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Long post (TL;DR being on the left in the wake of Charlie’s assassination, and my thoughts on the only path forward)

Thank you to my friend nostr:nprofile1qqsp4lsvwn3aw7zwh2f6tcl6249xa6cpj2x3yuu6azaysvncdqywxmgpvemhxue69uhkv6tvw3jhytnwdaehgu3wwa5kuef0dec82c33wf6xcutrvyu8ydnpw4ukzae4dc6ksvmvx56ryvnyd568xunex4j85en9v56rvwfkveck2wrnxeckwatyddenwer2w3n8x0mzwfhkzerrv9ehg0t5wf6k2qg5waehxw309aex2mrp0yhxgctdw4eju6t0f7rplw for being a sounding board. He and I don’t agree on everything, but I’ve found such a kinship with him over the years (as one of the first more public Bitcoiners I met who was super welcoming to me), he’s a good person and loves our country, and I have been talking with him about my own complex feelings around Charlie’s death and recent events.

It’s time for the moderate, left of center liberals to actually lead the way and the future of the Democratic Party. It’s time to be courageous and say what needs to be said.

They constitute a majority of voices, but the party, media, and good faith liberals are constantly hijacked and ridiculed by the hypocritical extreme, radical left.

The left that antagonize progressives and center left as being “liberal” and not “true leftists.”

Damn straight. Moderate liberals are exactly what the democrats need to lead on a platform of inclusion, American values, democracy and liberal values, and a place for everyone — not a place that welcomes extreme views, violence and violent rhetoric, shitting on American values, wealth, entrepreneurship, and bullshit purity contests and virtue signaling. A platform that says we’re proud to be American, and we can live together in peace and harmony and my fellow Americans are not my enemy.

And this needs to be said - the leftists, those applauding Charlie’s death — are not just a minority voice on the left/democratic side. They have been growing, and recruiting. They also openly, consistently profess their hate for America and fellow Americans. When do we on the center left say enough is enough?

It’s not too late to combat this, deescalate, and pull people back to the same, center left position and move forward. We need to stop being complacent and captured by this segment of the extreme left (who many don’t even vote democrat anyway because no one passes their purity contest!)

And if you’re on the left — for just one second, try not to whataboutism about the right. This is a post to you — I’ve critiqued the extreme right many times. This isn’t about them right now. It’s about you, it’s about me, and it’s about answering the call if we can actually do this and rise above and do what we need to do.

We cannot move forward as a movement, as a Democratic Party, etc, without this intervention and soul searching. It could very well destroy America. It’s time to be morally courageous and do the right thing, and stop being the knee to those on the far left who would rather see our country and fellow Americans destroyed (or assassinated) anyway.

I for one will fight for American liberal values and a safer country for my daughter to grow up in and be proud of 🇺🇸

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Discussion

HODL 3mo ago 💬 5

Trey is on the left and a good man who cares deeply about this country.

I am proud to call him a friend.

There is no divide between decent people.

nostr:nevent1qqsxaf0vksh0c2mw30qplcg3e9lgv6r74elnpna2vc2r69d6ccqt6ucppemhxue69uh5qmn0wvhxcmmvktc6c2

Dug 3mo ago

I’ve always considered myself more liberal than anything else, although Bitcoin has helped develop my views, but the responses, and like you say “purism contests” are difficult to take in. Can they not appreciate someone’s father has just been shot in the neck for his views?

JT 3mo ago

Not when The Right is calling for the blood of The Left, no, not at all.

They wanted war, and posted plenty of content to support their views.

Dug 3mo ago

Tough times ahead.

JT 3mo ago

Bought some cold lead today.

I hope 1018fps is quicker than they are.

TheBitSmith 3mo ago

Well written piece Trey, question is will the Dem elite allow moderates back into key leadership posts within the party?

Bitty Cent 3mo ago 💬 1

Disclosure: I’m Canadian.

The Democratic Party has been broken for over a decade. I believe Trump’s two terms are a symptom of this.

It really does seem like a “good times make weak people” situation, and it has happened all over western civilization.

In a healthy democracy, it is actually good for the pendulum to swing around the center. That way, you don’t always get what you want, but the most people get what they need.

Wild swings to the extreme will always break more than they fix.

The only way forward is for civil, sane people to bring back civil, sane discourse, as opposed to attempting to punish and even kill those they oppose.

If you are a civil, sane person, time to make your voice heard over the culture wars.

🦊🔫🥩🏴‍☠️⚡ 3mo ago

the fact that Trump, someone viewed as center left 20 years ago, is portrayed as far right, should inform just how far the overton window has shifted

Jose Sammut 3mo ago

I don't believe your people can do it, but good luck.

brah 3mo ago

Didn’t read.

You’re part of the problem and you’re opinions are wrong

Crizzo 3mo ago

You both must be living in some alternate reality because Dem leadership these days is already very centrist. Schumer and Pelosi are do-nothing Democrats perfectly happy to let the status quo perpetuate. Biden did nothing progressive of note his entire term. AOC is considered fringe among the establishment. Bernie was blackballed in multiple presidential elections by the establishment.

Honestly I think Hodl is a PoS, but just like CK he is a very skilled orator and knows not to come right out and say what he's really thinking. Anyone capable of reading between the lines can see he's a hypocrite and he is very obviously milking CK's death to whip people up into a frenzy against the "demonic left". He will deny it, but I bet he'd be secretly happy if he inspired others to commit violence against "the enemy". Hodl is the extremist right equivalent of everything he accuses the extremist left to be.

HODL 3mo ago

What a disgustingly bad faith accusation, but thanks for saying I’m a skilled orator lol 😂

For what it’s worth the idea you have of me in your head is a false projection. I abhor political violence. Not a fan of violence in general. I expressed on nostr:nprofile1qqsvfr3f7p95stxqrjslnmuvsmhcxxxqt8swjdfjx5tz7zq0yms5cygpzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezumrpdejqz9thwden5te0v4jx2m3wdehhxarj9ekxzmnyavcrjn's show the other day that I am equally concerned with the far right as I am with the far left. I think it’s very dangerous what’s happening with the nihilism of those under 40 and it’s not leading the country anywhere good. I do not want to see retributive political violence in anyway shape or form.

Crizzo 3mo ago

I think your relentless crusade against the left and thirsty for retribution says otherwise. You say CK shouldn't have been punished for things he said yet you're promoting making lists and punishing people for celebrating his death. Hypocrite.

HODL 3mo ago

My relentless crusade against “the left” (I keep saying leftists specifically) is because leftists are cheering for the murder of a man who wanted to speak to people. People like you. It’s ok to admit you would cheer if I was killed. I already know that’s what you think. I’m a person with a family crizzo. I haven’t called for violence. In fact I’ve repeatedly stated the opposite. But I cannot ignore the fact that people like you want me dead and are willing to lie about me as you are doing above in order to make that possibility more likely.

Crizzo 3mo ago

I never said anything like that. What a disgustingly bad faith argument.

HODL 3mo ago

Ironic seeing as how you began this exchange in extreme bad faith and now you’re accusing me of it. Let me be blunt the rhetoric that you’re engaged in is the same type of rhetoric that led to Charlie Kirk being killed and his little girl growing up without a father. You’re taking a moderate (me) and trying to turn me into a nazi. Stop it. Do better.

JT 3mo ago

Lots of comedy is right here in these posts.

Good job walking back your speech from just days ago, you fucking fascist.

Eporediese 3mo ago

Breathe! It took me decades to realize this but in any stressful situation, breathing deeply and with intention really helps.

JT 3mo ago

They don't want your 'soyjack liberal' talk in their circles.

JT 3mo ago

They now have a platform for stochastic terrorism, that's the better part of anonymous. It's exactly what they want.

JBN 3mo ago

At some point it has to be about reading between the lines to fit the facts of reality to a preconceived notion.

Globe99 3mo ago

Keeping out of the 2nd paragraph ad hominem, the first paragraph is spot on.

There are individuals on the Left engaging in political violence. I do not believe that there is any serious Leftist program of organized political violence in America today. This is an important distinction.

Organized political violence from the Left basically existed at two periods; the left-anarchist bombing campaigns of the 1910's, and the SDS / Weather Underground / etc groups in the 1970's. They're notable precisely because they were basically historical "blips," confined to the political context of their respective moments.

Meanwhile, the KKK has existed in some form or another since 18-fucking-65. It and similar groups have *always* been present, just on the fringes of Right-wing politics in America, never far from the Halls of Power.

Note this is not the case outside of the American context; Latin America and Europe both have much stronger Leftist movements that do, in fact, engage in programs of organized political violence and even terror....

But America is a center-right country. The extreme Left are either brick-throwing Antifa teenagers, or Antediluvian Academics writing Neo-Marxist theory papers in dusty offices. Neither are actually *proximal* to political power in any serious way.

Sats and Sunsets 3mo ago

When you go so far in one direction, everything looks like the opposite.

FiddleHodlHomestead 3mo ago

I think it's time to move past these labels and categories altogether, but I so appreciate your post, Trey!

Kaputalism Minimalist 3mo ago

You are seriously just parroting the framing of the right. The "extreme left" had absolutely to do with this incident nor are they involved in the stupit back and forth of what are basically two deeply neoliberal parties that are both completely detached from the people and just blame each other while having more or less the same policies that address none of the real issues that cause the socio economic conditions that leads to all this madness.

What you are asking for is more status quo, where the whole system is literally headding for a wall.

What you need is a real leftist movement with real left economics that finally start to get the rights of the working class back and make sure the owner class pais their share in a functioning society their businesses profit from.

Bernie, AOC and Mamdani are on the right way. I hope they can make a real impacct and turn your country around.

JT 3mo ago

They e all ready collectively blocked you, just so that's clear.

They do not and will not listen to reason.

They should become homeless then have a face-to-face with Brian Killmeade.

Fucking fascists.

'I hate the Illinois Nazis.'

Kaputalism Minimalist 3mo ago

Yeah the "strong men" are very special snowflakes when it comes to opposition to their weak believes and rather enjoy the comfort of a echo chamber

Globe99 3mo ago

I think there's an important distinction between "a bunch of BlueSky edgelords" and "the actual POTUS mass pardoning the January 6th rioters."

If we define extreme by "willing to use violence to achieve political ends," the extreme Left in America today, whatever that actually means, is nowhere near as proximal to real political power as the Extreme Right.

What actual, in-power Democrat has actually said "Charlie Kirk deserved it" or whatever we're trying to pin on them? What Blue-state official has said anything like "well IDK, good people on both sides"?

IDK, probably going to see my Nostr follow count drop for this, but whatevs.

jtown 3mo ago

Idk why you're into bitcoin. For me it's to get my wealth as far away as fucking possible from "the left". If they will kill you for open discussion, they will rob you of everything for much less.

Macronaut 3mo ago

I mean, that’s not democrats you’re describing. You’re just a lost republican.

nicnym 3mo ago

Both democrats and republicans are leftists- they both want more government control.

You should represent LESS government control, if you call yourself a “liberal”

Purp1eOne 3mo ago

First I am on the right, that was a thoughtful post and I commend you for it.

All I ask from the left is lets live in reality, America comes first, men can't have babies, you can't change your sex, abortion until almost full term is evil, boys don't belong in girl sports, Constitutional rights are every citizens rights, illegals are just that illegals and we have borders like every other country. Those items shouldn't be an issue for either side because they are just basic common sense. The fact that things have been pushed so far has to make you wonder doesn't it? Who is pushing people to the fringes and why?

Its hard to have a conversation when those simple things get the right called nazis, racists and anything else they think of.

And now we see over 60,000 that have been documented to celebrate the death of Charlie and the MSM spew lies about him and his beliefs and anyone who can just watch a few of the videos that aren't out of context know these memes, posts and some talking head are completely wrong but that don't or won't because they are either afraid of being shunned by their friends or don't want to know the truth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azE7nqqQMmo&t=1091s