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Is Trump ahead in the polls, because Biden is losing support amongst one of his key demographics: Black men? Or are the polls all a lie?
Trump ahead in polls?
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/13/us/politics/biden-trump-battleground-poll.html
Biden camp doesn't believe the polls?
https://www.axios.com/2024/05/14/biden-polls-denial-trump-2024-election
Either way, the most important thing to do, is to ignore, insult, argue with, and generally disrespect, Black men online! 
Find a Black man, and yell "Trump is worse!" in his face as hard as you can! Swear at him, and threaten him with violence!
1/N
@mekkaokereke@hachyderm.ioIf a man asks a woman out, saying that he's "a nice guy," the woman might still politely decline. She might start to explain why she's not comfortable giving her phone number to men on the street. If the "nice guy," suddenly calls the woman a stupid ****, and tells her "Chad is worse!" and "Have fun getting hit! You deserve what happens to you!" we see that he was never a nice guy.
Pretend that you do understand this, but that you don't understand why "Trump is worse!" is so ineffective.
2/N
I don't care if Black men vote 100% for Biden.
Or 90% for Biden.
Or 80% for Biden.
Or 70% for Biden.
Or 60% for Biden.
If Biden doesn't win, it will be the fault of people who vote more than 50% for Trump. Stop expecting Black people to save you. That's not what we're here for. We exist outside of the world of being a voting block every 4 years.
Your "democracy" only works if Black people vote 90% plus for a candidate whose policies exposed them to genocide levels of harm. That's garbage.
The problem isn't Black voters.
The problem isn't Trump.
The problem isn't even Biden.
The problem is you, the Dem voter. Yes, you.
Your willingness to ignore the suffering of Black people, and to expect us to continue to vote against our self-interest, has brought us to this point.
Even now, for the brink of disaster, more of you are angry at me for typing this, than angry at yourself for never listening to Black people.
I swear at least one person is typing a "Trump is worse!" reply.
Yes, Black folk have much more to lose under Trump than white people. No, Trump and Biden are not the same.
But a person closer to rock bottom is more willing to let the whole ship sink, than a person with everything to lose.
Think of it this way: Your "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness" score might be 70% under Biden, but 49% under Trump. A Black man brutalized by racism his whole life, might be 30% under Biden, but 2% under Trump.
The Black man clearly has more to lose!
This whole silly conversation can be summed up as white people trying to explain to Black men, that 2% is less than 30%, and that a drop of 28% is more than a drop of 21%, while Black men try to explain to everyone that 30% is not enough.
I guess we''re all going to continue not listening to each other until Trump is elected. 
@mekkaokereke
That's not the problem
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@zombywoof@mastodon.org.uk @mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io
Recently I acquired a few good-looking notice picture.
Here's one of them:
P.S.
Original author is @danhon@dan.mastohon.com
https://dan.mastohon.com/@danhon/111925461009889302
@Orca @mekkaokereke @zombywoof beautiful use of the meme 
@zombywoof (I'm a bit tired and overworked, and combined with people on here sometimes replies in a style that can be mistaken for the exact opposite of what they intend I kinda have to ask)
Could you specify the problem as you see it?
@Mabande
To me, the major weakness in this (so called) "developed" society is poor capacity for critical thinking brought about by many factors but what seems like (but may not be) a coordinated dumbing down of society over the past 40 yrs
...
I could go on and on but this medium isn't the place for it
@zombywoof Okay.
So, when Mekka points at one of the major factors you just do a drive-by "nah".
@Mabande
I express my opinion, what is it worth? Nothing, unless it makes sense to someone
An opinion will never hurt anyone
Our role as individuals is to try to evolve in a positive direction
If I leave someone go in what I think is the wrong direction then I am as guilty as those who purposely direct society in the wrong direction
@zombywoof I wasn't expecting, or prompting, an elaborate response from you (this wasn't the right medium for it, remember?).
You've made your position clear so I didn't read however many replies you made, but just tacked this onto the last one so you won't waste any more time on me.
@zombywoof @mekkaokereke
Says the guy from Canada. 
@mekkaokereke did Obama do a reasonable job representing black interests?
(JLGatewood) @iwein @mekkaokereke
Just by being a black man in the POTUS chair where 50 years beforehand our parents and grandparents were being made to enter department stores through the freight entrances or give up seats in buses to Whites or get lynched just for driving in certain places after sunset… yeah, he did do a reasonable job representing and kept a scandal free administration to boot.
he became the new “finish line” for everyone here, not just Black folks.
@mekkaokereke The worst bit about this is that there is no way that this isnt already a calculation that they have made. The polls have been telling Dems how unpopular Biden (AND Kamala) are.
Biden has been trying to campaign in black churches and places they think black folk are going to be to shore up the votes but its not going to work.
@mekkaokereke I’ve heard from several ex Biden voters who are going to vote for Trump because they’re so disgusted by DEI, a thing they can’t actually define other than to say it’s the cause for everything bad in the USA and the economy. This election is going to be decided mostly by conservative voters who in 2020 thought Trump had gone slightly too far but now have wholly embraced a cartoon picture of a Biden that doesn’t exist
Yup.
They're literally listening to white supremacist talking points without knowing it.
This entire white supremacist playbook, is designed to use the racism inherent in *Democratic voters and liberals*, to dismantle DEI, to make it easier to attack Black people and Jewish people. This isn't some made up conspiracy theory. The people who are doing this literally wrote down their plan! And shared it publicly before hand! And it still worked!
@mekkaokereke Thanks for this thread. I'm a disabled trans person who relies on government assistance for my medical and housing needs. I have a lot to lose from a second Trump presidency, but I am *so* sick of the scolding from the "Lesser Evil 2024" crowd.
Trump is objectively terrible. Voting for his opponent ought to be an easy choice, but Biden has made it much harder than it has to be. He's in danger of losing this very winnable election because of his unwavering support for the carceral state and genocide against Palestinians.
Why do so many liberals insist on sermonizing about tactical voting instead of tackling the actual source of the problem? Don't waste your breath talking down to marginalized voters; use whatever leverage you have to put pressure on Biden to change his cruel and unpopular policies. It's the tactically smart thing to do *and* the morally right thing to do.
@morganmay @mekkaokereke Israel's actions in Palestine are horrific, no doubt.
But Biden's anti-monopoly, consumer protection, climate protection actions have been the most progressive in decades. His early support for Ukraine is the only reason Russia hasn't already taken the country. A Trump presidency will mean an overwhelmingly regressive Supreme Court, withdrawal from NATO, gutting of environmental, consumer, financial regulation, national abortion ban, reversal of gay marriage, etc.
@morganmay @mekkaokereke > Why do so many liberals insist on sermonizing about tactical voting instead of tackling the actual source of the problem?
Tackling the actual source of the issues would make them uncomfortable b/c it requires terminal change. They would have to admit they have been wrong on multiple issues spanning the last 50yrs, listen to working class/leftists coalitions, step aside and let younger ppl unaffiliated with the 1% run the party.
They are never going to do any of this.
@morganmay @mekkaokereke if biden loses this election im blaming him with every breath i don't use to figure out what i need to do to flee this country for my safety. we don't need to debate whether trump is worse, everyone knows trump is worse. why doesn't anyone want to talk about the way we depend on joe to just clear the low bar of "less undesirable than the guy from the apprentice" yet we still have to worry this much about what might end up happening. "trump is worse" is frustrating because it misses the mark by about 180 degrees
Have not made this argument with Black people. Have with young voters.
I thought they did not understand tactical voting, now I see they would burn down the system since they think they have less to lose.
If the argument is "F* it, let it burn", yeah NO.
If the argument is "F* it, let's make Democratic voters feel pain so they support us", this almost works.
Either way we are SCREWED.
It's NOT an opportunity for Democratic voters to rally & support minorities.
I don't think Biden is going to listen to voters enough in time to make a difference.
Arguably the student protests against genocide are having a marginal effect.
Arguably the White support early in the Black Lives Matter movement had a bit of effect.
Until BIG MONEY is out of politics, anything we care about barely matters. White, Black, young, or disabled -- we don't matter.
Might as well vote Lesser Evil.
That argument is just not working on enough Black voters.
Our choices are:
A. Try a different tactic
B. Lose
Mekka -- I do appreciate what you are saying. You have moved me from "why can't people see the obvious (hold your nose and vote for Biden)" to "I can at least see why intelligent and involved people would not vote or vote 3rd party" (although I still think its a severe mistake).
I appreciate the evolving education.
Read this post, and the next 2 after it.
https://hachyderm.io/@mekkaokereke/112402878522448327
People standing above the well with the rope, yell at people inside the well with the compass, talking about "You're so selfish! I guess you just want to burn it all down, huh?"
Instead of just throwing down the rope.
The argument does not work for Blacks, other minorities, youth, or the disabled.
In the analogy, the people should throw down the rope.
In real-life Whites (& others) need to care enough to fight for EVERYONE.
We need to expand the analogy: A fireball powerful enough to kill the people above & in the well will hit in 30 sec. They all have to take cover before there is time to throw down the rope. That comes later.
Will they throw the rope later? Doubtful.
@zagone @mekkaokereke @morganmay
30 seconds, huh?
Thing is, this scenario been playing out over and over again for 60+ years.
Violet - Yes, long decades.
No reason to think it will not go on for another 60 years.
So - people could:
a) Have a violent socialist revolution shortly (unlikely), or
b) Rise up and demand better of their government (unlikely, but only possible under a Democratic/Biden govt.), or
c) Get Trump & a Christo-Fascist state (no peaceful change possible).
With option c) further elections are meaningless. The Left is not ready for war. We are stuck.
The 30 seconds is of course the coming Trump election.
How we get actual hope by having large numbers of people help their neighbors is a sticky problem.
@zagone @mekkaokereke @morganmay
Yet I keep getting the strangest feeling of deja vu...
Violet - This I agree with.
I think the main thing we disagree on is that THIS is the time to stop voting Lesser Evil. Project 2025 is ready to rock.
When the time comes to stop the cycle there needs to be a figurative or real ARMY of the Left ready to throw down.
No such will power exists. I don't think the way to develop it is to give fascism & racism a crushing level of control with police state powers. Whites will fare the best - woe to all others.
@zagone @violetmadder @mekkaokereke @morganmay You realize the 30 sec scenario states the people in the hole are done for no matter what, right?
Why should they throw up the compass when they've repeatedly heard the ones with the rope stalling until it's just thirty seconds left and then saying "you'd better take cover, cause this fireball will kill everyone stuck in a hole"?
I read the hole as a well. They dive under water (vote Biden) until the fireball passes. Then we have time to hope Democrats get their hearts and willpower together enough push on a Democratic govt. that will somewhat listen.
It's all very, very grim.
@zagone "just dive under again, and then we'll throw down the rope. This time it'll be different. Just throw us the compass first."
Yeah, I get the problem. I even thought of Charlie Brown and the football earlier.
The difference is that this time the Greater Evil is so overwhelming worse that it takes away the remote possibility of the next football kick being successful.
With Democratic administrations there are rare wins for minorities. Will an HHS EEOC office or OCR ( Office of Civil Rights) even exist under Trump?
Pulling everyone into Hades only works if they remain strong enough to start fighting.
@zagone
1. You know, putting someone's @ last makes it obvious you're talking to an (imagined) audience who aren't them.
2. Yes, dems have done a lot of good stuff. Still, and hang on now, helping someone get to 10% of what you've got isn't quite the accomplishment. And demanding minorities accept letting a genocide slide cause "the other guy will be worse" isn't a good look either.
3. The next football kick will never be successful.
Sorry -- I did not view putting tag last as rude -- I viewed it as getting it out of the way. especially when responding to 4+ people sometimes. Will try to remember.
You are not wrong about much if anything. We just need to figure out if burning it all down now (figuratively?) is worse than putting it off until later.
This is becoming a circular discussion, but I do at least get your point I think.
You deserve more than 10% -- an equal share.
@zagone @morganmay @mekkaokereke
Biden let Covid rip on 8,000,000 high risk individuals. 7,000,000 of them are still around and they vote.
Yup, I'm one of those high risk folks. Most of the capitalist world let COVID rip.
The Lesser Evil game wheel is old. Yet Project 2025 is ready: https://www.project2025.org/
Why do we think NOW is the right time to stop the wheel? The Right has all the guns & all the momentum. Where is our Left groundswell that would be needed for success?
The Dems have done a poor job getting the word out about transportation & climate gains. Gaza is a disaster.
@mekkaokereke Speaking as a German, I still hope that Biden gets reelected, as I _really_ don't want the USA to support our local fascists. They get far too much support from Russia already, and don't need that additional help.
But yeah, Democrats have a long history of throwing marginalized groups under the bus while taking their votes for granted.
And saying "The other guy is worse!", while true, is not exactly great for voter _enthusiasm_.
They really need to do better, rather than ignoring marginalized groups in favor of the elusive "White Centrist" vote.
@mekkaokereke
It looks that way.
We're SO fucked. 248 years was a good run.
@mekkaokereke 
Maybe instead of trying to force people who are fundamentally incompatible with each other to work together out of some nebulous selfish desire to make humanity unified at any cost, we should accept that people have ideological differences that can't be worked around or compromised with, and just allow them to go their separate ways.
Split up the resources equally amongst all factions and just allow them to move on from each other. Do away with the destructive notion that just because we're the same species that means we share commonalities and can ignore the differences that define who we are.
sima@mekkaokereke every 4 years I watch the spectacle of 200 plus million people electing someone for position of most powerful commander in the world with the options being "utter shit" and "total garbage"
and yes rationally I know the reason is "because racism", but even with plenty of obvious racism right around here where I live I can't fathom how the US manages to pull this off again and again and again
@sima @mekkaokereke the secret ingredient is first-past-the-post voting. That's how you make sure there will only ever be two candidates and everybody votes against someone instead of for someone.
@mekkaokereke I hate this is right but it is...
The whole point about removing a fashie is get rid of the fash root and stem and then *do good things for everyone to fix the problems that brought out the fash in the first place*
For whatever reason, this part seems to never be worked on.
If you don't fix the problems more come and multiply, and eventually people will vote for the fash because "what is the difference".
That is to say, for the people in the comments who are shocked don't be
@Aviva_Gary @mekkaokereke the people who have great lives under Democratic mini-fascism are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure they never have to experience what marginalized people do, so they want to make sure we stay under Democrats. But once their needs are met, they don't really give a shit about the rest of us, so they're content with just repeating the same cycle every 4 years while never fighting for the rights of those who are already oppressed no matter who's in office
@mekkaokereke
I'm equally tired of being told what not to do & that I'm not listening to black people. Except I do listen. I work to elect the most progressive people running in Democratic primaries; I help run phone banks calling Philly voters about mail voting to make sure their voices are heard; I post about systematic racism; I volunteer in a Philly school.
Is it impossible to earn an opportunity to offer a bit of feedback on the moral implications of runaway global warming?
"Except I do listen" and then you proceed to list a bunch of things that *you* think are helpful, but that don't address a single thing that I brought up in this thread. Nowhere do you mention calling out Biden for any of the things I mentioned. You didn't even listen in this thread.
"I am equally tired!" No. No you're not. Not by a long shot. You just feel like you are, because you don't know how deep the well of pain goes.
@mekkaokereke
Here's what I read:
"The problem isn't Black voters.
The problem isn't Trump.
The problem isn't even Biden.
The problem is you, the Dem voter. Yes, you.
Your willingness to ignore the suffering of Black people, and to expect us to continue to vote against our self-interest, has brought us to this point."
If the problem isn't Biden, the problem is me, I don't understand your reply.
How am I ignoring the suffering of Black people if I'm at the very least trying not to do that?
Have you ever even considered writing a letter to Biden, expressing your complete disappointment in his harmful, racist, policing strategy? At any point before, during, or after an election? Have you ever told him that you will not support him in future, if he doesn't change? OK, letters are more work. How about a phone call?
Easier: Same as above, but for your Senator or Representative?
Easiest: OK, how about your mayor? An ombudsperson? School board member?
Anyone?
I send emails and call my senators & congresswoman on a regular basis and periodically talk with my state rep and senator as well as emailing them on multiple topics, issues of import to POC among them, so that's a definite yes.
I've been an active member of my local Indivisible group from the start and currently run it.
I also regularly disseminate race-class narrative messaging to PA group leaders, my group and my social media accounts (general links in my pined toots).
I don't believe you. I do believe you've written your senator or representative, but I don't believe that you made the very specific point that I made above: If you don't change your support of these policies that are so harmful to Black people, that I will stop supporting you.
In short, your Senator or Representative can safely ignore these pesky Black issues.
Am I wrong? I'd be very happy to be wrong! But I've poked on this a lot over the past 6 years and haven't missed yet
I will readily admit that I am no revolutionary. When the choice is between Biden and Elizabeth Warren in the primary, I pick Warren. When the choice in the general is between sanity and insanity, I'm for sure going to pick sanity.
So no, I've not lied when I've called/written the White House, Senators & Congresswoman. They know and I know there's no single issue that would have me serve insanity.
/1
Can you make the case that my lying would be more impactfull than telling them their position/proposal/vote is wrong, why it's wrong, and my values and their values require better?
What I see from Democrats (and the WFP) at the local, state and federal level, are multiple policies and programs being implemented that benefit marginalized people/communities. They're undoubtedly not everything that needs to be done, but infinitely more than what insanity would do.
/2