MY FINAL MESSAGE TO THE 196 COMMUNITY
07/28/2026
Today I leave the 196 community and chat, both as a moderator and as a user. It has become overwhelmingly clear that I am no longer welcome here. I would like to preface this message with a request not to harass the current mods of this community. This is a difficult time with all the drama going on, and I do not intend to start another. The following message is not made to accuse anyone in particular nor to place blame. I simply wish to explain my side of the story and be done; consider this closure to the community that I have worked so hard to build up.
This started, well actually, months ago. I slowly began reading more theory, spending more time with other leftists I strongly disagree with, and finding myself having conversations with people that some in this community would consider off limits. I had overwhelmingly positive conversations with them because I was not outright hostile to them. I slowly began to realize that anarchists have much more in common with other leftists than libs.
Then the tesseract situation happened, and that truly opened my eyes. They did not see any difference between Anarchists, Communists, general leftists, or even just Queer people and minorities. It became clear to me that people like them view all of us through the same lens of hostility and anger. So I asked the question: if they see us all as the same, then why must we keep fighting? Just as we were all attacked on that day, the communists made noise to defend the anarchists. Despite how hostile we have been to them, they were more than willing to forgive and forget (I suspect they still are).
What broke the camel's back here was my open call in the 196 community that we should simply have a discussion. I called for a public discussion there, and I will call for a public discussion here as well. All I asked for is that we should discuss the possibility of not being hostile. I ask not that people here agree with the communists, I ask not even that people here accept them, I simply request that people here not be hostile or at least consider the possibility of not being hostile.
I understand and respect the decision made by the mods here; this will be my final message in this community. After this point, I will no longer engage in the chat or here. If anyone here agrees with what I have said so far, then I urge you to join my community. It's not a splinter of 196 nor is it a replacement; it is simply a different community with a different goal. I thank you all for the memories here. Goodbye.
Links: https://matrix.to/#/#FURF:catgirl.cloud
- Kittenzrulz123
I don't really have time to read all of the screenshots, so were they actually defending tankies? Or was it just defending communism? Because I'm generally fine with many communist ideals, but supporting the actions of authoritarian regimes is a nono in my book.
It's full-on defense of tankies, I'm afraid. They unfortunately completely drank the coolaid :(
As a theory on why that may have happened; Marxist-Leninist groups can offer a feeling of belonging, friendship, a comforting worldview, and the belief that if we just follow the directions of long dead prophet-like historical figures (Lenin, Stalin, etc), then we will someday have heaven on earth. These are extremely appealing aspects to someone who may be very lonely, or who may have suffered a severe trauma and may not have their basic needs met (which may also be what leads to some people being attracted to the MAGA cult)
To someone well versed in history and a desire to find multiple viewpoints for a historical event to avoid propaganda bubbles, the true nature of ML/Stalinism and its authoritarianism becomes self-evident. But for those who never went down that path and are in a vulnerable state, a 'scientific' cult offering you hope, meaning, and companionship is very easy to fall into, and thus willingly self-delude themselves to attain in-group status.
Just like with normal religions/cults, once they are deep inside it, they are heavily encouraged by the in-group to suspect any outside information that challenges their narratives or isn't approved by the group, and thus the cognitive dissonance they could create if looked at more objectively can mostly be avoided.