1/ A thread on Conservatism-by-Proxy, exemplified in the purportedly-liberal-but-really-strawman-based opposition to the #BLM movement's demand to #DefundPolice....
2/ I've written before about Sexism- and Racism-by-Proxy. They're arguments of the form "I'M not sexist/racist but my customers are, so I have no choice but to discriminate against women/POC."
3/ Sexism- and Racism-by-Proxy use the presumed (and presumably intractable) sexism/racism of others to justify one's own sexist/racist claims.
We saw this in 'electability' chatter in the Dem primaries: "I'M not racist/sexist but voters are, so Dems must choose a white guy."
We saw this in 'electability' chatter in the Dem primaries: "I'M not racist/sexist but voters are, so Dems must choose a white guy."
4/ BTW, Biden wasn't my 1st or 2nd or even 5th choice. I wanted Harris, Warren, Gillibrand, Booker, or Castro.
But I'm 100% onboard with Biden's candidacy. So don't come back saying this is about relitigating the primary, or I'll block you.
But I'm 100% onboard with Biden's candidacy. So don't come back saying this is about relitigating the primary, or I'll block you.
5/ The thing is: Sexism- and Racism-by-Proxy are still ... sexism and racism.
Claiming "It's not MY preference! I'm catering to THESE OTHER PEOPLE!" ... doesn't change the fact that YOU are advocating a sexist or racist position.
Claiming "It's not MY preference! I'm catering to THESE OTHER PEOPLE!" ... doesn't change the fact that YOU are advocating a sexist or racist position.
6/ Conservatism-by-Proxy takes a similar form: "I'M not conservative, but many voters are. They'll reject us if we try to [insert liberal policy here]. To get anything done, we need to [substitute conservative policy here]."
7/ And yes, Conservatism-by-Proxy is still ... conservatism.
Claiming "It's not MY preference! I'm catering to THESE OTHER PEOPLE!" ... doesn't change the fact that YOU are advocating a conservative position.
Claiming "It's not MY preference! I'm catering to THESE OTHER PEOPLE!" ... doesn't change the fact that YOU are advocating a conservative position.
8/ Many POC voices in the BLM community are arguing that we need to #DefundPolice. They've explained what they mean, and what they DON'T mean.
Specifically ...
Specifically ...
9/ ... They've explained, repeatedly, in many forums, that they DON'T mean "abolish the police."
They know the English language. If they wanted to abolish the police, they'd say so.
Claiming that #DefundPolice really means "abolish the police" ... is a conservative strawman.
They know the English language. If they wanted to abolish the police, they'd say so.
Claiming that #DefundPolice really means "abolish the police" ... is a conservative strawman.
10/ And trying to rationalize conservative strawman with "But that's how conservatives will understand it!" ... is Conservatism-by-Proxy.
That's a *conservative* argument, masquerading as a liberal-progressive objection.
That's a *conservative* argument, masquerading as a liberal-progressive objection.
11/ Rather, POC voices in the BLM community have explained that #DefundPolice means reduce the funding and mission of policing, and reallocate those resources to social programs to alleviate poverty, homelessness, joblessness, addiction, and other drivers-of-crime.
12/ Our current policy structure uses armed cops to enforce structural inequality ... by criminalizing Those People and beating, jailing, or outright killing them. We don't try to solve poverty. We dispatch armed cops to keep poor people 'in line' ... and call it "LAW & ORDER!"
13/ Rather than funding schools for smaller classes, better teachers, and more resources ... we cut school budgets and assign armed 'resource officers' to keep Those Kids 'in line' ... or divert them into the School-to-Prison pipeline.
14/ Likewise substance abuse. Likewise homelessness. Likewise mental illness. We slash the budgets of programs that would actually help ... and instead send in armed cops to keep Those People 'in line'.
15/ All of this slash-social-programs-and-just-send-in-armed-cops to the point that - as was revealed this week - the LAPD soak up 54% of the LA city budget. And they were demanding more!
16/ The visible Police State that many white Americans saw on TV over the past 10 days, and from which many white Americans recoiled in horror ...
... is the predictable endpoint of a policy structure of slashing social programs in favor of more-and-better armed cops.
... is the predictable endpoint of a policy structure of slashing social programs in favor of more-and-better armed cops.
17/ And here's the thing: POC have lived under the ever-heavier boot of that Police State.
What you saw on TV in the past 10 days ... has been the daily experience of too many POC ... for decades.
What you saw on TV in the past 10 days ... has been the daily experience of too many POC ... for decades.
18/ That's why so many POC in the BLM movement are pushing to #DefundPolice.
They know mere "reform" won't work. They've said so, and explained why, in dozens of interviews ... just in the last 10 days. And countless more blog posts and other forums for years before that.
They know mere "reform" won't work. They've said so, and explained why, in dozens of interviews ... just in the last 10 days. And countless more blog posts and other forums for years before that.
19/ We need to fundamentally change how we address structural inequality.
We need to stop letting police departments devour ever-increasing chunks of city, county, state, and federal budgets.
We need to stop using armed cops to suppress social problems.
We need to stop letting police departments devour ever-increasing chunks of city, county, state, and federal budgets.
We need to stop using armed cops to suppress social problems.
20/ Yes, we need to #DefundPolice.
And if you like those BETTER policy ideas, but worry that "conservatives won't understand" ...
... STOP using a strawman to object to a slogan ...
... and START taking about how to help persuadable voters understand those BETTER policies.
And if you like those BETTER policy ideas, but worry that "conservatives won't understand" ...
... STOP using a strawman to object to a slogan ...
... and START taking about how to help persuadable voters understand those BETTER policies.
21/ And if you're not willing to do that, if you insist on advocating Conservatism-by-Proxy ...
... then just come out and admit that you're really a conservative. Because you are.
End of thread.
... then just come out and admit that you're really a conservative. Because you are.
End of thread.
