Many labels are used to exclude people from positions of influence and power for simply disagreeing with the official doctrine of status quo oligarchic imperialism. “Assadist”, “Kremlin asset”, “conspiracy theorist”, “tankie”, or “[insert imperialism-targeted leader] apologist”. In reality, these labels are interchangeable with the word “heretic”.
By Caitlin Johnstone: I was just watching a gaggle of blue-checkmarked narrative managers attack progressive commentators Katie Halper and Briahna Joy Gray on Twitter for platforming antiwar journalist Rania Khalek on the grounds that Khalek is an “Assadist”, which is imperialist for “someone who opposes western imperialism in Syria”.