Is it a common thing for people who have left authoritarian countries to still feel the fear of their now-former country?
Is it a common thing for people who have left authoritarian countries to still feel the fear of their now-former country?
Especially, whem taking into the account of a possible change of regime in their new country that coulds result in deportation back to their former country. Is this a common fear?
I was born in Mainland China, and I immigrated to the USA as a child, and I have Derivative US Citizenship.
Now the US's own Autocratization is bringing up a lot of fears.
For one, of couse I could end up in a concentration camp, similar to what happened to Japanese Americans during WW2.
But also, I could lose citizenship due to the current administration's hostility and xenophobia, and end up getting deported.
And I fucking despise the CCP, since they fucking tried to kill me before I was even born (long story short: One Child Policy; I was the second child, they tried to locate my mother when she had the second pregnancy, they didn't find her so here I am). I have talked so much shit about the CCP while in the US, IRL and online, if the CCP has a competent intelligence agency (which they do), then they already know that I'm a dissident and my life would be miserable if I get deported to China.
So there is few possibilities, if I lose citizenship status.
I could end up stateless. Which is terrible.
I could end up in China. Which is absolutely horrifying.
Or I could end up in Guantanamo, or some other country trump has negotiated with to take deportees, which is just... fucking the worse possible timeline.
I mean, just look at recent news. Anyone deemed "pro-hamas" would get deported.
Honestly, these thoughts is why I have never really attended a protest in the US. I know Lemmy would call me a coward, and I probably am a coward. But I just never feel safe anywhere. You know the saying "when in rome, do as roman do". So yea, I just never feel like I'm really I can speak out against the injustice in the US, I know the "First Amendment" and all that, but doesn't mean much when the president actively disrespects the constitution.
I don't even know if shitposting on Lemmy is safe either, but hopefully this is not on the US government's top of the list.
So yea, the autocrats won. They've already made me too scared to dissent (other than online shitposts that will do absolutely nothing).
(I don't meet any eligibility to immigrate to the EU, so not an option either)
regardless of where you’re from originally, you probably SHOULD be worried about what’s going on in the states right now. it’s for real.
Of course it is, sometimes authoritarian governments track you down and murder you with an ice ax in Mexico City.
I think 'n also interesting question is: do they still feel the influence of the indoctrination of their previous country?
Yes, and it will get less. Hang in there and don’t be afraid to connect.
I haven't emigrated yet, but every time I leave my country by travelling, I feel terrified that somehow I'm being watched or someone will report on me. So I stay on my best behavior, and not break any religious laws.
Honestly, even if I leave (which I'm planning to) I don't think I can ever feel or be safe. The gulf monarchies have boundless reach, and are practically omnipotent.
Maybe it's just paranoia, maybe they're not keeping a close eye on me. But I'm still afraid of messing up and losing my life.
They could assassinate you on foreign soil, and they have (Khashoggi comes to mind, any others I should be aware of?)
But how common is it unless you're a major regime critic?
Sadly yes.
It's actually worse than assassination for dissidents inside the country, it's flat out public beheading.
But how common is it unless you're a major regime critic?
Still common. Happened to someone i am vaguely related to, they tweeted to their [less than 10 followers] just criticism of the monarchy, and "disappeared". Nobody ever saw them again. Later i saw a news article, of someone being executed and fitting their exact description. Fuck my life.
All they need is your real name and your comments, and it's over.
I hate myself for being pedantic, but: You haven't emigrated yet. Immigration is coming, emigration is leaving.
I'm guessing you're from Iran? The only good thing I can really say is that they're as afraid of you as you are of them. But they are fucking terrifying, and as you well know you're right to be careful. I can't believe the stuff we seemingly choose to turn a blind eye to coming from foreign authoritarian regimes on European soil.
TIL, thanks.
Nope, not iranian - i'm from the arabian peninsula, a specific monarchy in particular. I doubt that they're terrified of me lol, this is a losing game, no matter what.
the stuff we seemingly choose to turn a blind eye to coming from foreign authoritarian regimes on European soil.
So you've noticed.... The west only cares about anti-fascism and anti-imperialism when it threatens them. But it's completely fine if millions of third worlders have to suffer under both, since cheap oil :(
Yes, especially China, they have "secret police stations" around the world, lot in Canada, where they track and harass Chinese citizens who have immigrated to Canada. It is well documented.
In some ways yeah. My country pivoted from semi-dictatorship to dictatorship to democracy to democracy and finally back to dictatorship. I was born under a dictatorship and for the first 21 years of my life, there was only one president, a crazy murderous dictator.
I just emigrated to the US so it's crazy seeing the same stuff I run from all over again. My county's president is aligned with the current US right wing policies, so yeah, though minute, I'm a legit target, so I do not talk about my country's politics or government.
not unless their new country suddenly becomes an ally to it i would guess
Hmmm idk, US seems friendly to Russia, not sure what that means about Chineae Dissidents in the US...
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Canada clamped down on immigration several years ago, so that option seems, mostly difficult at best if at all. Not sure about Australia, England, and NZ either.
By the time the world allows those who want to leave the hellscape for elsewhere, it's almost certainly going to be too late and much worse off :(.
I feel so scared and paranoid, and I've never been this scared and paranoid for just existing where I've lived my entire life. And yet I've already blocked dozens of news feeds and whatnot, and it still doesn't go away with more slop that gets through the ever growing cracks. Can't hardly focus or do a thing at all.
My country puts informants in diasporas in foreign countries so... yeah, it happens.
Yeah. I have seen this in my community. I even know some of them.
GoogleAbdelfattah sisi wants to know your location
- Unless you are somewhat interesting individual no one from china is looking into your post history;
- Yes, it's normal to fear retribution from authoritarian shiholes, these fears are mostly irrational ofc.;
- Move out of US.
I'm right there with you.
my parents came to USA before i was born and i was born here. i don't know how cheetoh face would do it, but i have no doubt it would try its best to kick you and i both out, even if it's obviously illegal.
unlike some others in the thread, i don't think this is a trivial worry. I've also been silent on certain issues out if concern for my loved ones being targeted for surveillance or worse. i respect you for posting about this. I'm afraid too.
keep talking to trusted friends and take care of your mental health! touch grass, drink water, get the best quality of sleep you can.
Well, it's definitely the case for me and for some of my friends/family.
I left Ukraine "legally" (it was before the war, when it was still possible to leave "legally" without paying huge bribes), but some of people I know had to escape "illegally" (some went to the Russia-controlled territories, some escaped through mountains/rivers to Moldova, some were caught..).
Zelensky has already tried to persuade European leaders to deport us, but so far he failed. Still, every once in a while news appear (usually from Baltics/Poland, but sometimes from other countries aa well) about some politician wanting to deport us, so this is quite scary shit.Maybe it's crazy behavior, but 1.) I've had similar thoughts for various reasons relating to my past and 2.) it has made me feel better: I came up with a little emergency plan. If shit hits the fan, I'm rounding up the kids and dogs and getting to X location as quickly/cautiously as possible, after which I will take steps Y, Z, etc...
Hopefully it stays crazy thinking. And if it doesn't, hopefully it's not just an asinine and unrealistic thought that proves impossible. But it makes me feel a little better to have thought about what I would actually do, if it came down to it. And what might it look like to prompt such a decision on my part.
You might find looking into coercive control of organisations interesting. A cult, terrorist group etc controls information and in many ways changes how people think. Controlling government's can be the same.