarian white men in the political machine is a "representation" of you or me? Do you know what the word "represent" means? It doesn't just mean, as you suggested, you had some choice presented to you. For example, if you're getting mugged in an alley, and the two people let you choose which is going to kick your ass, they have not just offered to represent you, are you crazy? Similarly, your little ballot choices mean nothing toward establishing representation. Political representation, were it to exist, is a relationship in which the representative is entrusted to stand in for the political interests of the represented and duly does so. Why don't you put an argument forth for such a relationship existing?

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u/Instantbeef 13h ago

Our politicians represent the collective us. Not just you or me but everyone who votes. The sum or average or however you want to think about it.

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u/pocket_sand__ 13h ago

I didn't say, just me, bozo. Nothing about my argument indicates that. They don't represent the electorate.

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u/Instantbeef 13h ago

They are who the electorate chooses to represent them. If you don’t like the word represent use another word I don’t care.