I think that it’s similar to the idea that anti-racism needs to start with white people.

White people have the social capital to stay safe while protesting—thus able to further the cause for longer—and the subjugation starts with white people so they have a responsibility to start the movement.

Rich people have the economic capital to stay safe while protesting—thus able to further the cause for longer—and the subjugation originates with rich people so they have a responsibility to start the movement.

That’s a GOVERNMENT webpage??? What the fuck??

Thank you!!

Where can I find the evidence for this? I want to read more about it.

Okay, so who in the government is responsibility for preventing politicians from going after their political enemies? Who isn’t doing their job right now?

If it’s just the courts, we’re fucked. They’re overworked and legal cases take way too long to stop this. And of course congress is bought and paid for.

So the constitution was built to fail. Got it.

I assume “grown”—or “born and raised—in America.

AKA: US citizens.

Government research money and other grants aside, if the government stops giving FAFSA money to a college, a massive source of the college’s income stream halts, preventing them from paying employees and keeping the lights on, and preventing a vast majority of students from stepping foot on campus.

That being said, if the college can convince donors to reorganize endowment money in order to tell Trump to go fuck himself, I support that college 💯

They’re convinced that these immigrants are in the system because they’re illegally receiving benefits as illegal aliens.

I’m torn on this. Like I don’t like giving churches special rights, but also, it’s great that many are trying to protect immigrants and I want to keep those safe spaces.

But applications are rising.

I wish they included “legal” in the headline. Would make a world of difference to centrists.

Is there a non-paywall link?

I don’t think that’s true, because non-Western Christians don’t have this problem while atheist white Americans do.

Fair point. I don’t know much about non-Western Christians. But the ones that made it to American shores have definitely seemed to fit.

And the War on Terror definitely contributed to the culture of “foreigners are evil animals.”

One theory that I’m starting to understand through reading social science books on American history is this:

“White” Americans (I use quotes because the definition of whiteness has changed throughout the years) need someone to define themselves against in order to feel “more civilized” and worthy. First it was Natives, then the Irish and German, then the Eastern Europeans and Italians, and throughout all of this it has been Black folk. Then modern times have brought the Hispanic to this purpose. Now I think the latest permutation of this need to feel pure and civilized has included just….all “non Americans,” including any foreigners they don’t consider “proper and civilized.”

It’s like an insecurity of identity so deep that it requires an “othering” in order to feel safe. “I am better than you, you are less than me, therefore I am worthy.” Conservative “white/proper” Christians have always had an identity crisis, so they’ve always felt the need to invade other cultures and lands while subjugating the locals in order to feel superior. I’m starting to think that this is another permutation of that.

Maybe this theory ties into or explains the social media phenomenon of Christians constantly putting down both different Christians and non-Christians. They have to feel superior because…they don’t know how else to define themselves.

Edit: I’m completely going out on a limb, here, but I wonder if that has to do with the fact that Christianity teaches its followers to live for their own death. Like, it provides very little meaning to life because everything you’re living for happens after you die: love God so you can go to heaven, do this so you can go to heaven, follow these arbitrary rules so you can go to heaven. It doesn’t answer the questions “Why am I here? What is my purpose?” beyond like…their death, which is forever away. So if you don’t know why you are alive, if you can’t rely on a meaning or purpose to the 80 years while you’re on earth, then what else do you have to define your culture on? Like the insecure playground bully. “I don’t know who I am or why I’m here, so in order to feel secure, I have to feel stronger and smarter and more superior than everyone around me, even if (or maybe especially) that hurts the other kids.” The violence could be an expression of that frustration and insecurity.

Or maybe not. I don’t know. Of course, I do know “white” people and Christians who don’t behave this way, who are kind and generous and not-xenophobic. It seems to be more of a wider-culture thing. It’s definitely mixed up with settler-colonialism, though.

Someone else in my life mentioned this! I’ll need to take a look.

This is infuriating. Why can’t anyone abroad realize that the USA is dead? Ignore us and we have no power.

Unbelievable.

Why can’t I lease a fully furnished house for $1 a month? I would be cheaper and have less negative environmental damage. I also promise not to underpay my nonexistent employees.

What the hell kind of country are we becoming. Without fears of consequences for ruining water and land, the environmental systems that support all life around the world are at risk. Regarding being pardoned for financial crimes, all Americans and anyone who interacts with the American financial system are at risk of losing everything. Becoming debtor slaves or serfs with hardly a dollar to their name.

A professor??