This weekly roundup thread is intended for all culture war posts. 'Culture war' is vaguely defined, but it basically means controversial issues that fall along set tribal lines. Arguments over culture war issues generate a lot of heat and little light, and few deeply entrenched people ever change their minds. This thread is for voicing opinions and analyzing the state of the discussion while trying to optimize for light over heat.
Optimistically, we think that engaging with people you disagree with is worth your time, and so is being nice! Pessimistically, there are many dynamics that can lead discussions on Culture War topics to become unproductive. There's a human tendency to divide along tribal lines, praising your ingroup and vilifying your outgroup - and if you think you find it easy to criticize your ingroup, then it may be that your outgroup is not who you think it is. Extremists with opposing positions can feed off each other, highlighting each other's worst points to justify their own angry rhetoric, which becomes in turn a new example of bad behavior for the other side to highlight.
We would like to avoid these negative dynamics. Accordingly, we ask that you do not use this thread for waging the Culture War. Examples of waging the Culture War:
-
Shaming.
-
Attempting to 'build consensus' or enforce ideological conformity.
-
Making sweeping generalizations to vilify a group you dislike.
-
Recruiting for a cause.
-
Posting links that could be summarized as 'Boo outgroup!' Basically, if your content is 'Can you believe what Those People did this week?' then you should either refrain from posting, or do some very patient work to contextualize and/or steel-man the relevant viewpoint.
In general, you should argue to understand, not to win. This thread is not territory to be claimed by one group or another; indeed, the aim is to have many different viewpoints represented here. Thus, we also ask that you follow some guidelines:
-
Speak plainly. Avoid sarcasm and mockery. When disagreeing with someone, state your objections explicitly.
-
Be as precise and charitable as you can. Don't paraphrase unflatteringly.
-
Don't imply that someone said something they did not say, even if you think it follows from what they said.
-
Write like everyone is reading and you want them to be included in the discussion.
On an ad hoc basis, the mods will try to compile a list of the best posts/comments from the previous week, posted in Quality Contribution threads and archived at /r/TheThread. You may nominate a comment for this list by clicking on 'report' at the bottom of the post and typing 'Actually a quality contribution' as the report reason.

Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
So here is a macabre tragicomedy that happened in Tuscon, Arizona:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/01/tucson-police-gay-bar-shooting
What is omitted in the article is that one of the victims was very active in the Pro Palestine movement. The perp is from Gambia which is 90+ percent Muslim.
What is interesting is how an such an event is absolutely not making any news. I know that this is extremely contested match in the oppression Olympics - but it seems to me that the mainstream media has decided to bury such stories, even though they happen way more often.
Apparently, our country is Gambia. So desperate for the oppression they imagine used to happen in the US, some have resorted to importing their hate from overseas.
When the history books are written, the black muslim Gambian will be a white christian MAGA chud.
It won't be in the history books at all. But the miniseries "inspired by true stories" will have Ben Foster or some other actor good at playing unhinged creeps as the closeted, internet poisoned killer.
Though I suppose those are the history books now. Is the average person's opinion of Tonya Harding going to be shaped by a biography, or by the Margot Robbie film?
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
Yeah, from what I understand, hate crime attacks against gay and trans people tend to be perpetrated by blacks and/or Muslims. In fact I am a little surprised that the Guardian provided the name of the alleged shooter and didn't simply refer to him as an "Arizona man."
But anyway, I tend to go with Steve Sailer's idea that there is a "coalition of the fringes" and these types of incidents need to be downplayed (or deflected) in order to keep the coalition together.
In the case of black hate crimes against the alphabet soup, these are mostly not actual hate crimes- they're interpersonal disputes with annoying people used to using their identities as a shield, one of whom has a culture that glorifies low level personal violence.
FWIW I was referring to actual hate crimes in the sense that the victim genuinely is being targeted due to their being gay, trans etc.
Well I was referring to assaults which wouldn't have happened had the victim been normal. Most black on weirdo crimes are triggered by the weirdo pulling the same shit they always do on someone who expects to be able to use physical violence in response.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
Some German lady on twitter was claiming that the smartest parts of the LGBTQI+ aka the G were secretly voting for AfD in droves.
There has been a certain disquiet between cis white gays and the rest of the Rainbow Mafia.
Which honestly makes sense, if you assume that Cis White Gays tend to be educated, reasonably-affluent DINKs who have already won all of the battles they care about regarding their own particular freedoms and status then you're left with male brains who likely don't really want much more social spending (beyond healthcare but PREP's already subsidized in and out the ass) and likely have a sense that they're the outer fringe of the Fringe conglomerate.
I kinda tried to explain something to a friend of mine along the lines of - you vote far now and you may lose some rights (doubtful) or you don't vote and then in 50 years you and your granddaughter lose all of them. i was greeted with a blank stare and how that was impossible.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link