One thing I find interesting in leftist organising is the idea that political critique of people’s ideas is or even should be separate from their behaviour or how they treat others.

And it’s obviously always particular groups who are expected to rise above in this way, or are judged for thinking someone’s terrible personality is relevant to an understanding of their politics. On the left would say that women particularly have to carry the weight of this.

People who actually organise will sometimes have a critique of someone that is based both on ideological disagreement and personal experience of that person being an absolute twat & shouldn’t be expected to pretend the two aren’t related.

And thus concludes my meditation on why you should believe what people say about Michael Chessum.