Neither is true. If it is indeed a campaign from Russia/China/other opposers of freedom, then the very tactic is to as deeply as possible foment division, for example, left and right politically, to cause internal strife. The idea is that internal strife causes lack of attention outwards, and slowly layers on costs (political, social, financial, etc) to “sink” the overall enterprise.
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Despite your vocal dislike of left and woke, you choose to live in Portugal. Portugal has some of the strongest LGBTQ rights in the world, national healthcare, is actively addressing its responsibility for slavery, has compulsory voter registration, gender quotas for political candidates, and a path to citizenship for undocumented workers. Any one of these would make a typical anti-woke American’s head explode. Yet, all these woke policies make Portugal an attractive place for you to live.
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Doesn’t matter what anyone says. It is what they do. It was the Right attacking the U.S. Capitol and threatening the well being of elected representatives. BTW, I always assume that people who use the prefix “Neo-” are probably just posturing and don’t really know what they are saying. Have to say that you are confirming my bias.
Again I’ll ask, what is this “Neo-Marxist” infiltration of US universities?
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I guess I am to the left I want an industrial policy for our capitalistic country to grow much faster. But still I am no where near as far to the left as Richard Nixon.
I just cant go to the right. I do not want more debt as we outsource our industrial base to China. I get we could cut SS and Medicare so that we do not import or manufacture at all. We could just simply have most seniors die in the streets. I can not get behind right wing nonsense. I get most right wing people make very little difference to the tax base they are not rich. I get the right wing votes against itself just because. I get Fox can say jump and why not? After all falling when you land wont be noticed till you land.
You’re good at spinning but you are wrong about my reasons for choosing Portugal which date back to 1967.
The Captain
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Why then should I answer any of your questions?
The Captain
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You certainly don’t have to. I just assumed you were trying to say something meaningful so I asked questions. Obviously a bad assumption. My mistake.
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Fair enough. Rereading my post, it is more of a personal attack than I intended. I apologize.
You frustrate me, though. You’re a fascinating person with incredible experiences and write with clarity and depth. And then you act the troll. You’ve lived through some of the worst humanity can offer and then act like gender pronouns are their equal. Maybe they are, but if so, you don’t really explain why, and if you really think so, you probably have good reasons and I’d like to know what they are.
Now, it is the internet and you don’t owe me or anyone else here anything. I’ve certainly gotten much more worth from your posts than I’ve paid and I do thank you for that. I guess I’ll learn to enjoy the suspense of wondering which Captain will show up next time.
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Thank you! I appreciate it.
Back in 1966, between two jobs, I decided to take a three month tour of Europe by rail. Portugal was not on the itinerary because the only Portuguese I knew in Venezuela were not interesting people and I knew of nothing of interest to see in Portugal. When I told my sailing partner he insisted I go to Portugal to buy a Duarte Bello self bailer for our Star. The Portuguese turned out to be the nicest, friendliest people I met in Europe! It was this memory that decided my picking Portugal as my destination. The dictator Oliveira Salazar was still running the country and they had none of the liberties you listed. And I didn’t even notice who was running the show, the people seemed quite happy and very friendly.
It’s not the gender pronouns, it’s the rage. You apologized for your outburst, thank you!
Except for the dictatorship that ended in 1958 Venezuela was run by left wing, mostly left of center political parties, as a constitutional democratic regime – until Chavez. Not perfect by any means but it was a workable mixed economy, socialist on the government side and capitalist on the private side. We got along just fine most of the time. I even lived under the Chavez regime for two decades until the economy totally collapsed.
What is missing in America is friendly dialog! I just had two post hidden in this thread. Are words that dangerous? One poster just told me words don’t matter.
Pragmatist get along. Idealists cause conflict. I hope that answers your question. If you wish we can extend this dialog.
The Captain
• Jordan Peterson explained that the problem was not gender pronouns per se but the law telling people how they must speak.
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Thanks for taking the time to write more.
I’m not sure it’s missing in America among regular people but it’s certainly missing from the internet and social media and politics.
I read an interesting article on DeSantis’ response to Biden’s Ukraine visit. It pointed out that DeSantis is well educated, graduated from Yale and Harvard, whatever that’s worth, was a decorated military officer, and a history teacher. It would be interesting to hear what he really thinks about Ukraine with all the risks and complexity and nuances. Instead, he just blames Biden for everything. He’s not dumb, blaming Biden is probably his best path to the presidency, and putting Ukraine into a broad post-cold-war context with plenty of blame to go around would lose him voters.
The same is true for climate change. I long for a conservative, market driven approach to solving environmental problems. Instead, the right has their head in the sand and the only solutions on the table are from the center-left to extreme-left.
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It’s funny classifying Elon Musk “center-left to extreme-left” instead of recognizing that he is driving the market to renewable energy. Musk is forcing legacy automakers into the EV business. With battery storage redesigning the grid. Musk is cutting the cost of going to space and accelerating internet penetration to remote areas, airliners, and cruise ships.
The market works in mysterious ways! 
Instead of left and right think of conservatives wanting to conserve and liberals wanting to liberate, it’s much less contentious.
DeSantis, the politician, has to do what politicians do to get elected.
Ukraine is many things, home to Ukrainians, a moat against the West for Russia, a forward base for the US to hit Russia, a breadbasket for African nations…
The Captain
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In fairness you should put that statement in context. A group’s words don’t matter if they are contradicted by the group’s actions. The Right claim to be patriotic but generally support attacks on the fundamental institutions of American democracy including the legitimacy of the popular vote and an actual physical invasion of the US capitol. In contrast, whatever the rhetoric of the left, they do not attempt acts of insurrection. Hillary Clinton did not attempt to overthrow her lost election by organizing a group of fake electors. A mob of leftists did not take over the GA capitol building after the loss by Stacy Adams. IMO, actions demonstrate which side truly respects America, regardless of the rhetoric.
You are the one who out of the blue claimed “Neo-Marxists” were infiltrating American universities. If you can’t/won’t explain that, well that is up to you. Being in Portugal I’m not sure how much personal interaction you’ve had in the past couple of decades with American universities, but then not everyone requires evidence to come up with a strong opinion.
Seriously, who’s fault is that? Have you listened to statements from Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz etc.? Compare that with what AOC, Bernie, or Ilhan Omar say in public. The rhetorical bombs seem to be primarily coming from the Right.
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I don’t think it’s worth pursuing this conversation because, in my opinion, your view of present day America is the exact opposite of reality.
One of us has been duped.
The Captain
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That is not true. We have fox news. Everyone who watches fox is in the friendly dialog club. If you are not in the club then you have no “family values”, sarcasm.
We are waiting for you to see the light. 
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It is now up to 26 states.
DB2
The Land of the Free!
Free to do AS YOU ARE TOLD!
The Captain
How it works is, you work for me, I pay you a wage, you don’t like my rules you go work for someone else. At least that is how it was told to me by every business I worked for. Are you saying you want to change the rules?
Andy
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Glass houses.
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Do not conflate private enterprise with government.
California’s LGBTQ+ travel ban now applies to over half of the states after…
The Captain
Captain, what you are proposing is that in Government, nobody can set policies for employees and that employees can do whatever they wish. With that you would basically have anarchy. Are you an Anarchist?
Andy