Whether it's China or really anything, I'd agree to being critical of any claims made without proper context, yet the context here is the massacre and subsequent cover-up perpetrated by the Chinese government following peaceful protests on the Tiananmen square.

Meeting that with whataboutisms and vague excuses is disrespectful towards the victims full stop.

Being a socialist should be easy, because truth is on our side. It should be easy to point to Tiananmen square and say "this is what happens when the ruling class feels threatened", just like you can say the same thing when the US government busts their unions or murders their black citizens. Being an unquestioning supporter of either of these regimes is not what socialism is to me, and it never was. I just don't understand how anyone can reconcile these opposing views in their heads.

[–] gnuhaut@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Also, maybe read this thread on Twitter and also follow the sources there, as you seem to be under the false impression that the protests were entirely peaceful.

[–] soulless@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Threads on Twitter are usually not a very compelling source, I am not against changing my opinion if the evidence is compelling, but that was not it.

See for example how the question is answered over on r/askhistorians:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/140daad/how_many_people_died_during_the_tiananmen_square/jmw0ns0/

Well sourced with actual recent publications and honest as to what the uncertainties are.

[–] TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml -2 points 1 year ago

Do not try to pretend and grift too much, you will slip and fall on your face. Enlightened centrism with a sprinkle of leftism does not work very well.