A small business owner who voted for Donald Trump recently posted a video on TikTok, pleading for help as crushing tariffs on China threatened to bankrupt his operation, which imports alloy wheels. His call for support, however, drew little sympathy from some fellow Americans.
“Votes have consequences,” he was told, with many comments from Twitter/X users relishing the notion that another MAGA voter was suffering because of their political choice. The backlash prompted a second video from the man, in which he dropped several F-bombs while criticizing the apparent heartlessness of those celebrating his hardship.
i don’t want solidarity with fascists, I want solidarity across the working class, which means we need to deradicalize fascists in the working class, which means we need to take steps to deradicalize them, which means we need to be compassionate. this isn’t hard.
When “compassion” with the right has always been accompanied by moving to the right, and when I have no reason to trust that it won’t happen again, I do not trust those whose “compassion” is only for people who want me and my friends dead.