Openly left wing / socialist pros

[FuzzGNU]

Peter Smolik is a Fourierist.

Who do we think is most likely to be a Posadist? Probably someone from AWS or Theories of Atlantis right?

Warning! Meme ideology ahead! Do not take seriously: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_International_Posadist

[mj23]

geoff rowley is actually a hardcore tankie stalinist now. my uncle works at vans and he told me.

[Mandatory Reload]

Ryan Lay is the only truly openly leftist pro i'm really aware of that dedicates any significant time and attention to political issues. I get the feeling even pros that I would assume would be pretty lefty based on their other interests and opinions (like Mark Suciu) tend to avoid talking about politics because the political atmosphere of the skateboarding community is so aggressively reactionary to anything truly resembling progressive ideology. Even just something like the basic representation of marginalized communities like queer folks, women, and people of color in skateboarding is met with extreme vitriol online so I can only imagine folks that might have more revolutionary ideas might just feel safer keeping them to themselves.

huge ups to Ryan for taking that risk, i can only imagine it probably has hurt his career at times but it's so so so necessary to have people like him in skateboarding.

[Sagat]

yooo skaters from cuba and venezuela let these north american commie bois know how awesome socialism is!!!! oh yeah they dont have access to internet.....bwahahaaha

[PatrickSkateman]

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The whole concept of professional skateboarders riding for privately-owned businesses doesn’t really go with the core tenets of socialism.

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I mean it's pretty hard to completely neglect capitalism when you live in a capitalist society.

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it is completely valid to denounce a system like capitalism and use the tools you have for survival within said system(because you have no other choice) at the same time.

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Say trust fund without saying trust fund. 😂

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So you're saying they're a class traitor to the rich? Sounds like even more or a reason to like them. Someone willing to derail and sacrifice their own generational wealth to help out working class people sounds pretty based and selfless to me.

Sounds like you’ve got your priorities out of line.

The poor need more help than the working class, but

[FuzzGNU]

Ryan Lay is the only truly openly leftist pro i'm really aware of that dedicates any significant time and attention to political issues. I get the feeling even pros that I would assume would be pretty lefty based on their other interests and opinions (like Mark Suciu) tend to avoid talking about politics because the political atmosphere of the skateboarding community is so aggressively reactionary to anything truly resembling progressive ideology. Even just something like the basic representation of marginalized communities like queer folks, women, and people of color in skateboarding is met with extreme vitriol online so I can only imagine folks that might have more revolutionary ideas might just feel safer keeping them to themselves.

huge ups to Ryan for taking that risk, i can only imagine it probably has hurt his career at times but it's so so so necessary to have people like him in skateboarding.

Yeah Ryan's the best. I hope he gets what he wants out of skating because he deserves it. Awesome charity work and stuff with his org.

Mark Suciu hits me as a mega liberal. I know someone like him who reads a ton of literature and poetry and wants to come off as intelligent and profound... But their world view is just some pretentious enlightenment about "the self" rather than any greater world view understanding about class struggle.

Like the person I know most like Suciu blindly LOVED Obama, HATED Bernie Sanders (reasoning unclear), and disgustingly publicly stanned Elizabeth Warren in really cringe performative ways. Just disgusting liberalism. They also wore a lot of fashion scarfs.

I think Mark is a lot more chill than this person, but similar literary vibes. Not trying to project this other person into him... But regardless, I think Mark would have said something by now if he was a leftist.

[Giftedly Hater’d]

My friend in middle school bought a shirt from the skateshop. I want to say it was Black Label, but I could be wrong. There was no branding on it other than a small embroidered Soviet hammer and sickle.  I was at his house and his Vietnam vet dad caught a glimpse of it and lost. his. goddamn. mind. This was BPSW era so the dust was still settling from the wall coming down, and even if it wasn’t I’d certainly imagine that his own experiences in the war were palpably fresh in his mind (he was a forward observer if I remember right).  Neither my friend nor myself were emotionally or intellectually mature enough (also obv ill-informed 13 yr olds )to process the raw display of hurt and rage that this dude was blasting out in every direction. Ironically, out of all my friends dads, his closet was the most well-stocked (quantity and quality) with porno mags, so one might think he’d developed a self care practice that mellowed him out a little more than was actually the case.  It was a really formative experience for me. I can’t say it pushed my own politics in a way that his dad would have appreciated, but it certainly helped me to inch towards seeing people (specifically people my parents age) as actual human beings in a complex and harsh world.  Anyway, I assume any pro that’s ever done a product toss at a demo is a fellow traveler and a pinko commie spy. 

[FuzzGNU]

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The whole concept of professional skateboarders riding for privately-owned businesses doesn’t really go with the core tenets of socialism.

[close]

I mean it's pretty hard to completely neglect capitalism when you live in a capitalist society.

[close]

it is completely valid to denounce a system like capitalism and use the tools you have for survival within said system(because you have no other choice) at the same time.

[close]

Say trust fund without saying trust fund. 😂

[close]

So you're saying they're a class traitor to the rich? Sounds like even more or a reason to like them. Someone willing to derail and sacrifice their own generational wealth to help out working class people sounds pretty based and selfless to me.

[close]

Sounds like you’ve got your priorities out of line.

The poor need more help than the working class, but

I'm of course including the poor in the working class. Anyone who is a proletarianized under Capitalism.

Working class as opposed to owning class.

[keepthefunkalive]

yooo skaters from cuba and venezuela let these north american commie bois know how awesome socialism is!!!! oh yeah they dont have access to internet.....bwahahaaha

Another dumbass troll that doesn't know the difference between a totalitarian dictator and the foundational principles of actual socialism or marxism.... bwahahahaha.

[FuzzGNU]

My friend in middle school bought a shirt from the skateshop. I want to say it was Black Label, but I could be wrong. There was no branding on it other than a small embroidered Soviet hammer and sickle.  I was at his house and his Vietnam vet dad caught a glimpse of it and lost. his. goddamn. mind. This was BPSW era so the dust was still settling from the wall coming down, and even if it wasn’t I’d certainly imagine that his own experiences in the war were palpably fresh in his mind (he was a forward observer if I remember right).  Neither my friend nor myself were emotionally or intellectually mature enough (also obv ill-informed 13 yr olds )to process the raw display of hurt and rage that this dude was blasting out in every direction. Ironically, out of all my friends dads, his closet was the most well-stocked (quantity and quality) with porno mags, so one might think he’d developed a self care practice that mellowed him out a little more than was actually the case.  It was a really formative experience for me. I can’t say it pushed my own politics in a way that his dad would have appreciated, but it certainly helped me to inch towards seeing people (specifically people my parents age) as actual human beings in a complex and harsh world.  Anyway, I assume any pro that’s ever done a product toss at a demo is a fellow traveler and a pinko commie spy.

Lol. Thanks for sharing.

It's actually fascinating learning about the Vietnam war. Obviously the soliders on both sides were victims of Capitalist imperialism and I have no ill will to the vets drafted against their will (except the US soldiers doing war crimes and sexual violence), but man it really displays how evil US imperialism is and how fucked people like Kissinger are.

It's crazy hearing about how much Ho Chi Minh LOVED the United States (he lived in the US for a while) and actually reached out to the US for help because he thought the US would see parallels between our Revolutionary War and what his people were fighting for.

Of course he was extremely naive and the US instead invades and fought against him in the war.

My favorite Anthony Bourdain quote:

"Once you’ve been to Cambodia, you’ll never stop wanting to beat Henry Kissinger to death with your bare hands. You will never again be able to open a newspaper and read about that treacherous, prevaricating, murderous scumbag sitting down for a nice chat with Charlie Rose or attending some black-tie affair for a new glossy magazine without choking. Witness what Henry did in Cambodia – the fruits of his genius for statesmanship – and you will never understand why he’s not sitting in the dock at The Hague."

[FuzzGNU]

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yooo skaters from cuba and venezuela let these north american commie bois know how awesome socialism is!!!! oh yeah they dont have access to internet.....bwahahaaha

[close]

Another dumbass troll that doesn't know the difference between a totalitarian dictator and the foundational principles of actual socialism or marxism.... bwahahahaha.

Venezuela has one of the most robust democracies in the world, and Cuba has defied all odds by surviving US attack for this long and surpassing us in healthcare and literacy.

You won't catch me hand wringing about either of them.

Here's a great podcast series about Cuba/US relations: https://blowback.show/Season-2

[CAPTAIN NOBODY]

People have different opinions, get over it.

[work_lurker]

Here is a list of left-handed pros on social media:

Andy Feltherbush
Mike Hawk
Lee Keyrear
Eaton Beaver
Amanda Mount
Ben Derhover
Oliver Closeoff
Jack Miouf
Ron Chee
Craven Moorehead
Harry Azcrac
Willie B. Hardigan

Sorry if I missed any, did some extensive research to compile this list. Please feel free to add on if you know of more left-handed pros on social media.

[in love w/ fs shuvs]

[Frank and Fred]

Venezuela has one of the most robust democracies in the world,

You have got to be kidding?

I'll never understand apologists for totalitarianism and suppression of dissent among the Left. Don't get me wrong I am from a Leftist background but I'm pro-human rights and anti-authoritarian above all else. Any abuse of basic freedoms in the name of socialism is a load of shite in my book.

[keepthefunkalive]

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yooo skaters from cuba and venezuela let these north american commie bois know how awesome socialism is!!!! oh yeah they dont have access to internet.....bwahahaaha

[close]

Another dumbass troll that doesn't know the difference between a totalitarian dictator and the foundational principles of actual socialism or marxism.... bwahahahaha.

[close]

Venezuela has one of the most robust democracies in the world, and Cuba has defied all odds by surviving US attack for this long and surpassing us in healthcare and literacy.

You won't catch me hand wringing about either of them.

Here's a great podcast series about Cuba/US relations: https://blowback.show/Season-2

The Venezuela issue is a a lot about outside forces/sanctions (like Cuba), but the government, courts, army, and Maduro are clearly corrupt af. Maduro is a dictator... hopefully soon to be a failed dictator. There does seem to be some hope from recent events that the people will take things back. I'm not going to claim expertise on the subject but I'm somewhat informed.

Cuba's ingenuity doesn't take away from the fact that the Castro regime was a dictatorship and did horrible things to those with publicly dissenting opinions.

You won't catch me saying good things about any of those dictators. That's not socialism in the foundational sense, it isn't democratic. It's totalitarianism.

[FuzzGNU]

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Venezuela has one of the most robust democracies in the world,

[close]

You have got to be kidding?

I'll never understand apologists for totalitarianism and suppression of dissent among the Left. Don't get me wrong I am from a Leftist background but I'm pro-human rights and anti-authoritarian above all else. Any abuse of basic freedoms in the name of socialism is a load of shite in my book.

Jimmy Carter runs an international non profit organization that tests the legitimacy of democracies around the world. Venezuela always rated with the highest marks every year... Much higher than most countries you would consider gold standards of democracy.

It became so superfluous that they actually stopped sending people to Venezuela to test it because it was such a waste of money and resources.

Want to know the reason why everyone in the media wants to convince you otherwise?: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_proven_oil_reserves#Countries

"Quick, we need Jim from The Office to make a TV show about "Venezuela bad!" immediately!" - the CIA probably

https://thegrayzone.com/2019/11/22/tom-clancy-jack-ryan-cia-propaganda-john-krasinski/

[Frank and Fred]

Carter has been criticized for being wrong on Venezuela. Please look into this a bit further.

https://www.hrw.org/americas/venezuela

[FuzzGNU]

Carter has been criticized for being wrong on Venezuela.

Some deep hard hitting analysis here. Really makes you think 🤔

[Frank and Fred]

https://www.hrw.org/americas/venezuela

C'mon man. Use some intelligence.

[pizzafliptofakie]

The whole concept of professional skateboarders riding for privately-owned businesses doesn’t really go with the core tenets of socialism.

[FuzzGNU]

https://www.hrw.org/americas/venezuela

C'mon man. Use some intelligence.

Central Intelligence, apparently.

[Frank and Fred]

Human Rights Watch is reputable left-leaning NGO that has not been afraid to criticize the US.

[keepthefunkalive]

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Venezuela has one of the most robust democracies in the world,

[close]

You have got to be kidding?

I'll never understand apologists for totalitarianism and suppression of dissent among the Left. Don't get me wrong I am from a Leftist background but I'm pro-human rights and anti-authoritarian above all else. Any abuse of basic freedoms in the name of socialism is a load of shite in my book.

[close]

Jimmy Carter runs an international non profit organization that tests the legitimacy of democracies around the world. Venezuela always rated with the highest marks every year... Much higher than most countries you would consider gold standards of democracy.

It became so superfluous that they actually stopped sending people to Venezuela to test it because it was such a waste of money and resources.

Want to know the reason why everyone in the media wants to convince you otherwise?: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_proven_oil_reserves#Countries

"Quick, we need Jim from The Office to make a TV show about "Venezuela bad!" immediately!" - the CIA probably

https://thegrayzone.com/2019/11/22/tom-clancy-jack-ryan-cia-propaganda-john-krasinski/

A lot has changed in Venezuela since 2010. Also, US oil interests don't nullify the fact that Maduro IS bad and Venezuela is ABSOLUTELY corrupt. Just google "Venezuela corruption rankings" or some shit like that. Tons of independent organizations of journalists and lawyers have debunked your statements about Venezuela's "robust democracy". Don't simp for declarations, simp for actual actions. Venezuela is going through a very difficult time and things are not good under Maduro and his oligarchs.

[FuzzGNU]

Human Rights Watch is reputable left-leaning NGO[/b ]that has not been afraid to criticize the US.

I mean if you honestly believe that, there are plenty of great books on how NGOs like HRW are often used as cover for legitimizing US wars among liberals/NYT types.

Here is a decent article from a while back that serves as a great introduction to the topic: https://jacobin.com/2014/06/human-rights-watchs-revolving-door/

[Frank and Fred]

Thank you @keepthefunkalive

This is somewhat interesting of a Democracy Rating list. (as of 2020) Full disclaimer I have not looked into the criteria they use but the countries at the top are what many of us might expect. And predictably Venezuela is labeled as a 'hard autocracy' and close to the bottom, far from a functioning democracy.

https://www.democracymatrix.com/ranking

[Frank and Fred]

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Human Rights Watch is reputable left-leaning NGO[/b ]that has not been afraid to criticize the US.

[close]

I mean if you honestly believe that, there are plenty of great books on how NGOs like HRW are often used as cover for legitimizing US wars among liberals/NYT types.

Here is a decent article from a while back that serves as a great introduction to the topic: https://jacobin.com/2014/06/human-rights-watchs-revolving-door/

That's a fair point. I will check out that link. Thank you @FuzzGNU Although. I have spent a fair bit of time looking into HRW, mostly with their analysis of Bahrain (Where I once lived) and found them to be pretty right on and not in line with US foreign Policy in Bahrain at all. I'd still trust them over Jimmy Cater.

I also still think you are incredibly naïve to think Venezuela is an example of a functioning democracy.

[TheLurper]

The two obvious and overt political expressions I remember are:

1) Supreme endorsed Hillary.
2) In an old 4Star video a key CraigTap dude is wearing a Kerry for president shirt.

https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/supreme-endorses-hillary-clinton/

[KGB]

Are left chicken wings better then right ones? Or do they both suck? Yes.

[Punished Skateboards]

Trae the Tankie