Hypocritical support for the authoritarian left.
Supporting the Russian governments imprisonment of literal 15 year olds, and justifying it by linking some random police brutality case from 5 years ago.
Actively supporting the bad things done by communist leaders, instead of merely brushing them off as "not real communism".
As well as the "critical support" bullshit of supporting any authocrat (who often want nothing to do with communism), purely because they said mean things about the US; the West or Israel.
Or, alternatively, just a silly new name to call communists.
For examples:
Uncritical support of:
- Suppressing Hungarian protestors since 1956
- Czechslovakian since 1968
- Supporting Romanian dictator that make the country into hellhole
- Think Serbia killing non-Serbs is justified
- Antisemitism
- Tiananmen Square massacre
- Khmer Rouge
- Shining Path
- Cuba’s concentration camp for gay
- Dreg regime in Ethiopia
- etc etc
I describe a tankie as a leftist/anarchist/Marxist/whateverist that either
A) supports, defends or downplays authoritarian regimes or groups (not specifically communist since Iran, Russia and HAMAS aren't communist) and justifying it with anti-west and deliberately hypocritical anti-imperialist narratives.
or
B) claims to be the left but actively and unironically promotes far right wing interests using leftist buzzwords.
In America I view it as someone who wants to rebel against their upper middle class upbringing by adopting radical leftist politics. They conflate democratic socialism with communism. There’s also weird social justice issues wrapped up in it but that’s something actual communism cares little about.
Supporting tyrants or terrorists simply for being "anti-Western," or denying those terrorists' or tyrants' crimes. Bonus points if, in so doing, they scream "racism," "colonialism," or "imperialism."
The direct insinuation of the insult is that they would have willingly, or even gleefully, driven the tanks at Tienamen Square.
You know it when you see it.
1. See problems in world
2. Come to the most simplistic possible solution (communism)
3. See that all examples of communism have failed
4. Realize you cannot ever be wrong, so the world must be wrong
5. "That wasn't real communism" or "Long live chairman mao"
Unironical support of socialist/communist dictatorships
Hypocritical support for the authoritarian left. Supporting the Russian governments imprisonment of literal 15 year olds, and justifying it by linking some random police brutality case from 5 years ago.
Actively supporting the bad things done by communist leaders, instead of merely brushing them off as "not real communism". As well as the "critical support" bullshit of supporting any authocrat (who often want nothing to do with communism), purely because they said mean things about the US; the West or Israel. Or, alternatively, just a silly new name to call communists.
For examples: Uncritical support of: - Suppressing Hungarian protestors since 1956 - Czechslovakian since 1968 - Supporting Romanian dictator that make the country into hellhole - Think Serbia killing non-Serbs is justified - Antisemitism - Tiananmen Square massacre - Khmer Rouge - Shining Path - Cuba’s concentration camp for gay - Dreg regime in Ethiopia - etc etc
Also includes north korea.
Main one: supporting the use of authoritarianism and totalitarianism to preserve communist systems of government
I describe a tankie as a leftist/anarchist/Marxist/whateverist that either A) supports, defends or downplays authoritarian regimes or groups (not specifically communist since Iran, Russia and HAMAS aren't communist) and justifying it with anti-west and deliberately hypocritical anti-imperialist narratives. or B) claims to be the left but actively and unironically promotes far right wing interests using leftist buzzwords.
In America I view it as someone who wants to rebel against their upper middle class upbringing by adopting radical leftist politics. They conflate democratic socialism with communism. There’s also weird social justice issues wrapped up in it but that’s something actual communism cares little about.
Supporting tyrants or terrorists simply for being "anti-Western," or denying those terrorists' or tyrants' crimes. Bonus points if, in so doing, they scream "racism," "colonialism," or "imperialism."
When they use any of these talking points... https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/115204.htm
Someone who supports leftist authoritarianism, especially marxist-leninism and reigmes that practiced it, such as the USSR, GDR, DPRK and Venezuela
The direct insinuation of the insult is that they would have willingly, or even gleefully, driven the tanks at Tienamen Square. You know it when you see it.
To add even more damage, I always say "You would unironically suck horse cock if that horse is anti-american, doesn't you?
1. See problems in world 2. Come to the most simplistic possible solution (communism) 3. See that all examples of communism have failed 4. Realize you cannot ever be wrong, so the world must be wrong 5. "That wasn't real communism" or "Long live chairman mao"