this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2024
20 points (100.0% liked)

politics

19145 readers
2933 users here now

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That's all the rules!

Civic Links

Register To Vote

Citizenship Resource Center

Congressional Awards Program

Federal Government Agencies

Library of Congress Legislative Resources

The White House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

News

World News

Business News

Political Discussion

Ask Politics

Military News

Global Politics

Moderate Politics

Progressive Politics

UK Politics

Canadian Politics

Australian Politics

New Zealand Politics

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

Because it is simple and understandable.

Because it renders their grievances in the petty light they need to be seen in.

Because it hits a nerve for them.

Because it disempowers and dismisses them.

Because it's not overtly combative.

But really really because it is true.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

The words we've been using before -- fascists, neonazis, dictators -- oddly enough seem to make Republicans laugh at Democrats because we make them sound scary/we sound scared. Calling them weird trivializes them, and reduces them to barely under creepy uncle status. Calling them weird stings because they think themselves the epitome of normal -- they think they're the "real" Americans, not the aberrant ones.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Silent? They never shut the fuck up.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The silent majority is neither of those things.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Yells. Screams. Smashes plate on the floor. Smashes plate against the wall. Flings boogers at everyone. Pulls out a gun and literally shoots somebody in the face. "Nobody is paying attention to me. I am the silent majority."

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

I think the main reason the "weird" approach works is simply because it is true. They are weird.

And the reason why it hurts Trump so much is exactly that truth hurts.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

I mean it's not like it was untrue to call him a rapist or wannabe dictator

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

“Weird” reverses and intervenes at the crucial point of transmission of that idea. No, it says, the appeals by the right to supposed family values (anti-trans bigotry; restricting no-fault divorce; slashing public school funding; hatred of immigrants) are not normal. They aren’t fundamental American values that the liberal elites have somehow derailed. They are, instead, deeply strange. And “we” (a new silent majority that Walz invokes in his use of “weird”) are tired of it.

This sums it up pretty nicely.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Betraying one’s country is really fucking weird.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

More to the point, supporting someone that legitimately betrayed the country and is trying to end democracy is really fucking weird.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Especially if the person they are supporting to take lead is a dementia addled, racist rapist. Super weird.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It works because they're fascists.

One of the main pillars of every fascist movement is "we're the only normal ones". It's how they justify othering, persecuting, and abusing everyone who's not a cishet white fascist Christian, preferably male.

To a fascist, anyone who's not "normal" is one of the OTHERS and thus scary and evil and needs to be suppressed and hidden away, if not violently eradicated.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Small note

It’s how they justify othering, persecuting, and abusing everyone who’s not a cishet white fascist Christian, preferably male.

This is incorrect

It’s how they justify othering, persecuting, and abusing everyone who’s not like them

You can have Fascism in any circle. “Communist” Occupied China is an example of non-white Fascism. And you could point to some military groups in Africa as well

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You can have Fascism in any circle. “Communist” Occupied China is an example of non-white Fascism. And you could point to some military groups in Africa as well

I know. The part you quoted was in a separate paragraph because it was specifically about the American Fascist Party rather than fascists in general.

Other examples include Modi's fascist Hindunationalism and Netanyahu's fascist apartheid state where the favored religion is Judaism.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

where the favored religion is Judaism

This is not how Apartheid works in the West Bank. Zionism may be dependant on Judaism, but that's not the dividing line.

It is ethnic apartheid between ethnic Jews / white westerners and Arabs. Religion has little to do with what is actually enforced. there are tons of secular Jews. There are evangelical Christian settlements in the West Bank too.

It's about denying rights to Arabs living in Palestine.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Incorrect. Fascism is specifically a white right wing phenomenon.

You can have similar methods in other authoritarian and totalitarian systems. But while they're certainly equally despicable, that does not make them fascism.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This was the least educated comment you’ve made today

I highly suggest looking into a political literacy class

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I assume you've gone through my comment history to confidently make that assertion?

Scan the Wikipedia page on fascism. Read a bit more into the citations. Then tell me again how uneducated my comment really was.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Why would I go through your comment history to make an assertion of one comment that I was replying to?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

If you don't know any of my other comments, how can you confidently state that this was 'the least educated comment' I made that day?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Because i respect you

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I can't wait for the killing blow of when Harris is accused of being weird, hopefully by Trump himself, and she responds by saying of course she's weird, everyone is a bit weird.

That's the normal response to being accused of being weird. The weird response is to get defensive and start slinging school yard comebacks, because in the back of your mind you know your weird is using furniture to masturbate or to have sexual thoughts about your own children.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

He already did a “no u”.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I feel like even something as simple as a "Yes, and?" Would work wonders.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Weird works for some people as it allows them to express disdain without getting violent

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Why aren't there rolls of stickers on Amazon of pictures of Republicans with the word "weird" under them to stick on gas pumps?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Probably because liberals are less likely to vandalize people's property, and buy a roll of stickers. You could probably make more money on large format stickers individually.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I absolutely wouldn't want to vandalize someone's property however, had a conservative already put a sticker there I wouldn't feel bad at all about covering it up.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Vandalize someone's property

Just to make sure I understand

Vandalize = stick a removable sticker to something

Someone = an oil company

Property = infrastructure to dispense oil to be burned and pumped into the atmosphere

Honestly, I don't think stickers go nearly far enough. Bomb an oil pipeline instead.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Yeah that won't kill anybody. F*** over society and raise the prices for 99% of people. That seems like a perfectly well thought-out plan /s

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

How are you any less weird? You support Zionism, just like many Republicans. You are SO WEIRD! Why aren't there rolls of stickers like that for you, @[email protected], and for all the other genocide deniers?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I think the secret is it’s just one word that everyone knows. Democrats have a bad tendency to over-explain: “This book makes these 57 points and if you cross reference with these charts and apply this formula you’ll see….” Meanwhile, Trump will just say “what a loser.” Maybe Democrats are finally learning to keep it simple.

Yes people should want to make informed decisions, but maybe part of effective campaigning these days is accepting they don’t.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

It’s fallout from the devolution of our educational system. And, well, generational lead poisoning. And I guess we’ll find out what microplastics do to our brains in the coming decades too.

Anyways, it’s frustrating that talking points have to be “dumbed down” to such an extreme degree, but at the end of the day, I’m glad that the Harris campaign is being pragmatic about doing what they have to do with their messaging to actually reach low-info/low intelligence voters.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Why do bullies get mad when you start fighting back? It's a gawd damned "mystery!"

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

It cuts because republicans are groomers and "weird" is what teenage girls call guys they don't like.

Being called weird is what happens when your plan of statutory rape fails.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

The day when "weird and rapey" is popularly used to explain Republican politics is the day the left finally gets their collective heads out of their asses and starts calling a spade a spade.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The "spade" aphorism is a reference to slavery and not ideal to use, no judgement just passing it along 🙂

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Not originally (npr link) but I get where you're coming from 🙂

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

It works because they’re fucking weird! There’s normal people who are Republican voters but the Republican Party is basically all weird people. If a motherfucker dresses like he’s in a barbershop quartet in high school or college, you know damn good and well what party they’re going to support (musical theater kids excluded, obviously). It’s not normal to call in the genital inspector and demand to see a youth sports participant’s crotch because they whooped your daughter in U-11 soccer. Ted Cruz is a Republican and he’s the weirdest person on Earth.

And that’s doubly true nowadays where you have to know extended lore from the Fox News extended universe to know what the fuck they’re even talking about.

Edit: And who the fuck makes Christmas cards where their whole family is holding guns? Plenty people treasure the second amendment and send normal fucking Christmas cards.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Soooo, I kind of got déjà vu reading this article because ... Six days ago I "foresaw" the relevance of "weird." Comment thread here (I think) or just check out post my post history.

The author brings up a ton of specific points I called out, including using similar words like "flip" the script and referencing how "basket of deplorables" was too directed. Were we all thinking sbout "weird" in this context six days ago already? If not... I am weirded out, y'all.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

"Deplorables" and alot of other seemingly insulting, derogatory things could be worn as a badge of honor by that group. For people who pride themselves on being conservative and the representatives of "normality", "Weird" isn't something you can easily call yourself, you're not weird, you're the normal one, it's society that's weird for being so permissive. And then just being called "weird" is hard to defend against because everyone has some weird thing about themselves, just existing as a human being is a weird experience.

Weird isn't bad, weird is just normal, it's just life, but in their eyes, weird IS bad, it's probably a part of themselves that they themselves know is wrong. I think alot of the blatant lies they tell the world aren't just for other people, part of it is for themselves too, to make the weirdness of fascism go down a bit easier, to make it seem like they're supporting it for justifiable reasons.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

i maintain that this is because Kendrick Lamar thoroughly undermined Drake earlier this summer with a similar approach

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It doesn't work, only voting works.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

It can work. You only need to peel off a few of the normal people and blunt his momentum. While as always you do need the rest of the population to turn up and vote.

Trumps greatest fear would be dancing up on stage at a rally and having the audience silent then slowly start laughing at him when he starts talking his nonsense.

Like the UN did.

The emperor has no clothes. He is weird.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

Mother Jones Media Bias Fact Check Credibility: [High] (Click to view Full Report)

Name: Mother Jones Bias: Left-Center
Factual Reporting: High
Country: United States of America
Full Report: https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/mother-jones/

Check the bias and credibility of this article on Ground.News


Thanks to Media Bias Fact Check for their access to the API.
Please consider supporting them by donating.

Footer

Beep boop. This action was performed automatically. If you dont like me then please block me.💔
If you have any questions or comments about me, you can make a post to LW Support lemmy community.