The Fake-Left Is Interfering With Our Right To Dissent

I felt like this was relevant here since it specifically addresses Fake-Leftists who support Russia, and their attempts to keep us from using our right to dissent. I also recently posted this as a self post in r/Communism_101.<br><br>I've been seeing lately, a lot of discussion of the "right to dissent" in the context of free speech. I've also been seeing some people who claim to be on the left, but who seem much more like right-wing trolls. I think a lot of people here in r/communism_101 know what I mean now-a-days, when I say "Faux-Leftists" as I guess I coined the term. There's all sorts of snowflakes online now who claim to be leftists but have nothing but hate and bigotry for any other leftists who don't agree with them. I've accepted this is a fact of life in the internet era. But what I think doesn't get enough attention is how this is a coordinated effort by powerful forces with a lot of money, to curtial our right to dissent.<br><br>We know that right-wing oligarchs and governments, have been paying fake-leftist troll accounts to talk shit on regular leftists online, for many years. But it's not just memeing and shitpost that's the purpose of these operations. These operations aim to distort the definition of leftism itself, and to create an atmosphere of fear and hostility against leftists who are critical of right-wing governments, and western imperialism. Governments are paying trolls and academics to make it seem like socialism is just authoritarianism, or to make it seem like supporting a particular imperialist nation-state is the socialist thing to do. And most importantly, to make it seem that socialists who dissent and criticize government and the ruling class, are somehow un-leftist or divisive.<br><br>The main example of this I'd like to bring up is the Ukraine war. I really don't think anyone can deny at this point, that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a right-wing imperialist endeavor. There's a wealth of evidence showing how universal healthcare, education, and other public institutions have been systematically dismantled by Russia in occupied Ukraine. Then there's the evidence of Russia's warcrimes: massacres, mass kidnappings, and mass forced sterilizations. Yet I constantly encounter so-called leftists who are fiercely dedicated to pro-Russia propaganda and spin, and who feel the need to attack anyone who speaks out against Russia's crimes.<br><br>This is just one example of an operation being run by Russia and other governments, to distort the definition of leftism, to keep leftists from using their right to dissent, and to keep people from speaking out against imperialism and authoritarianism. Governments are working hard to make dissenting with them seem un-leftist and un-progressive. The point of this post is only to raise awareness. If you think that you or someone you know, has been manipulated by government propaganda: **do your research.** Read plainly written sources, like Wikipedia, instead of letting someone else tell you what's up. Read accounts from people on the ground in occupied Ukraine, and look at the data on what's been happening. Governments don't always tell the truth. Sometimes, it's easier to just listen to what the government says, and follow along with whatever they tell you. But being a leftist is about living up to the progressive values of the past: it's about the people being in control of the government, not the other way around. We have the right to dissent from the government and ruling class. Don't let the fake-leftists stop you from using your voice.