Tankie’s original use was for British communists who supported Soviet military expansion. In the modern sense, it is used to describe communists who are authoritarian-apologists. For example, a communist who romanticizes the Soviet Union or makes excuses for the Uyghur genocide is a tankie. I’ve also seen it stretched to include militant anti-capitalists, or more commonly, “militant,” anti-capitalists who call for violent resistance to capitalism from the safety of a keyboard.
Democratic-Socialists are not tankies. Socialists are not tankies. I don’t even think most communists qualify as tankies. Criticizing Democrats does not make you a tankie. Condemning Israel’s human rights violations does not make you a tankie. Voting third party doesn’t make you a tankie. I see this term used here every day, but never correctly.
[reads post] Yep, I’m using it right.
What do all serious auths have in common? The plan to use mass murder, at some point or another, as a means to an end. Unironically, my favorite thing about Tankies is how they’ll go from “communists aren’t violent murderers actually” to “you’ll get the bullet, too” in the span of two posts.
To clarify my position, I’m more closely aligned with anarcho-communists than any other serious political movement. I just think authoritarians of all stripes suck.
The plan to use mass murder, at some point or another, as a means to an end.
But there is something that separates a communist from a tankie. It isn’t the willingness to use violence, but their willingness to do so against their beliefs if it benefits “the communist side” even though it is an oppressive act.
Supporting violent resistance in Gaza doesn’t make someone a tankie, but supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine does.
I’ve not used it for anyone who wasn’t an authoritarian apologist, or who I meant to accuse of being an authoritarian apologist.
That’s exactly what a tankie would say!
True, however equally true
I got called a tankie for complaining about the lack of regulations when that lead tainted applesauce story came out.
Calling someone a tankie is just scraping the bottom of the barrel. It’s all they have.
Looked through your comment history. Are you talking about the person that replied “enjoy fascism”?
You got called a fascist becasue you wrote:
“12 percent of Bernie’s supporters stayed home in 2020.”
and
“Why would I lecture anyone fucking over leftists? Fuck socialism.”
Which is are pretty much rightist talking points.
Edit: You also said that leftists and POC need to be “put in their place” whatever that means, so I’m not surprised you got called that.
ROFL! This is exactly what I’m talking about. Sensationalism, taking shit out of context, and manufactured outrage.
I never once said a single word about POC. That was some dumbass kid that created that out of nothing because I said it’s good to see socialists of lemmy being put in their place.
Secondly, everything I said was truthful. There’s nothing fascists about factual numbers. You kids label anything that disagrees with your bullshit as fascist and then walk away as if rice won the argument.
Grow the fuck ip .
Blocking you along with all the other children who have no idea what they’re talking about.
Not a thing about what they said is even remotely fascist. Being “put in one’s place” is an older term for what you’d know as being “called out.” In other words, they’re glad the socialists of lemmy are finally being called out for their ridiculous rhetoric.
Lasty, even if they did say shit about POC, that would be RACIST, not FASCIST.
Considering that you yourself claimed to not even know what it means, you probably shouldn’t be judging others for what they say until you learn what what they’re saying means.
