Russia tries to divide us on race. [Let's seek to unify!]
The History of Russian Involvement in America's Race Wars
From propaganda posters to Facebook ads, 80-plus years of Russian meddling.
JULIA IOFFE OCT 21, 2017 The Atlantic
It was part of a plan put in place in 1928 by the Cominternthe Communist International, whose mission was to spread the communist revolution around the world. The plan initially called for recruiting Southern blacks and pushing for self-determination in the Black Belt. By 1930, the Comintern had escalated the aims of its covert mission, and decided to work toward establishing a separate black state in the South, which would provide it with a beachhead for spreading the revolution to North America.
...
Moscow never abandoned these tactics, which became known as whataboutism, even after the Soviet Union collapsed. Russian propaganda outlets like Russia Todaynow known as RThave always focused on domestic strife in the United States, be it homelessness or Occupy Wall Street or the Ferguson protests. The Facebook ads focusing on divisive issues like Black Lives Matter are just another page from the old Soviet handbook. The difference this time is that the Russians got better at penetrating the American discussions on these fraught subjects. They became a more effective bellows, amplifying the fire Americans built.
Since the Democratic party is a big tent, America's racial issues carry over into the party. (The GOP, as the party of white people, can just ramp up hate against minorities and stay unified.)
The GOP and GOP oligarchs like Koch and Mercer and Murdoch know this too -- it's not just the Russians -- and so GOP strategists amplify racial discord to divide Democrats.
Let's not be divided. The Democratic party stands for a fair shake for all, and for equal rights for all. If some in America wish to inflame hate against minorities, we should stand loudly against that.
But do not let trolls, foreign or GOP, divide Democrats. We need a diverse party but that doesn't mean we should denigrate any part of our caucus. We stand stronger when we are united.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)About that, but hopefully theyll wake up and acknowledge the few debt we owe voters of color too.
If youre asking people to shut up about civil rights issues or rail against identity politics.... youre doing it wrong.
JI7
(89,281 posts)dalton99a
(81,656 posts)S.E. TN Liberal
(508 posts)It is what conservatives have always done and will always do. A thousand years from now conservatives will be trying to keep in power by finding issues, such as race and bigotry, that they can divide the working class and poor people on.
The way to defeat them is for workers and poor people to understand what is happening and why.
We have to stop letting them divide us if we want to raise our standard of living.
The Russians are just using the same playbook to weaken America that republican'ts always use.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)The middle class understanding the billionaire strategy is key. Thats why the above line about Fox is so powerful
JI7
(89,281 posts)there is no "we" here.
it's not "We" doing this.
it's one side doing it.
David__77
(23,566 posts)There was nothing wrong with communists and the Soviet Union standing for black liberation.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Stalin killed millions, in purges, the gulag, and in intentional famines. Russias goal is to damage and hurt America and Americans.
Im very comfortable saying there is something VERY wrong with Russia trying to incite hate in the United States. As Americans we must reject this incitement.
And as Democrats and Americans we must recognize when race arguments are dividing us and embrace equal rights and diversity.