I don’t know why you keep saying this as if we don’t have plenty of evidence that he knew exactly what a Totenkopf was and did not get it removed.
Well, if you’re curious, look at the reaction to the Hegseth’s tattoos, which are much more blatant and linked to extremist groups to the point that it got him removed from a security detail in 2021.
And he is also defending them, not covering them up or removing them, and doubling down on them, unlike Platner.
This is the example I was thinking of, and it’s not a direct parallel, but it’s hard to think of a direct parallel. The totenkopf is a pretty rare symbol of Nazism, whereas the Confederate Flag is a major symbol of…whatever people are using it as a symbol of (spoiler:racism). But it’s hard to think of a symbol of White Supremacy in the South that’s rarer than the Confederate Flag and could possibly show up unintentionally. Maybe the Blood Drop Cross of the Klan?
If someone had this tattoo, I’d be really skeptical of them. Following the link, though, what if they had a really shitty version of it that was unclear, like the drop shown on the hat? Then I’d still be skeptical, but a lot more willing to believe that they were a dumbass who thought it looked cool.
In either case, their views and behavior would come in for increased scrutiny, for sure. Platner’s views and behavior are coming in for increased scrutiny. I’m not seeing any views or behaviors as likely to promote fascist acts as Susan Collins’s behaviors have already done.
Yes, great example: we all agree he’s a white nationalist christofascist; are you familiar with a single Democrat who bends over backwards to defend him the way you do for Platner? Even Fetterman voted against him.
By the way, Susan Collins also voted against the confirmation of Hegseth, so she’s ahead when it comes to standing against lunatics covered in Nazi tattoos.
Because we don’t have plenty of evidence that he knew exactly what it was when he got the tattoo.
Yes, you can make the argument that he should have gotten rid of it or covered it up at the exact moment he did become aware, but it is also completely plausible that it was one of those things that he either minimized the significance of to himself, or meant to get around to it, or simply wasn’t a public figure or politician so who cares?
So what? The most CHARITABLE read is that he knew about it years and years before he decided to get it removed only after it was politically inconvenient for him. Again, he has no principled objection to adorning his body with Nazi insignia; he only objects to the political inconvenience caused by the tattoo.
Maybe you’re not disgusted by that, but I sure am.
People who aren’t Nazis, or at least sympathetic to them, would be horrified and disgusted to learn that they had a Nazi tattoo. A reaction of “I am not a politician so who cares” is disgusting and disqualifies you from holding public office in my view.
@Babale, you are perfectly within your rights to be as principled as you like, but I prefer to look at the totality of a person. He doesn’t talk like a Nazi, nor did an analysis of his online posts over the span of years show any evidence of this.
And also tempered by the fact that this guy is the all-but-certain Democratic nominee and only chance to defeat Collins and possibly end Republican control of the Senate—control of which empowers this despicable administration.
And you can apply purity tests and swift-boat him all you want while you look for your perfect candidate—who likely doesn’t exist, at least not in Maine this year.
Speaking of, and thank the gods that the Democrats would never allow a man that started his own branch of said organization to have anything to do with their fine party that has no racial skeletons in it’s closet.
@Babale, could you list out maybe the top 3 policy proposals that “blue MAGA” illiberal Democrats are advocating for that concern you?
That are not wildly popular with voters under 30 or 40.
Missed your edit.
I don’t even mind if they are wildly popular, I’m just trying to figure out what we should be watching out for.
That’s not what Platner has said about this tattoo.
He has said that he didn’t think it was a Nazi tattoo. And when he was told it was, he thought that was outrageous, then decided to cover it up.
I know you’ll give this no credence, but he is saying that he didn’t know it was a Nazi symbol until he was running for office. Not years ago.
Unanimous condemnation by all Democrats, including Fetterman and even some Republicans. Not sure what you think this proves, other than my point.
Why would ANYONE give credence to such a blatant obvious lie?
Right–because they’re in keeping with his professed beliefs and actions. If Hegseth was like, “Oh shit, I had no idea that these tattoos were related to Christian Nationalism, Ima cover them up right now,” and if he had no history of promoting Christian Nationalism and explicitly disavowed the idea, and if he were jockeying for his position based on proposals that ran specifically counter to Christian Nationalism, it’d be a different conversation.
But he is lying about that because he told his friends it was “my Totenkopf” for years and references footage of soldiers with a Totenkopf on Reddit. So the idea that he didn’t know what it was and as soon as he found out he decided “this is outrageous, I need to cover it up ASAP” is a straight up lie.
Then how did he identify a soldier in video footage as wearing a Totenkopf six years ago?
Exactly. If the reaction among Democrats to Platner’s tattoo was the same as the reaction Hegseth’s tattoo, I’d consider that entirely appropriate and would not be complaining.
Well, the difference is that—unlike Platner—Hegseth got all of his tattoos much more recently, much more extensively to where they cover most of his torso, got them as a commissioned officer (from which we expect better judgement), is unapologetic about them, and more to the point, talks and acts like a fucking Nazi.
Right, Collins often takes principled stands when they won’t make any difference. Take her recent vote regarding enforcement of the War Powers Act: she changed her vote at the last minute only when sure that the measure would fail regardless of her vote.
Is there a cite for this?
Here’s the reddit post: