Politics, News and Current Events (2,876 views)

To continue the discussion that was going on over at Harry's, I feel like blaming the Trump electoral victory on Russia and solely on Russia:

a) Perpetuates negative Cold War-era propaganda about a nefarious and hostile Russia - Obviously, foreign involvement in rigging or manipulating elections is unacceptable, and I'm not trying to defend Russia as some kind of innocent wonderland, but I feel like building up Russia as some kind of bastion of evil not only hinders any potential reapproachment, but also leads to rampant scapegoating and paranoia. Here in Sweden, Russia has always been the bad guy, going back centuries. Any unexplained occurance, any general disturbance, any conspiracy is pretty much immediately linked to Russia, whether it makes sense to do so or not. Russia is always painted as the supreme threat, and it poisons people's minds. It's not healthy, and it distracts from other legitimate concerns. Protests and legitimate concerns against Sweden's military build-up, co-operation with NATO and reinstatement of conscription is being dismissed by statements like "We need to be ready for a russian invasion". I also agree with what SDA was talking about, that it's supremely hypocrticical of U.S. politicians to point the finger at Russia for potentially interfering in their election when the U.S. has a long and storied history of interfering through everything from propaganda campaigns, election rigging, support for military coups, all the way to outright military invasion.

b) It ignores the legitimate problems in the U.S. that lead to Trump's success - An antiquated and unfair electoral system, non-democratic practices like gerrymandering, corruption among high-up party officials, the inherent weaknesses of a two-party system, white american's attitudes towards changing demographics, globalisation, institutionalized racism, unequal distribution of wealth, etc etc. Intentionally or not, shifting the argument towards Russia helping Trump steal the election implies that the American system is otherwise functional, which it's really not.

Didn't I start my post by saying that I wasn't trying to excuse russian involvement in U.S. politics? I meant to do that. Isn't it obvious that I don't think it's okay for the U.S.' (flawed) democratic system to be overridden by non-democratic outside interference? I just find the irony amusing. 

I may have been conflating the american anti-Russian discourse with the swedish, where suspicion is solely directed towards russian manipulation of the upcoming election results through hacking, not on collusion with swedish politicians, but I feel like the discourse has been shifting from the idea that the democrats lost the election to the idea that Trump and the russians stole the election, which whether it's true or not, seems to lessen the urgency for fundamental change. 

Aware that who are bad dudes, the russians or the american politicians? 

This whole march for our lives thing is kinda going to shit isnt it.

The Russian election interference issue in 2016 was essentially "solved" when Mueller charged those people and institutions. Frankly, the Democrats (minus Hillary) have moved on from the election (with a little help from upset election wins) and are now focused on midterm elections. And this is why the Russian thing is going to keep being relevant: the intelligence agencies have said the Russians will be back, but the Trump administration, and by extension congressional Republicans, refuse to do anything to prevent future election tampering. Which makes sense of course, Republicans want to keep filling their pockets and  Russia is advantaged by polarization between American citizens and the American-European relationship. Not to mention that they both believe in white ethno-centrism.

As I said, it's a fact of life Russia (the bad dudes) do naughty shit. Every Great Power does it, including America. What is unacceptable is welcoming Russian interference for partisan gains.

David Hogg is opposed to armed police in schools: www.npr.org/2018/03/24/596647455/parkland-student-david-hogg-on-the-gun-control-movement-driven-by-teens

So were all the other Parkland kids who spoke at the March as far as I'm aware.

Its so funny considering police shootings made more then 5 more victims than mass shootings committed bu civilians already this year.

More school officers still wouldn't be a solution considering their general inability to prevent attacks in the past + the very real and documented threat they pose to students, notably kids of color and disabled kids.