A few things that are accessible within the USA include:
- Participating in mutual aid programs
- Campaigning on the local level, including for positions like poll watchers
- Making your voice heard in community events in general
- Joining your local DSA, networking
Are you an American? Because the only Americans who call people “leftist” are using it in a pejorative sense.
I call myself a leftist, thanks. But it’s messy and complicated, because there’s a lot of pragmatism mixed in there from the time I’ve spent in groups that have an anarchistic bent, since I’ve noted that they have a very, very hard time agreeing on action; great for debate, bad for decisions.
Cursed with the burden of eternal introspection, versus the fascist who can be content to act without thought.
“Liberal” is the only political pejorative I know
Are you an American? Because the only Americans who call people “leftist” are using it in a pejorative sense.
The only people who think leftist is a pejorative are conservatives. Hmmmm…
Call me a liberal though - and I’ll probably ignore it because it’s not worth explaining the difference to most people who will do so. But in my head dem’s fighting words. And ironically, I think there are many who also identify as leftists who would think I’m not left enough to call myself a leftist.
Signed, a Leftist.
You’re right. The only people who use the term “leftist” are conservatives, or people who have studied European politics, because it doesn’t actually define anything in American politics. There is no “leftist” party and there are no “leftist” political groups. “Liberalism” is far more common because it describes an amenable approach to social issues, but also a laisez-faire approach to economic and foreign policy issues. I get not wanting to be called a liberal, or worse a neoliberal, but we do not have a proper labour party, or a communist party, or anything else even remotely resembling the “left.” It would be nice if we did, but the far right has done an excellent job of demonizing the very idea of it.
That’s what I was referring to, which is why I assumed you might be a European, where such parties and ideologies exist out in the open.
I meant no offense.
The only people who use the term “leftist” are conservatives
It was the as a pejorative part that was significant to me, not use of the term itself. If someone is calling me a leftist with a sneer - that person is a conservative.
Because the only Americans who call people “leftist” are using it in a pejorative sense.
No offense taken, but I did wonder because of your seeming assumption that it would be pejorative. (Also please note I’m not OP)
because it doesn’t actually define anything in American politics. There is no “leftist” party and there are no “leftist” political groups.
I disagree that those two things are requirements for leftist to have a meaning. I’m also quite sure we have many leftist political groups, even if they have little political power.
The term is only used in a pejorative sense because the only people who use it are conservatives who use it as an insult.
I’m a unicorn I guess.