Can you give me the benefit of the doubt for a moment? Think for a second that “I’ll pretend this guy isn’t an asshole and that maybe I misinterpreted something”. Can you do that? I think you seem to not know what you don’t know. You call yourself a “socialist”. That’s great. I just feel it’s hard to have a conversation with someone that thinks I’m trying to backpeddle or trick you. I’m not. Have some good faith and listen to my example below.

Three people stand in a room. A socialist, a centrist, and capitalist.

The socialist wants class and private property to be abolished. They want the surplus labor value to be distributed back to all of society by Democratic means. The means of production should be owned collectively and not be held as private property for profit.

The Capitalist wants to maintain the current economic systems and give his class tax breaks.

The centrist wants to maintain the current economic systems but thinks we should tax the capitalist more so we can pay for a universal healthcare program.

The "Centrist" is by definition a "right winger". They want to maintain the systems of surplus labor extraction that allow the lifestyle of the capitalist to be maintained using the profits gained from others labor.

This is socialism 101. It is not weird or wrong to call the "centrist" a "right winger" in this context. They want to maintain the current economic system and class hierarchy.

Bernie Sanders would fall into the category of the centrist in this example. This is the perspective in which “some of us would call him a right winger”.

I think you are hearing the label “right winger” as an insult or a label you have an reaction to in a negative way.

For me, in this context, it’s just a means of categorizing this divide. Nothing else.

Hope that clarifies my position. I hope, if you disagree, you can at least take my perspective in good faith. The divide between “the left” and “the right” among socialist is fundamentally based on this divide. “Do you think capitalism and class hierarchy should be ended?”

That’s it. Tons of people fall “left” of that. Anarchist, Marxist, etc.

But it’s a pretty well defined line. And I think if you call yourself a “socialist” you should understand this divide.

I make the mistake of writing my comments to a reader that understands this. I shouldn’t. I should use better language that is more inclusive to understanding this. “Right winger” sounds insulting and wrong to someone that doesn’t classify things this way.

I also made the mistake of being self critical at the end of my comment. But if you make it here I hope you understand.