Thread by @Delafina777

it's also the dismissiveness of it, the "it's not even worth it to argue with you about it."

this is the generation of "my uninformed opinion is equal to your combination of lived experience, individual research, and/or formal education"

https://twitter.com/RadicalGoats/status/1191725911558836229

the Peak Boomer moment for me was when we had a study/discussion period one year on Yom Kippur about "when is it ok to punch a Nazi?"

(bold choice of the rabbi to do that one while everyone was hangry)

And I and a few other millennials at the table, who'd actually been physically present and participating in counter-action to neo-Nazi rallies were sitting there like "look, the important thing is to deplatform and delegitimize them, whether it's by punching or other means"

"You don't personally have to punch any Nazis. You can use your money and influence to deny them platforms. You can come to rallies and cut the power cords on their speaker systems. You can provide medical assistance to pepper-sprayed protesters. You can provide legal assists."

"No one here is saying that every person present has to personally punch Nazis. We need diverse tactics to stop them. What we ARE saying is stop shitting on the people who do punch them."

And this Boomer lady in her big-ass diamond ring (on. Yom. Kippur.) is like, "well, kids, you need to accept that there are consequences for what you do."

a millennial at the table who has been pepper-sprayed stares at her in I Have Literally Been Pepper Sprayed

And I'm like, "um, we're well aware of the potential consequences for what we do, thanks, like we actually risk those consequences, but we're saying it's not right or just that it's less dangerous to be a fascist in public than it is to attempt to stop fascists from fascisting"

And I start talking about how fascism is democracy's anti-matter, that it's designed to exploit democracy to destroy it, that it disingenuously cries about "free speech" while attempting to deny free speech to everyone else

And that most of all, it has no purpose other than genocide. That's where, at all times, it's trying to get to, that's 100% of its ideology.

It is contentless, other than that.

That fascist speech isn't about violence, it *is* violence.

And I am talking about law, and about history, and quoting various writers on it, and all that.

And then I stop and give her a chance to respond, because she's looking like she's trying to speak.

And she begins:

"Okay, I'll admit I'm not as informed about current events as you are, and that I haven't read up on the history..."

And I'm like, "ok, I'm going to stop you right there: in that case, why do you think you have anything useful to say to me?"

And she's like, "well, I think my opinion matters and deserves to be heard."

And there it was: the peak Boomer moment.

Not, "I have lived experience in this matter that should be part of the discussion."

Not, "I have knowledge relevant to this subject."

Just: "I have an opinion and that opinion is equal in value to all of your personal experience, all your effort in studying, all your time spent learning about and keeping up with current events, all your education, all your reading, all your FACTS."

And I was like, "okay, hang on. WHY aren't you as informed as I am on current events?

I'm out here working 3 jobs to make rent, trying to support friends who are devastatingly impacted by the climate of hate, trying to take care of sick friends who don't have insurance..."

"You're RETIRED.

What are you doing with all your time that you can't be arsed to PAY ATTENTION to what's going on around you? You say you're not as up on current events as I am like you're PROUD of it, wtf?"

And her response was to mutter that I needed to respect my elders.

Ok, boomer.