"it's just politics" and state violence
Bestie asked on Facebook: If politics shouldn't divide us, why do people use politics to oppress others?
My reply:
I think "it's just politics" is a cop-out. I think when somebody votes for the politician who's promising to erode queer rights, women's rights, black people's rights ... saying "it's just politics" or whatever is a cop-out. I think part of that is how disconnected our vote feels from the state-violence that's required to enforce the oppression of others.
Like I don't think most people who voted for Trump would violently prevent somebody from getting an abortion or violently prevent somebody from getting gay-married.
Yaknow... They wouldn't stand outside planned parenthood or a gay-friendly wedding chappel and physically prevent someone from entering.
But they'll cast a vote that effectively has someone else (a cop) do that. I honestly doubt most people think much about the fact that all laws are ultimately enforced at the end of a barrel of a gun. But when you vote for oppression, you vote for violence against those who resist the oppression.
And then a lot of issues get wrapped up into "being politics" like ... trans people being allowed to exist or women being allowed to get abortions. If it's "just politics" then who cares, right? It's just my opinion man. But it's not - it's a vote for violence against people who would resist oppression.