By 8YJ
The most powerful country in the world is being led by a man whose initial reaction to violence at a white supremacist rally was to equivocate Nazis with their counter-protestors in a performance that shocked much of the western world. A typical Thursday in the Trump administration. It was stunning and at the same time seem completely normal for this administration.
It did however lay bare the evidence for African Americans, activist, and liberals the aculaization of the dog whistle in American politics. This wasn’t a dog whistle, as stated on Pod Save America, this was a blowhorn. This was choosing sides. We discuss the confounding events that led America to these events in the latest 8YJ I – I Need a Minute – Podcast.
VICE
Vice has been doing stunning work in the digital content arena, however, the video below may be their best work yet. They followed a group of Alt-R/Nazi/White Nationalist/White Supremacist to the Unite the Right protest in Virgina. It was eye-opening to see them play themselves as the victims, see them show more than a penchant for violence, overt misogyny, and clear mental illness issue, and somehow be completely fine with it all.
The internet has given everyone a voice and this includes the voices that we hate to hear from. It’s a place where anyone can go to, no matter their subgroup and find like minded individuals. For the Alt-R this helped grow a movement framing first overt misogyny as the opinions and natural thought process of young white males put upon by wider society and later, becoming “edgier” as their recruits go older. Edgier = Nationalist/Racist/Trolls.
It’s also a place that lets us expose them. These are not strangers, these are people you know. Not the ones at the march/protest, the ones that internally agree with these beliefs system and never voice it. The silent majority as Trump described them.
Double Down Donald
This fucking guy. When not electroshocked by White House staff to do the right thing and after 48 hours of pure uncut Fox news talking points…well then this happens.
We are 8 months into this administration and it feels like it’s already been three years. Donald Trump has normalized the political crisis, it’s literal a Television show right now, there is new drama replete with cliff hangers every week. Except this is real-life. There are no dragons, real people will be affected and hurt.
Keep in mind though, that’s just all immediate domestic cause…
Oh yeah this is still happening (North Korea)
Days earlier the biggest story in the world had of course been the potential nuclear clash with North Korea. Trump, had it seemed turned into Daenerys fucking Taregeryan telling North Korea they “Best Not” come at America again aka “Get down or lay down” by saying that he’d bring Fire and Fury to the country if they even dreamed at threatening America. It, of course, drew comparison the Cuban Missile Crisis of the 1960s and reminded the world that a nuclear arsenal is in the hands of a spontaneous man with limited political and diplomatic experience. I mean what could go wrong.
Repeat this with me one more time. He’s been president for 8 months. EIGHT Months. In that time he’s lost his chief of staff, press secretary, senior political aide, sent countless trash tweets, lent cover to
He’s been president for 8 months. EIGHT Months! In that time he’s lost his chief of staff, press secretary, senior political aide, cozied up to Russia, sent countless trash tweets, lent cover to white supremacist, used the mother of all bombs, and ramped up hostilities with North Korea.
Last thing, in a time of actual confrontation with white supermacy, let’s remember the danger of labeling everyone and everything you disagree with racist because that lessens the impact of your voice when you know actual racist and Nazis show up. Kind reminder for your “woke” friends out there.
(jk, there aren't all black group chats dedicated solely to clowning both the racist and the woke, nothing to see here, keep it moving…..)
— Rembert Browne (@rembert) August 13, 2017
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Ape Don’t Kill Ape
