steff
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Post by steff on Mar 14, 2019 20:56:13 GMT -5
He's now bragging/talking about how he can use "biker guys" and the military against Americans that don't agree with/side with him on issues.
Yeah, that MAGA hat let's people know exactly what kind of prick you are going to end up being.
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laterbloomer
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Post by laterbloomer on Mar 14, 2019 20:56:14 GMT -5
Virgil Showlion ridicule is neither debate nor discussion. It's the refuge of a fool that has no valid argument. I wish Horatio was here, he could tell me the name of that argument technique where you take the comment to ridiculous ends were never suggested. You know what is great about people that put I'm with Her bumper stickers on their cars and wear Hats to protests? None of us deny the point we are making. Unlike some chicken shits I know Same question I asked Weltz: If this hat is, as you allege, a racist symbol no different than a KKK hood, why aren't Mr. Sandmann and his classmates all wearing white hoods? It's a symbol with clear history behind it. It strikes fear into people. It doesn't rely on your and Weltz' fever dreams say-so for anyone to know it's racist. Why aren't they employing it? Why is nobody employing it?
Because it's not practical to wear a hood everywhere. They want to have their cake and eat it to. They want to send the message without facing the consequences of owning up to it It keeps "the left" stuck trying to prove they/re racist, kind of like what you've done to me here, rather than being able to address the racism itself. The hoods hid their identities, the hats hide their intent. They really are chickenshits.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 14, 2019 20:58:51 GMT -5
To ME, and to many other people, the MAGA hat is a racist symbol. Well, let's see....
To me and many other people, Mr. Kaepernick taking a knee at football games was him crapping on the American flag. I guess you've just conceded that argument.
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tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Mar 14, 2019 21:00:27 GMT -5
To ME, and to many other people, the MAGA hat is a racist symbol. Well, let's see....
To me and many other people, Mr. Kaepernick taking a knee at football games was him crapping on the American flag. I guess you've just conceded that argument.
Well, except that you (and they) are wrong....
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steff
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Post by steff on Mar 14, 2019 21:01:18 GMT -5
The modern KKK folks have ditched the white robes. There are a few organizations that still wear it, but the majority have dropped it for a neo-nazi/military look now.
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laterbloomer
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Post by laterbloomer on Mar 14, 2019 21:03:23 GMT -5
The modern KKK folks have ditched the white robes. There are a few organizations that still wear it, but the majority have dropped it for a neo-nazi/military look now. Or khaki pants and polo shirts. And MAGA hats
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Mar 14, 2019 21:05:23 GMT -5
To ME, and to many other people, the MAGA hat is a racist symbol. Well, let's see....
To me and many other people, Mr. Kaepernick taking a knee at football games was him crapping on the American flag. I guess you've just conceded that argument.
Not even a little bit. Is it on your hat? If you want to believe that it meant crapping on the flag, that's entirely up to you. However, if you proudly and overtly wear a symbol of what many consider is the sign of a racist dick, you can expect some blow back. Wear the hat, don't wear the hat, I don't care....but be prepared to deal with the consequences.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 14, 2019 21:12:18 GMT -5
Because not even Trump supporters are stupid enough to miss THAT connection? Not an explanation. Because a large percentage of American citizens are proudly sporting those racist caps. There's safety in numbers. How many people wander around wearing white hoods? Why don't they all start wearing white hoods? In any movement, you always have the bold ones willing to take those risky first steps. Then the slightly less bold follow suit, and so on and so forth, until everyone is emboldened and a mass becomes a mob. Why are there no bold ones taking those risky first steps? If you want a harder question: besides a few comments Pres. Trump uttered at odd times pre-presidency, what evidence do you have to support the idea that a MAGA cap is specifically a symbol of racism?
The slogan on it is "Make America Great Again". What evidence do you have to prove it doesn't refer to American exceptionalism? What evidence to prove it doesn't refer specifically to conservatism? Or an end to Big Government? A regenesis of America's glory years as a titan of business and industry? I'm sure you must have some evidence that proves the cap stands for none of these things but does specifically stand for racism. Let's see it.
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Mar 14, 2019 21:17:09 GMT -5
Because not even Trump supporters are stupid enough to miss THAT connection? Not an explanation. Because a large percentage of American citizens are proudly sporting those racist caps. There's safety in numbers. How many people wander around wearing white hoods? Why don't they all start wearing white hoods? In any movement, you always have the bold ones willing to take those risky first steps. Then the slightly less bold follow suit, and so on and so forth, until everyone is emboldened and a mass becomes a mob. Why are there no bold ones taking those risky first steps? If you want a harder question: besides a few comments Pres. Trump uttered at odd times pre-presidency, what evidence do you have to support the idea that a MAGA cap is specifically a symbol of racism?
The slogan on it is "Make America Great Again". What evidence do you have to prove it doesn't refer to American exceptionalism? What evidence to prove it doesn't refer specifically to conservatism? Or an end to Big Government? A regenesis of America's glory years as a titan of business and industry? I'm sure you must have some evidence that proves the cap stands for none of these things but does specifically stand for racism. Let's see it.
AGAIN....because white hoods aren't practical. Do you have to beaten over the head with the answer?
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 14, 2019 21:20:40 GMT -5
Same question I asked Weltz: If this hat is, as you allege, a racist symbol no different than a KKK hood, why aren't Mr. Sandmann and his classmates all wearing white hoods? It's a symbol with clear history behind it. It strikes fear into people. It doesn't rely on your and Weltz' fever dreams say-so for anyone to know it's racist. Why aren't they employing it? Why is nobody employing it?
Because it's not practical to wear a hood everywhere. They want to have their cake and eat it to. They want to send the message without facing the consequences of owning up to it It keeps "the left" stuck trying to prove they/re racist, kind of like what you've done to me here, rather than being able to address the racism itself. The hoods hid their identities, the hats hide their intent. They really are chickenshits. OK, fine. Let's look at this logically. You have a hypothesis: The hat is a racist symbol. Let's suppose it is. Immediately your hypothesis has a few knocks against it: 1) the people using it starkly deny the symbolism, 2) the reason you claim they deny the symbolism (cowardice) is the exact opposite of the reason you claim they wear the hat in the first place (to proudly and openly declare their status as racists), and 3) clear racist symbols already exist and yet none of these people are using them. But let's ignore these elements for now and look at the evidence you have. What is your methodology? How have you gone about proving to yourself that the cap is a racist symbol? What can you point to that's more substantial than "I think so."?
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 14, 2019 21:26:48 GMT -5
AGAIN....because white hoods aren't practical. Do you have to beaten over the head with the answer? Not practical how? Not practical because white hoods are a universally recognized racist symbol, and there'd be universal public backlash for anyone wearing one? And yet strangely, even though a red hat "might as well be a white hood", it's only the far left that reacts to red hats. It's almost as if... nobody actually considers the hat to be a racist symbol except a political fringe who really, really want it to be a racist symbol.
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Mar 14, 2019 21:28:07 GMT -5
AGAIN....because white hoods aren't practical. Do you have to beaten over the head with the answer? Not practical how? Not practical because white hoods are a universally recognized racist symbol, and there'd be universal public backlash for anyone wearing one? And yet strangely, even though a red hat "might as well be a white hood", it's only the far left that reacts to red hats. It's almost as if... nobody actually considers the hat to be a racist symbol except a political fringe who really, really want it to be a racist symbol.
Because you'd need a car with a sunroof.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Mar 14, 2019 21:29:09 GMT -5
Because it's not practical to wear a hood everywhere. They want to have their cake and eat it to. They want to send the message without facing the consequences of owning up to it It keeps "the left" stuck trying to prove they/re racist, kind of like what you've done to me here, rather than being able to address the racism itself. The hoods hid their identities, the hats hide their intent. They really are chickenshits. OK, fine. Let's look at this logically. You have a hypothesis: The hat is a racist symbol.
Let's suppose it is. Immediately your hypothesis has a few knocks against it: 1) the people using it starkly deny the symbolism, 2) the reason you claim they deny the symbolism (cowardice) is the exact opposite of the reason you claim they wear the hat in the first place (to proudly and openly declare their status as racists), and 3) clear racist symbols already exist and yet none of these people are using them. But let's ignore these elements for now and look at the evidence you have. What is your methodology? How have you gone about proving to yourself that the cap is a racist symbol? What can you point to that's more substantial than "I think so."?
No, Virgil. It is NOT a “hypothesis”. The red MAGA hat HAS become a racist symbol. You and others can pretend otherwise, but it doesn’t change the fact. If/when you choose to don it, you are announcing to the world that you support a racist prick. And, therefore, you are also one.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 14, 2019 21:37:59 GMT -5
No, Virgil. It is NOT a “hypothesis”. The red MAGA hat HAS become a racist symbol. You and others can pretend otherwise, but it doesn’t change the fact. Evidence. Some of us need evidence. You must have evidence proving that everybody wearing the cap is saying, "Yes, I am a racist." and not "I support the middle class.", "I believe America is the greatest nation on Earth.", "I believe Pres. Trump will reverse the fiscal decay of our nation.", "I support draining the swamp.", "I believe in putting America first.", "I will not be intimidated by the left.", or a dozen other messages besides.
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tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Mar 14, 2019 21:44:11 GMT -5
Because it's not practical to wear a hood everywhere. They want to have their cake and eat it to. They want to send the message without facing the consequences of owning up to it It keeps "the left" stuck trying to prove they/re racist, kind of like what you've done to me here, rather than being able to address the racism itself. The hoods hid their identities, the hats hide their intent. They really are chickenshits. OK, fine. Let's look at this logically. You have a hypothesis: The hat is a racist symbol. Let's suppose it is. Immediately your hypothesis has a few knocks against it: 1) the people using it starkly deny the symbolism, 2) the reason you claim they deny the symbolism (cowardice) is the exact opposite of the reason you claim they wear the hat in the first place (to proudly and openly declare their status as racists), and 3) clear racist symbols already exist and yet none of these people are using them. But let's ignore these elements for now and look at the evidence you have. What is your methodology? How have you gone about proving to yourself that the cap is a racist symbol? What can you point to that's more substantial than "I think so."?
Which is merely a demonstration that man's capacity for delusion in the furtherance of his own self-image is limitless. As an example, Southerners even today will insist, and vehemently so, that the Civil War was not about slavery, yet all of the declarations at the time by the states themselves mentioned slavery prominently as a reason, and usually first on the list. The whole "states' rights" thing was almost entirely about slavery, but no, "the Civil War wasn't about slavery. It was about states' rights." Give me a break.
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laterbloomer
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Post by laterbloomer on Mar 14, 2019 21:45:53 GMT -5
Because it's not practical to wear a hood everywhere. They want to have their cake and eat it to. They want to send the message without facing the consequences of owning up to it It keeps "the left" stuck trying to prove they/re racist, kind of like what you've done to me here, rather than being able to address the racism itself. The hoods hid their identities, the hats hide their intent. They really are chickenshits. OK, fine. Let's look at this logically. You have a hypothesis: The hat is a racist symbol. Let's suppose it is. Immediately your hypothesis has a few knocks against it: 1) the people using it starkly deny the symbolism, 2) the reason you claim they deny the symbolism (cowardice) is the exact opposite of the reason you claim they wear the hat in the first place (to proudly and openly declare their status as racists), and 3) clear racist symbols already exist and yet none of these people are using them. But let's ignore these elements for now and look at the evidence you have. What is your methodology? How have you gone about proving to yourself that the cap is a racist symbol? What can you point to that's more substantial than "I think so."?
LOL no, the funny thing about racists is that most of them don't want to proudly admit it. I've said that repeatedly so you saying you think this is my hypothesis is disingenuous. They want to promote the racist ideology and intimidate minorities and women. When the intimidation doesn't work and they get called on it most of them deny it. Those extremists your referred to don't. But many people find it to their financial and social benefit to deny being racists. So you try to be subversive about it. Anyway, it's been fun but I'm done with this conversation....again
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ednkris
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Post by ednkris on Mar 14, 2019 21:53:29 GMT -5
OK, fine. Let's look at this logically. You have a hypothesis: The hat is a racist symbol. Let's suppose it is. Immediately your hypothesis has a few knocks against it: 1) the people using it starkly deny the symbolism, 2) the reason you claim they deny the symbolism (cowardice) is the exact opposite of the reason you claim they wear the hat in the first place (to proudly and openly declare their status as racists), and 3) clear racist symbols already exist and yet none of these people are using them. But let's ignore these elements for now and look at the evidence you have. What is your methodology? How have you gone about proving to yourself that the cap is a racist symbol? What can you point to that's more substantial than "I think so."?
LOL no, the funny thing about racists is that most of them don't want to proudly admit it. I've said that repeatedly so you saying you think this is my hypothesis is disingenuous. They want to promote the racist ideology and intimidate minorities and women. When the intimidation doesn't work and they get called on it most of them deny it. Those extremists your referred to don't. But many people find it to their financial and social benefit to deny being racists. So you try to be subversive about it. Anyway, it's been fun but I'm done with this conversation....again There is nothing to deny. Trump hasn't done anything that is racist. As far as the hat and maga slogan plenty of black and brown people wear them also.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 14, 2019 22:10:07 GMT -5
OK, fine. Let's look at this logically. You have a hypothesis: The hat is a racist symbol. Let's suppose it is. Immediately your hypothesis has a few knocks against it: 1) the people using it starkly deny the symbolism, 2) the reason you claim they deny the symbolism (cowardice) is the exact opposite of the reason you claim they wear the hat in the first place (to proudly and openly declare their status as racists), and 3) clear racist symbols already exist and yet none of these people are using them. But let's ignore these elements for now and look at the evidence you have. What is your methodology? How have you gone about proving to yourself that the cap is a racist symbol? What can you point to that's more substantial than "I think so."?
Which is merely a demonstration that man's capacity for delusion in the furtherance of his own self-image is limitless. As an example, Southerners even today will insist, and vehemently so, that the Civil War was not about slavery, yet all of the declarations at the time by the states themselves mentioned slavery prominently as a reason, and usually first on the list. The whole "states' rights" thing was almost entirely about slavery, but no, "the Civil War wasn't about slavery. It was about states' rights." Give me a break. Different argument. Different thread. You were the one arguing years ago that Mr. Kaepernick taking a knee didn't mean he was crapping on the US flag simply because half the country thought he was. You were the one arguing against guilt by association again and again during Pres. Obama's tenure: that the people who supported him or who he'd associated with during his political career didn't define what he stood for (or, if we wanted a direct analogy, what a "Hope and Change" pin stood for). All I've seen in this thread, again and again, is "It's racist because it's just a fact.", "It's racist because people (i.e. we) think it is.", "It's racist because people were wearing hats in Charlottesville." Not one shred of evidence to support the hypothesis. Not one shred of evidence to disprove any of the dozens of equally credible hypotheses. Absurd reasoning around why none of these millions of emboldened racists are bold enough to admit to the symbolism, employ other racist symbols, or behave in a way even slightly consistent with the hypothesis. And an overwhelming ulterior motive by the proponents of the hypothesis: a visceral hatred of Pres. Trump and longstanding eagerness to believe the absolute worst about literally anyone who supports him for any reason. I can't concretely disprove the hypothesis, but I'd be a fool to set stock by it.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 14, 2019 22:22:15 GMT -5
LOL no, the funny thing about racists is that most of them don't want to proudly admit it. I've said that repeatedly so you saying you think this is my hypothesis is disingenuous. They want to promote the racist ideology and intimidate minorities and women. When the intimidation doesn't work and they get called on it most of them deny it. Those extremists your referred to don't. But many people find it to their financial and social benefit to deny being racists. So you try to be subversive about it. Anyway, it's been fun but I'm done with this conversation....again There is nothing to deny. Trump hasn't done anything that is racist. As far as the hat and maga slogan plenty of black and brown people wear them also. I wouldn't be surprised if 50%+ of the people wearing them today are doing so as a big "eff you" to the left's attempts at turning it into this century's scarlet letter. Seems like the American thing to do.
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tallguy
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Post by tallguy on Mar 14, 2019 22:29:47 GMT -5
Which is merely a demonstration that man's capacity for delusion in the furtherance of his own self-image is limitless. As an example, Southerners even today will insist, and vehemently so, that the Civil War was not about slavery, yet all of the declarations at the time by the states themselves mentioned slavery prominently as a reason, and usually first on the list. The whole "states' rights" thing was almost entirely about slavery, but no, "the Civil War wasn't about slavery. It was about states' rights." Give me a break. Different argument. Different thread. You were the one arguing years ago that Mr. Kaepernick taking a knee didn't mean he was crapping on the US flag simply because half the country thought he was. You were the one arguing against guilt by association again and again during Pres. Obama's tenure: that the people who supported him or who he'd associated with during his political career didn't define what he stood for (or, if we wanted a direct analogy, what a "Hope and Change" pin stood for). All I've seen in this thread, again and again, is "It's racist because it's just a fact.", "It's racist because people (i.e. we) think it is.", "It's racist because people were wearing hats in Charlottesville." Not one shred of evidence to support the hypothesis. Not one shred of evidence to disprove any of the dozens of equally credible hypotheses. Absurd reasoning around why none of these millions of emboldened racists are bold enough to admit to the symbolism, employ other racist symbols, or behave in a way even slightly consistent with the hypothesis. And an overwhelming ulterior motive by the proponents of the hypothesis: a visceral hatred of Pres. Trump and longstanding eagerness to believe the absolute worst about literally anyone who supports him for any reason. I can't concretely disprove the hypothesis, but I'd be a fool to set stock by it.
All that is really needed is to look at the actions and professed beliefs of the person leading the MAGA brigade, the worst person ever elected to office in this country. If you don't see at least some racist beliefs and actions there you're not looking very hard. Now, is that ALL that MAGA is supposed to stand for? No. Is it part of it? Almost certainly. Is there plausible deniability for some who choose not to see that part? Perhaps, but willful ignorance is still ignorance. Wallowing in it does not impress me, or most thinking people.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Mar 14, 2019 22:30:58 GMT -5
There is nothing to deny. Trump hasn't done anything that is racist. As far as the hat and maga slogan plenty of black and brown people wear them also. I wouldn't be surprised if 50%+ of the people wearing them today are doing so as a big "eff you" to the left's attempts at turning it into this century's scarlet letter. Seems like the American thing to do. I don’t give a flying fuck about the reason any moron chooses to wear that crap. When they do so, they cede any right to get indignant when people percieve them to be racist pricks. Their choice - their consequences.
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OldCoyote
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Post by OldCoyote on Mar 14, 2019 23:00:17 GMT -5
No need for another long-winded diatribe, dear Virgil. We get it. You're fine with hats supporting an ignorant racist. Well, to each his own. Speaking of Ignorant Racist, I see where Jussie Smollett,, Pleads not guilty!!
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OldCoyote
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Post by OldCoyote on Mar 14, 2019 23:03:38 GMT -5
Liberal hatred is alive and well here!!
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OldCoyote
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Post by OldCoyote on Mar 15, 2019 0:00:21 GMT -5
First no one is buying the 'minding my own business" bit. And the part that is really scaring you is that if you do that passive aggressive shit in the wrong place any more you are going to have a big problem. Ok,, did the Black Hebrew Israelites have a problem,,and were vastly condemned for their actions?? I mean shouting racial slurs at the white kids is ok?? What would you reaction be if it had been A group of white people shouting racial slurs at of Black kids that had attended a demonstration??
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OldCoyote
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Post by OldCoyote on Mar 15, 2019 0:02:57 GMT -5
He's now bragging/talking about how he can use "biker guys" and the military against Americans that don't agree with/side with him on issues.
Yeah, that MAGA hat let's people know exactly what kind of prick you are going to end up being.
Wooooo Hooooo, Trump and Anonymous Making America Great Again!!
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 15, 2019 7:30:03 GMT -5
If you don't see at least some racist beliefs and actions there you're not looking very hard. Now, is that ALL that MAGA is supposed to stand for? No. Is it part of it? Almost certainly. Is there plausible deniability for some who choose not to see that part? Perhaps, but willful ignorance is still ignorance. Wallowing in it does not impress me, or most thinking people. Ah. Now we're getting more reasonable. To summarize the above: 'MAGA' stands for the panoply of Pres. Trump's views/actions, with 'some racist beliefs and actions' among them. Hat wearers may not see these particular beliefs/actions as racism, may not consider them part of what the hat represents, or even be aware of them. But many Americans (in particular, the left) do include them, and hat wearers ought to be taken to task for disregarding this fact or being ignorant of it. Again I point out that this is the exact opposite of the argument you were making in the Kaepernick thread. "Yes, taking a knee can mean 'I refuse to stand and respect the flag'," you said (paraphrasing), "...and yes, millions of Americans are interpreting it this way. But taking a knee can also symbolize x, y, and z, and look, Mr. Kaepernick himself claims it means x. How unreasonable, then, that the right is refusing to acknowledge the symbolism he's claiming, instead believing it means disrespect for the flag and the nation." Hence you've got to make up your mind. If a gesture or an article of clothing has a panoply of potential meanings, some of them offensive to large groups of people, then who decides what the true symbolism of the thing is: the user(s) or the large group taking offense? Who is the ultimate authority on whether the thing is inappropriate and deserving of public excoriation? Just as importantly, if your answer to the above questions is "the large group taking offense": what qualifications (if any) does the large group require for its interpretation of the symbolism to carry weight, and what basis in evidence (if any) must they offer to justify their stance that the thing is tainted, inappropriate, and deserving of public excoriation?
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Mar 15, 2019 7:53:17 GMT -5
OK, fine. Let's look at this logically. You have a hypothesis: The hat is a racist symbol. Let's suppose it is. Immediately your hypothesis has a few knocks against it: 1) the people using it starkly deny the symbolism, 2) the reason you claim they deny the symbolism (cowardice) is the exact opposite of the reason you claim they wear the hat in the first place (to proudly and openly declare their status as racists), and 3) clear racist symbols already exist and yet none of these people are using them. But let's ignore these elements for now and look at the evidence you have. What is your methodology? How have you gone about proving to yourself that the cap is a racist symbol? What can you point to that's more substantial than "I think so."?
Which is merely a demonstration that man's capacity for delusion in the furtherance of his own self-image is limitless. As an example, Southerners even today will insist, and vehemently so, that the Civil War was not about slavery, yet all of the declarations at the time by the states themselves mentioned slavery prominently as a reason, and usually first on the list. The whole "states' rights" thing was almost entirely about slavery, but no, "the Civil War wasn't about slavery. It was about states' rights." Give me a break. Yes, it was about states' rights. The right to have slavery.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Mar 15, 2019 8:10:10 GMT -5
I wouldn't be surprised if 50%+ of the people wearing them today are doing so as a big "eff you" to the left's attempts at turning it into this century's scarlet letter. Seems like the American thing to do. I don’t give a flying fuck about the reason any moron chooses to wear that crap. When they do so, they cede any right to get indignant when people percieve them to be racist pricks. Their choice - their consequences. You're basically describing the pro-Trump equivalent of the "PRIDE" movement.
You're thinking, "That hat is an immoral symbol, and anyone wearing it deserves to catch hell." They're thinking, "This hat isn't an immoral symbol, and if they're going to persecute people just for wearing one, I'm going to wear mine with pride." And on and on it goes.
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laterbloomer
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 26, 2018 0:50:42 GMT -5
Posts: 4,347
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Post by laterbloomer on Mar 15, 2019 9:01:37 GMT -5
First no one is buying the 'minding my own business" bit. And the part that is really scaring you is that if you do that passive aggressive shit in the wrong place any more you are going to have a big problem. Ok,, did the Black Hebrew Israelites have a problem,,and were vastly condemned for their actions?? I mean shouting racial slurs at the white kids is ok?? What would you reaction be if it had been A group of white people shouting racial slurs at of Black kids that had attended a demonstration??
The Black Hebrews aren't suing anyone for being misrepresented. I've said repeatedly that they were/are wrong and nobody debated it. Nothing to really discuss.
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tallguy
Senior Associate
Joined: Apr 2, 2011 19:21:59 GMT -5
Posts: 14,134
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Post by tallguy on Mar 15, 2019 9:22:33 GMT -5
If you don't see at least some racist beliefs and actions there you're not looking very hard. Now, is that ALL that MAGA is supposed to stand for? No. Is it part of it? Almost certainly. Is there plausible deniability for some who choose not to see that part? Perhaps, but willful ignorance is still ignorance. Wallowing in it does not impress me, or most thinking people. Ah. Now we're getting more reasonable. To summarize the above: 'MAGA' stands for the panoply of Pres. Trump's views/actions, with 'some racist beliefs and actions' among them. Hat wearers may not see these particular beliefs/actions as racism, may not consider them part of what the hat represents, or even be aware of them. But many Americans (in particular, the left) do include them, and hat wearers ought to be taken to task for disregarding this fact or being ignorant of it. Again I point out that this is the exact opposite of the argument you were making in the Kaepernick thread. "Yes, taking a knee can mean 'I refuse to stand and respect the flag'," you said (paraphrasing), "...and yes, millions of Americans are interpreting it this way. But taking a knee can also symbolize x, y, and z, and look, Mr. Kaepernick himself claims it means x. How unreasonable, then, that the right is refusing to acknowledge the symbolism he's claiming, instead believing it means disrespect for the flag and the nation."
Hence you've got to make up your mind. If a gesture or an article of clothing has a panoply of potential meanings, some of them offensive to large groups of people, then who decides what the true symbolism of the thing is: the user(s) or the large group taking offense? Who is the ultimate authority on whether the thing is inappropriate and deserving of public excoriation? Just as importantly, if your answer to the above questions is "the large group taking offense": what qualifications (if any) does the large group require for its interpretation of the symbolism to carry weight, and what basis in evidence (if any) must they offer to justify their stance that the thing is tainted, inappropriate, and deserving of public excoriation?
I would take issue with your paraphrase. I doubt I truly legitimized the contention that taking a knee was disrespectful to the flag. I certainly did not accept the idea that it was disrespectful to the military, as so many tried to contend. Remember the facts. First, Kaepernick sought ZERO publicity. The whole issue only came to light when a reporter noticed and asked him about it. Recall also that even that was after the THIRD week in which Kaepernick had refused to stand. The entire "taking a knee" instead of sitting was after a talk with former Green Beret and Seattle Seahawk Nate Boyer in which Boyer convinced him that taking a knee was a more respectful compromise. Kaepernick agreed because it was not his intent to disrespect the flag or the military and he did not want his actions misconstrued. His was a personal protest in his own mind. He would have been just fine if it had never become an issue, and indeed would still have a football career rather than being a pariah. I say that as someone who was never a Kaepernick fan. He played for the San Francisco 49'ers, a division rival of the Seattle Seahawks. His image was the antithesis of 'Hawks QB Russell Wilson, who is seemingly as close as one can come to the all-American boy. And, because the Seahawks routinely pummeled the 49'ers, I saw him play probably three of the four worst games of his career. I never liked him. As a football player I still don't like him. As someone who has been tortured by troubles not really of his own making, he has suffered those slings and arrows better than most would be capable of doing. And he has proven himself far more of a man than the mindless morons who latched onto the opportunistic rantings of the president. My contention in Kaepernick's case was that the flag (or more correctly the anthem) was the wrong target. The anthem is a national symbol, and the issue of justice for people of color is for the most part a local issue in some parts of the country. The federal government itself, at least until this current administration, has been on the side of equal treatment. On Kaepernick's side.
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