Conversation

At some point in my 14-year limbo between student visa and citizenship, my attitude towards nativists everywhere on earth flipped from fear to contempt. All that remains is a healthy fear of guns, paperwork backed by guns, and respect for the principle of rule of law. That’s it.
2
49
I suppose at some point, as a kid before I learned the word nativist, I had respect for people who embody a deep sense and history of place. Even awe sometimes. But the older I got, the more I began to see that the majority who larp this are just incumbency bullies
1
42
Replying to
Incidentally this means being careful about arguments about historical wrongs. Europeans colonizing Americas by force/disease was wrong because of the violence/cruelty of process. Not because “native” Americans have a special spiritual claim merely by being first by 10-20k years
1
27
My previous rant on this subject from 10 months ago. 🤣
Quote Tweet
I get patriotism. That’s recognizing and appreciating the abstract principles a state is founded on, and occasionally making courageous choices to defend them. Nationalism though is a weird symbols-and-history emotional apohenia. Personalizing impersonal meta-institutions...
Show this thread
3
Replying to
I think this is one of these things that one doesn't HAVE to politicize, regardless of the outside world -- there is room for reasonable individuals to disagree. Are you OK with outsiders moving into Brazilian rain forest? Han moving into Tibet? Americans buying Mexican land?
1
Replying to
As a military invasion (an adversarial social process) no. As a peaceful migration, yes. The specific point I’m firmly denying is claims of spiritual connection to place. “We know about this rainforest, learn from us” okay “This place is holy to us because blood in soil” no.
1
Show replies