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Michael McKay

@87mck.bsky.social

100 followers 210 following 110 posts

🇬🇧 British by law|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish born & raised|🇺🇸 American Studies|Left-wing pragmatism|Outspoken|AuDHD|Pro-LGBTQ+|Vegetarian|Board games|

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Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

Do you understand the game they are playing? They want to start a debate framing that we can't be proud of our country anymore because it offends immigrants & Muslims. But there's a counter argument- what if the flag welcomes them?

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 6m

Such an American response, always with the individual. Those are the three things you have to do collectively as a nation. Those are the three things you have to achieve together.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 39m

Guess he doesn't have a leg to stand on

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 40m

Still armed a genocide

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 41m

As I've said before, it's not about being right or being moral. It's about being convincing. The rest depends on the intelligence or stupidity of the audience.

mariewalsh18.bsky.social @mariewalsh18.bsky.social · 23h

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 43m

The first thing is to save fair and free elections from autocracy.

The second thing is to address the economic inequality in the USA and end the oligarchy of corporate democrats & corporate republicans. (Bernie Sanders)

The last thing is to deradicalise your right wing so MAGA is shameful to them

Aaron McCall @aaronmccall.bsky.social · 23h

I do not feel like the American public has the humility or disposition to atone for the sins this administration is committing - given that we have failed at reconstruction & desegregation.

But there are too many people “just following orders” that they know are wrong, I don’t know how we move on.

Reposted by Michael McKay

TheCatMan @bigbrohem.bsky.social · 1d

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 51m

The American protest against Trump's authoritarianism "no kings" highlights how lost in the dark ages the UK still is with its royal family, house of lords, and stupid national anthem. @neilmackay.bsky.social @anticapitalistmusings.com

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 3h

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

*** elections would need to be either cancelled or rigged.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

@gemmaclark.bsky.social
@lotternine.bsky.social
@bellacaledonia.bsky.social
@gerryhassan.bsky.social
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social
@heckle.scot

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

Do you understand the game they are playing? They want to start a debate framing that we can't be proud of our country anymore because it offends immigrants & Muslims. But there's a counter argument- what if the flag welcomes them?

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

Be clear, this is about making the Scottish flag their flag so that anytime it is seen, it is seen as support for the far-right and white nationalism. We have two options 1.) give it up without a fight so it becomes their flag or 2.) fight for it.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

My opinion on why the far-right use flags is they want to tell the average person that this isn't about money or hotels it's about the right to be a patriot - something the immigrants are "taking from us".

@neilmackay.bsky.social
@gemmaclark.bsky.social
@anticapitalistmusings.com

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

Do you understand the game they are playing? They want to start a debate framing that we can't be proud of our country anymore because it offends immigrants & Muslims. But there's a counter argument- what if the flag welcomes them?

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

Btw I'm not saying that the situation is good. I'm saying that they are fighting an authoritarian culture war via Christian nationalism/ traditionalism. They haven't suspended democracy yet, giving them a political victory. In short, it will get a lot worse than this.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

All the things happening in the USA right now under Trump are far-right, but fascism isn't the only type of far-right politics. As I've said, you're in touching distance, but elections won't need to be either cancelled or rigged & that's not happening yet.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

Do you understand the game they are playing? They want to start a debate framing that we can't be proud of our country anymore because it offends immigrants & Muslims. But there's a counter argument- what if the flag welcomes them?

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 4h

Not sure why you think that the no true Scotsman fallacy is relevant. Can you expand on your point?

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 5h

If liberalism as a philosophy is the enemy, that means free speech is the enemy, fair and free elections are the enemy, secularism is the enemy, and individuality is the enemy. So, all the rights the left has are removed. (Possibly, with the help of some "liberals" who don't support liberalism)

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 5h

They don't need to. Only the leaders decision matters. They'd be arrested for betrayal if they criticised him.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 5h

I explain what I mean. In full fascism you can't vote him out. All trade unions are controlled by the state and any openly left-wing people are blacklisted from working.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 11h

People in the southern US states believe slavery is wrong, but they still wave the confederate flag to honour their ancestors who died for it.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 11h

@calltoactivism.bsky.social

👇

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 11h

Cognitive dissonance in political attitudes matters when communicating with the public. You can criticise foreign policy but not the soldiers who took part in that foreign policy. Iraq war, Vietnam both unpopular in USA but troops who served still widely respected, draft dodgers criticised. 👇👇

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 11h

Two posts on cognitive dissonance and public communication for leftists. 👇

@anticapitalistmusings.com
@gemmaclark.bsky.social
@georgemonbiot.bsky.social
@neilmackay.bsky.social
@gerryhassan.bsky.social

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 11h

Cognitive dissonance in political attitudes matters when communicating with the public. You can criticise foreign policy but not the soldiers who took part in that foreign policy. Iraq war, Vietnam both unpopular in USA but troops who served still widely respected, draft dodgers criticised. 👇👇

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 11h

This attitude is not exclusively American. It exists around the world. One example of this is the Germans will tell you they hate Hitler and the nazis but many of them still have photos of their grandfather serving in WW2 in his uniform and proudly still have his medals.

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 11h

Cognitive dissonance in political attitudes matters when communicating with the public. You can criticise foreign policy but not the soldiers who took part in that foreign policy. Iraq war, Vietnam both unpopular in USA but troops who served still widely respected, draft dodgers criticised. 👇👇

Michael McKay @87mck.bsky.social · 12h

Traditionalism is when different social conservatives put religious differences aside to permanently defeat their cultural enemies. Fascism is the permanent political defeat of them.

Worth looking into Opus Dei as well as the protestant right.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/arti...

Kevin Roberts, architect of Project 2025, has close ties to radical Catholic group Opus Dei

Heritage Foundation leader has long received spiritual guidance from group and his policy goals align with its teachings

www.theguardian.com