Even though federation has led to racists and/or NATO defenders showing up, I've also encountered a number if very cool people from other instances posting things like helpful advice on federation stuff, vivid descriptions of getting vored by a pack of anthro-hyenas, interesting insights and opinions on Star Trek lore, etc. I still haven't found much in the way of active hobby communities, but it's pretty cool to see more Star Trek and furry stuff in the timeline, and I feel it makes having to deal with the occasional deranged lib worth it.
Anyways, to all the genuinely cool people who wander into Hexbear threads, I'm very glad you've showed up to bless us with your wonderful posts and I hope you stick around.
Thank you for recognizing that. I don't think I fit in here, the positions held by people don't seem to be reconcilable with what I've experienced, seen, and read. I don't want to create further bad feelings or friction in your community.
I think talking as you have, you'll do fine. Like 1/8 posters are going to come at you, but you can just block them. You can slightly reduce that number by not making frivolous accusations of genocide (whatever might be said of other crimes)
This is not directly related but worth reading
I don't feel like I'm being frivolous. I see the reports that russian people are taking Ukrainian children. I see the state TV in russia stating that Ukrainians are animals to be exterminated. I've spoken with Ukrainians who told me what russians did to their village and their friends.
Based on what I've seen, I think that russia is trying to commit genocide against Ukraine.
I'm not trying to convince people here of that. They've told me that they don't accept that stuff is happening, that they stand with russia against western aggression. Our sources of information state fundamentally opposite accounts of events.
I'm sure you do, but as far as I've ever seen this is a distortion of Russia evacuating children from warzones, typically ethnically Russian children from Donbas who had been separated from their parents by the war.
Could you show me an example of this where the person saying it can be reasonably understood as representing the Russian government? I suppose it'll result in a moot point because phrasing is very important here and specifically there is a difference between "all Ukrainians" being that versus "this group of people who are Ukrainians," such as the hardcore banderites. I don't really agree with exterminationist rhetoric, but if I had to choose who gets the business end, it should probably be fascists like the Azov battalion (and fuck the Wagner Nazis too, obviously)
If you want to leave, we're powerless to stop you.
We can have a constructive discussion about Russia's conflict with the West (which is using Ukraine as a proxy), but only after this fundamental issue of dehumanization is reconciled. There is no moving forward for me without that fundamental roadblock being removed, because it affects everything about how you see and treat Russian people (and people in general).
I'm personally not advocating for you to leave, and would suggest against others' efforts to push you out while you are engaging here in good faith. Change isn't comfortable or quick, and it involves a lot of uncomfortable reckoning with established narratives and experiences you thought/think show the objective reality without distortions.
Ultimately, the decision to remain here is up to you. Should you leave, the door is open for you to return should you decide it's worth the reckoning of those blind spots and challenging what you thought/think is right.
minimally, read the material / watch the videos people recommended. getting some exposure to thought outside the bubble of western propaganda can never hurt. and you never know, you might change your mind in the future.