• Kalcifer@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I am concerned that you are pulling your argument from misuse, and not from any fundamental meaning.

    The Gadsden flag fundamentally represents libertarianism. Libertarianism is anti-authoritarian. This is, by definition, opposed to the idea of the rampant misuse of, and oppression by the police force. Libertarianism is not about some idea of “liberty for me, but not for thee”. That is blatantly false. Anyone who follows that line of thinking is not a libertarian.

    EDIT: Upon re-reading your comment, your repeated reference to “Liberals” doesn’t make any logical sense. Liberalism (this heavily depends on how one defines “liberalism”), and libertarianism are not mutually exclusive ideologies. Nor are conservatism (this also heavily depends on how one defines “conservatism”), and libertarianism mutually exclusive ideologies. The only ideology that is mutually exclusive to libertarianism is authoritarianism.

    • Veraticus@lib.lgbt
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      1 year ago

      They’re describing how people using the Gadsden flag typically act; they fellate the police as long as they’re abusing minorities. “Don’t tread on me” isn’t a statement of principal to most of them. What they actually mean is “tread on others while I watch and cheer.”

      • Kalcifer@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        They’re describing how people using the Gadsden flag typically act; they fellate the police as long as they’re abusing minorities.

        Such individuals have no idea what the Gadsden flag represents, then. By extension, such individuals also misunderstand what “libertarianism” means.

        “Don’t tread on me” isn’t a statement of principal to most of them. What they actually mean is “tread on others while I watch and cheer.”

        For lack of a more elloquent repsonse, such individuals are idiots, and they should be made aware of their idiocy.

        • Veraticus@lib.lgbt
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          1 year ago

          Oookay, well that’s what the meme is making fun of, so I guess you agree with it?

          • Kalcifer@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            As shown int he title, the meme is still founded on the idea that the Gadsden flag is a conservative symbol, which it isn’t.

            • Veraticus@lib.lgbt
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              1 year ago

              Because conservative idiots use it and they should be made aware of their idiocy. You literally just said it.

              • Kalcifer@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                I am a little bit wary to agree with your statement, as I am not sure how you are defining “conservatism”. Libertarianism is mutually exclusive with authoritarianism, but not necessarily conservatism, or liberalism. But, again, this heavily depends on how such things are defined. Many people have different ways of looking at those terms.

      • Kalcifer@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Do you have any supportive argument for that statement? What do you specifically have against the idea of libertarianism?

        • p_diablo@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I don’t think it’s the idea of libertarianism being derided here, so much as the “practitioners” of libertarianism.

          • Kalcifer@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            Why put quotations around “practitioners”? If you think that there is nothing wrong with the ethos of libertarianism, then practicing it equally would have no issue. If by “practitioners” you are referring to the auth-right, and the like that seem interested in misappropriating the Gadsden Flag, then why even bother putting them in the same category as libertarians when they are so obviously not? Don’t give them any such satisfaction, or wiggle room. They are not libertarians.

            • SupraMario@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              It’s because so many shitty repubs have jumped to calling themselves libertarians and then flying the Gadsden flag while having a punisher sticker and thin blue line all at once. Just like they co-opted the tea party during the Ron Paul days.

              The Dems have the tankies though, don’t know which is worse though.

              • Kalcifer@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                It’s because so many shitty repubs have jumped to calling themselves libertarians and then flying the Gadsden flag while having a punisher sticker and thin blue line all at once.

                They are free to call themselves whatever they like, but that doesn’t make it factual, nor does it change the defintion of libertarianism, or the history, and true meaning of the Gadsden Flag.

              • Kalcifer@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                It is not my place to generalize people’s actions, or motives. I am only speaking to the idea of libertarianism itself.