To be clear, before I write anything else, lest I be labeled a Tankie —
1) I believe that the only solution to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a violent solution.
2) I believe that Ukraine is in the moral right to do everything in their power to fight the Russians and push them out of all Ukrainian territory.
3) I believe NATO forces should be directly engaged in combat in Ukraine and should be trying to actively destroy Russia’s war-making capability for decades to come.
4) I believe it’s worth risking even a nuclear attack to accomplish this end.
But also…
5) I believe that people who oppose all wars on a moral, ethical, or philosophical level have a legitimate and justifiable outlook and do not deserve to be run out on a rail because they take a stand on those principles when times are hard.
I’m about as “fucking kill every Russian fascist who sets foot in Ukraine” as one might expect. That being said, I’m a little disturbed at how we have viciously and falsely started to equate anyone in the party questioning anything about our policies with regards to Ukraine with the Tankies — the obviously pro-Putin and pro-Russian propaganda arm on the Twitter-left that makes their social media hay by being shitbag Russian internet fluffers.
There is nothing inherently immoral about someone being anti-war in all cases. There’s nothing inherently unethical or immoral in at least making some sort of effort in that direction if that’s where you are on a philosophical level. We should be a party that doesn’t immediately shit all over our own people just because they want peace, even if we vehemently disagree with that as a solution. Pacifism may not be my bag, or your bag, but surely it’s still legit on the left to be a pacifist, right?
If our objection is political, if we look at this horror show through the lens of our own immediate political needs for the midterms, are we really operating out of a place of concern for the lives and freedom and liberty of Ukraine? Or are we just taking the opportunity to howl at a small group of progressives for taking a stand against war and our contribution to war as a nation that is entirely in keeping with their consistent position on American foreign policy in general?
Because it sort of looks like you’re either in my camp in this party — pro war with Russia, no matter what — or that you don’t belong here.
Surely we have space for people who recognize that war in all forms is a moral evil, an ethical failing, and should be opposed in all cases. Dr. King was a much more moral man than I, a man who believed in peace over war, a man who believed in nonviolence. I don’t believe in those things. But he did. He was worthy of our admiration. Why do we hate those who follow in his footsteps in this way?
Food for thought.