Whataboutism and Sanctioned Hate Speech
I heard of ‘Whataboutism’ for the first time only a week ago. I had it thrown at me several times on Reddit when I tried to point out the hypocrisy of protesting Russia’s actions in Ukraine while conveniently ignoring the litany of war crimes committed by the US, EU, and their military wing, NATO.
Fuck this term. It’s nothing more than a sycophantic subterfuge to shut down arguments in favour of narrow-minded, blinkered attitudes. Sometimes ‘what about?’ is exactly the point that needs to be made. It’s called perspective. So kindly take your ‘whataboutist’ foolery and fuck right off.
So in light of Facebook’s announcement this week that it is ‘temporarily’ allowing hate speech and calls for death on Russians, here’s a little perspectivism on this surreal new (Big Tech-dictated) alternate reality we seem to be living in. Feel free to load up your pistols with your whataboutist rounds. I’m wide open…
– Death to the Great Satan and his imperialist foot soldiers, and hell and fury on their Commander-in-Chief and all who came before him.
(This brand of hate speech is currently available only to those living within the sovereign borders of Syria, including the areas currently occupied by the US)
– Death and suffering to the mercenary Saudi butchers for the tens of thousands of deaths of the innocent women and children of Yemen, and the enforced starvation of hundreds of thousands.
(Currently available only to those living in the besieged country of Yemen)
– Death to the genocidal regime of Israel for its seventy-year occupation of Palestine and the slaughter of generations of innocent civilians, the widespread theft of land and resources, and the enforced imprisonment of entire communities.
(Sanctioned only for those living under Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories)
There you are, Nick. Fixed it for ya. Because targeted hatred of one ethnic group or nationality, there’s a name for that. Spread the racism around a little bit, now you don’t seem so racist.
Perhaps there’s a use for this whataboutism after all.
