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Left and Right

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 Scrolling through Instagram, I was seeing clips of a debate where one guy was openly declaring himself a fascist and laughing out loud; another guy was not answering a straight question of whether or not Israeli snipers shooting Palestinian children in the head was the fault of Israel. Instead, he tried to justify that those children may not be innocent. Seriously!! Sooo exasperating!! They were CHILDREN, for goodness' sake!!! Then there's another guy saying, White people are Native Americans. 🙄

These are actually clips from a YouTube debate titled "1 Progressive vs 20 Far-Right Conservatives (ft. Mehdi Hasan). Going viral now, I think. Of course, I watched the entire thing straight.

I have to say Mehdi Hasan is excellent at what he does. So satisfying to watch. I felt bad when the guy with the pink shirt and white cap told him, "Get the hell out." I am not surprised, though. I know these people exist. Racist, fascist, privileged white supremacists who do not accept that people of color can be Americans and who spew hateful comments without regard for the feelings of other people. These people expose themselves, and it is not looking good for them in the comments section. Good job! I guess.

I have never much concerned myself with politics. I didn't even know what left-wing and right-wing politics meant. Hadn't really put thought into that kind of stuff. I asked my mom, and then we had a little chat. As per Google:

In the context of politics, "left" and "right" represent broad ideological orientations. Generally, the left emphasizes social equality, progress, and government intervention, often associated with liberalism and progressivism. Conversely, the right tends to prioritize tradition, individual liberty, and limited government intervention, often associated with conservatism. These terms originated during the French Revolution, where seating arrangements in the National Assembly reflected these opposing viewpoints.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Left-wing:
  • Key values: Equality, social justice, progress, reform, internationalism.
  • Policies: Support for social welfare programs, environmental regulations, LGBTQ+ rights, and progressive taxation.
  • Historical roots: Emerged from Enlightenment ideals, advocating for democratic reforms and challenging traditional hierarchies.
  • Examples: Socialist, communist, and some liberal parties. 
Right-wing:
  • Key values: Individual liberty, tradition, order, authority, nationalism.
  • Policies: Support for free markets, lower taxes, strong national defense, and traditional social values.
  • Historical roots: Often associated with defending established institutions and social hierarchies.
  • Examples: Conservative, nationalist, and some libertarian parties.
Important Considerations:
  • The left-right spectrum is a simplification of complex political ideologies, and specific policies and beliefs can vary widely within each wing.
  • The meaning of "left" and "right" can also shift over time and vary across different countries and cultures.
  • It's important to consider specific policies and stances rather than relying solely on labels when evaluating political positions.
 
Okay, now I know, and I think I will remember. And you know what! I am very interested in debates now. Later in the evening today, after Sister came back from work, as we were having dinner, I was watching some debate on TV, and Sister said, "All American stuff; watch some Manipuri also." 

Talking about Manipur, I got to know that Ratan Thiyam passed away today. He was a renowned playwright and theater person from Manipur. What can I say? Definitely a loss for Manipur. May he rest in peace.

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