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The Way Forward

In reply to the discussion: Act like Democrats. [View all]
 

Sailingfish

(47 posts)
22. Opposition to war is not a right-wing talking point.
Wed Jan 22, 2025, 01:44 AM
Jan 22

Yes, there's a faction of "right-wing libertarians" and anarcho-capitalists opposed to war and interventionism but they are surely not alone in opposition to wars on the political spectrum. There's a long history of opposition to wars and interventionism on the left. Especially wars that are fought for ruling class power. I post this example below, not because Debs was a member of the Democratic Party. I'm posting it only to say that opposition to wars is not a right-wing talking point in any way.

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I have been asked if I was opposed to all war and if I would refuse to be a soldier and to fight under any circumstances. No, I am not opposed to all war, nor am I opposed to fighting under all circumstances, and any declaration to the contrary would disqualify me as a revolutionary. When I say I am opposed to war I mean ruling class war, for the ruling class is the only class that makes war. It matters not to me whether this war be offensive or defensive, or what other lying excuse may be invented for it, I am opposed to it, and I would be shot for treason before I would enter such a war. If I were in Congress I would be shot before I would vote a dollar for such a war.

Capitalist wars for capitalist conquest and capitalist plunder must be fought by the capitalists themselves so far as I am concerned, and upon that question there can be no misunderstanding as to my position. I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth; and I am a citizen of the world.

But while, I have not a drop of blood to shed for the oppressors of the working class and the robbers of the poor, the thieves and looters, the brigands and murderers, whose debauched misrule is the crime of the ages, I have a heart-full to shed for their victims when it shall be needed in the war for their liberation.

I am not a capitalist soldier; I am a proletarian revolutionist. I do not belong to the regular army of the plutocracy, but to the irregular army of the people. I refuse to obey any command to fight from, the ruling class, but I will not wait to be commanded to fight for the working class.

I am opposed to every war but one; I am for that war with heart and soul, and that is the world-wide war of the social revolution. In that war I am prepared to fight in any way the ruling class may make it necessary, even to the barricades.


--Eugene Debs (Public Domain)

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Recommendations

3 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Act like Democrats. [View all] WarGamer Jan 21 OP
True. I didn't like the cozying up to Cheneys either ck4829 Jan 21 #1
I actually don't believe in a mono-polar world. WarGamer Jan 21 #2
Yeah the whole "Let's just forget about all the evil shit Putin does and be friends" is naive and foolish. BannonsLiver Jan 21 #3
that's a bit black and white. WarGamer Jan 21 #13
NATO isn't clean either osteopath6 Jan 22 #20
Another thing to discuss is to fight "the man". We totally should go back to that. ck4829 Jan 21 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author LiberalArkie Jan 21 #5
Peltier was convicted in 1977 dpibel Jan 21 #6
This message was self-deleted by its author LiberalArkie Jan 21 #11
MAGA light? BannonsLiver Jan 21 #15
I see that The Wandering Harper Jan 27 #41
Doesn't make it maga light though. BannonsLiver Jan 27 #42
that's a matter of opinion The Wandering Harper Jan 28 #46
Indeed. BannonsLiver Jan 28 #48
If you can count the KNEECAP movie as a documentary? The Wandering Harper Jan 28 #49
They went that long because he deserved to rot in prison Mountainguy Jan 21 #17
I am not saying we should run Liz Cheney or Adam Kensinger for president. But we need somrone doc03 Jan 21 #7
It's "canonized" dpibel Jan 21 #8
noted, tyvm. WarGamer Jan 21 #12
I agree that we need better candidates senseandsensibility Jan 21 #9
Democrats aren't silencing speech!!! Lunabell Jan 21 #10
You know what you're doing... WarGamer Jan 21 #14
Are you talking about "cancel culture" here? dpibel Jan 21 #16
It's not the Democrats who are censoring. Lunabell Jan 21 #18
Opposition to war is not a right-wing talking point. Sailingfish Jan 22 #22
Well, just tell putin about this. Lunabell Jan 22 #23
The obsession with Putin from many is beyond laughable. Sailingfish Jan 22 #24
Obsessed with putin? Lunabell Jan 22 #25
All wars result in the death and murder of innocents. That's the point. Sailingfish Jan 22 #26
This osteopath6 Jan 21 #19
Haven't Dems got any youngsters with charisma??? ultralite001 Jan 22 #21
Dem leadership growing a spine needs to be the first step GoreWon2000 Jan 22 #27
Hmmm...you managed to irk both of my enthno origins... electric_blue68 Jan 23 #28
Ok... WarGamer Jan 24 #29
Yeas, it was an allegory, but you still picked it as an example... As for Ukraine... electric_blue68 Jan 24 #30
Here's what I think... not that it means much. WarGamer Jan 24 #31
You've had some first hand experiences! Yeah, I've read about... electric_blue68 Jan 24 #32
Opportunities will be readily available. WarGamer Jan 24 #33
Utterly delusional. BannonsLiver Jan 24 #34
Just wait and see... Ukraine will come out of this better than going in... in some ways. WarGamer Jan 24 #36
ONLY because they fought Red Mountain Jan 27 #43
I wish I was a fly on the wall during the pre-war negotiations. WarGamer Jan 27 #44
Bullshit. Why should a sovereign nation give up territory to a corrupt aggressive neighbor? FSogol Jan 24 #35
Look at a map or a globe and find a nation that's never given up territory in a war... I'll wait. WarGamer Jan 24 #37
What was the net gain from Liz Cheney? Nothing. Passages Jan 25 #38
I agree. KentuckyWoman Jan 25 #39
no flames here... WarGamer Jan 25 #40
Acting like Democrats is challenging for some: Passages Jan 27 #45
I'll just be God-DAMNED if I'll stop blaming the stupid fucking voters. Paladin Jan 28 #47
10-20 years? Please double that. JHB Jan 28 #50
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