JD Vance Blurbed a Book Arguing That Progressives are Subhuman

[probinson]

Either way, I'm not angry at this. I'm bothered by the facts that 1.) a prominent right-wing personality wrote a book with such an extreme characterization ("saying the quiet part out loud" as it were) and 2.) a US senator and the current republican VP nominee (as well as several others in the orbit of the presidential nominee) saw fit to not just agree with it, but promote it. For all the hay the right has made about the left supposedly holding them in contempt, this is objectively worse. Does this not strike you as problematic?

Interesting take. Were you equally as concerned with the concerted effort to dehumanize those who chose to remain unvaccinated during the pandemic?

 

[iluvatar5150]

Interesting take. Were you equally as concerned with the concerted effort to dehumanize those who chose to remain unvaccinated during the pandemic?

Some of them, yes.

Though (and it's possible my memory is faulty) 1.) I don't recall any quite so overt and 2.) I don't recall major political figures like the VP and senior WH personnel engaging in such behaviors.

 

[KathrynAragon]

Interesting take. Were you equally as concerned with the concerted effort to dehumanize those who chose to remain unvaccinated during the pandemic?

My oldest daughter and her Air Force officer husband and her four kids chose not to be vaccinated. They've gotten COVID and all survived it well, but I chose to be vaccinated three times and also got COVID and survived it well. What a mess. I was traveling a lot and I thought it was just easier to be "vaccinated" but apparently not.

The only person I know who died was "vaccinated" five times, got COVID a few weeks after her last vaccination, and died a few days later.

Sorry, but I don't call things that have to be regiven and reworked every year "vaccinations." I call them shots.

 

[Sif]

Like I needed more proof that those on the right (politically) see me as sub-Human or un-Human. I realized that some time ago.

 

[durangodawood]

My oldest daughter and her Air Force officer husband and her four kids chose not to be vaccinated. They've gotten COVID and all survived it well, but I chose to be vaccinated three times and also got COVID and survived it well. What a mess. I was traveling a lot and I thought it was just easier to be "vaccinated" but apparently not.

The only person I know who died was "vaccinated" five times, got COVID a few weeks after her last vaccination, and died a few days later.

Sorry, but I don't call things that have to be regiven and reworked every year "vaccinations." I call them shots.

Hey lets infect every thread topic with covid.

 

[probinson]

Some of them, yes.

Though (and it's possible my memory is faulty) 1.) I don't recall any quite so overt and 2.) I don't recall major political figures like the VP and senior WH personnel engaging in such behaviors.

I want to be respectful of the topic of your thread, but there has not been a more concerted effort to attack a group of people in recent history than those who chose not to get vaccinated.

The propaganda was intense and overwhelming. Unvaccinated people were relentlessly attacked daily by the media and the government and made to feel unhuman.

This is a video compilation of the incessant propaganda directed at unvaccinated people during COVID.

The dehumanization of "the unvaccinated" was off the charts.

Now back to your OP...

It seems that dehumanization is now part and parcel of the political playbook of both parties seeking to manipulate and coerce people. Fear is a great motivator. Whether making someone irrationally fear an unvaccinated person next to them on the subway or the "fascist" who seeks to upend your way of life, both are intellectually dishonest ways to manipulate people with fear.

Many of my fellow conservatives like to throw around the word "evil". I choose not to do that. While I believe there is evil in the world, this reduces the conversation to an emotionally manipulative state in which people stop thinking objectively. As an analytical person, I prefer to focus on facts. I disagree with many policy positions of the Democrats, but I don't think they are "evil" or "unhuman". I would rather have an honest discussion on the merits of why I oppose those positions.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

If you kill an unhuman on purpose, is that murder?

Only if it is in a woman.

 

[durangodawood]

Whats the Christian position on when a human becomes an unhuman?

Clearly many Christians think that political position flips your human switch to "off". But Im not aware thats the Christian position per se.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Only if it is in a woman.

Only if it is a child in the womb.

 

[KCfromNC]

Interesting take. Were you equally as concerned with the concerted effort to dehumanize those who chose to remain unvaccinated during the pandemic?

I don't know that they were called unhuman. There were concerns they were giving up a chance at better wifi and 5G reception, though.

 

[Ana the Ist]

We’re not, but that doesn’t stop the right from conflating all of them, as Posobiec does in his book. Here’s a section from the intro on Google books:

Unhumans

NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and PUBLISHERS WEEKLY NATIONAL BESTSELLER If you don’t understand communist revolutions, you aren’t ready for what’s coming. The old rules are over. The old order is over. Accusations are evidence. Activism means bigotry and hate. Criminals are allowed to roam free...

books.google.com

(screenshot because I can’t seem to paste the text on my phone)
View attachment 352877

Context is why I provided the google books link. Feel free to ignore the NYT quotes.

We're talking about this book?

Unhumans

If you don't understand communist revolutions, you aren't ready for what's coming. The old rules are over. The old order is over. Accusations are evidence....

www.skyhorsepublishing.com

 

[iluvatar5150]

We're talking about this book?

Unhumans

If you don't understand communist revolutions, you aren't ready for what's coming. The old rules are over. The old order is over. Accusations are evidence....

www.skyhorsepublishing.com

yes

 

[Hans Blaster]

Except the Democrats are not communists, by any sane definition.

Sanity is not a problem for many.

 

[rjs330]

Exactly, just read about project 2025, and before they deny Trump has ever heard of it, remind them his own VP pick wrote a forward to a book about it. And the project is almost wholly written by Trump cronies.

I've actually been reading project 2025. So far there hasn't been anything in it that's objectionable. Pretty tame really. It seems that the left has created a boogeyman or monster under the bed with it. Have you actually read it?

 

[rjs330]

This kind of rhetoric about a particular group being subhuman/unhuman is dangerous. It paves the way for treating those of that group as less than human, as animals. The same rhetorical devices were used to justify slavery.

Well, maybe that's true, but when you actually look at what Marxism and Socialism has done to people and societies the term fits fairly well. It seems to never end well for those in it.

 

[rjs330]

yes

If this book is about communist revolutions and how they have taken control and how to recognize it, I don't understand what's so bad about it.

I mean we've had plenty of books written on the rise of the Nazis and no one seems to be upset about it.

Shouldn't we be aware of how it happens? It's seems like we might just be upset over a title. Have you actually read the book?

I might have to now that people.seem to be so upset over it. I guess I'll see for myself.

I heard all rhe furor over project 2025 and decided to read that. So far I've have found anything bad in it. It seems to be wanting to bring government back into balance under the constitution and reign in the power of the executive branch.

 

[iluvatar5150]

If this book is about communist revolutions and how they have taken control and how to recognize it, I don't understand what's so bad about it.

Have you read any of what I linked to?

 

[public hermit]

Well, maybe that's true, but when you actually look at what Marxism and Socialism has done to people and societies the term fits fairly well. It seems to never end well for those in it.

It's dangerous rhetoric no matter. For those on the right to embrace it can only embolden bad behavior against those they fear and resent. Recognizing our common humanity is key to securing our common good.

 

[rjs330]

Have you read any of what I linked to?

Yeah, I'm not seeing the issue here. I mean a small cut and paste taken out of context text doesn't really tell me anything. The description of the book says it's about communist/far left takeovers and revolutions, how they happened and how to recognize them. I would think we'd all want to be wary of that. Just like we all.want to be wary of far right takeovers also, like the Nazis.

Have you read it? Or are you just following left leaning sources on it like you did with project 2025?

You really should read project 2025. I admit it's a bit dry, but it's certainly not radical at all.

 

[rjs330]

It's dangerous rhetoric no matter. For those on the right to embrace it can only embolden bad behavior against those they fear and resent. Recognizing our common humanity is key to securing our common good.

I do agree with that on principle. But I doubt very much you would say the say thing if the book were about the far right and Nazis.

And that's the problem with these things. Neither side recognizes rhe common humanity. That's how Nazis git away with what they've done and the far left has gotten away with what they've done. Those people really dont recognize our common humanity at all. Thats why they are dangerous and need to be exposed.

I'm all for ending the rhetoric. I even brought this up in a thread where rhetoric was being discussed. You know what was interesting. I spoke out against rhe rhetoric of the right and asked our leftist friends if rhey would do rhe same regarding the left. The answer was no. Their rhetoric wasn't rhetoric only rhe right had rhetoric. It was quire educational.

Seems rhat no one has read the book is just upset over the title. Have you read it?