If you wear your watch backwards, with the face on the inside of your wrist, it’s easier to check the time inconspicuously. I learned that “one weird trick” when I was in sales.
My dad wears his watch that way. When I asked why, he said that if you had your watch on the normal way and had to check it with a beer in your hand, you spill the beer on yourself. His way, you spill it on the guy asking you for the time.
My dad used to wear his wristwatch on the inside of his wrist when he was driving so he could check the time without taking his hand off the steering wheel.
This one includes a new column, “Year”, where I put the estimated year the issue began. LOL, some of this shit’s gone back to the founding of the country. Not clear on all of the dates (?), some of the freak outs are repetitive (War on Christmas, etc), and, as always. MORE SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE!!!
Number
Item
Year (appx)
1
Gun fetishism
1776
2
People being ineffective is OK as long as it is a white man. Bush 2. Trump.
1776
3
Immigrants will make America Poorer and dirtier
1924
4
Communism
1932
5
Liberal Media
1932
6
Movie X is inciting violence/sex/drugs
1932
7
Music X is inciting violence/sex/drugs
1932
8
Socialism
1932
9
Islam
1970
10
Supply-Side Economics
1975
11
Jane Fonda
1980
12
AIDS
1981
13
Constant misuse of Born in the USA
1984
14
Hey ho, hey ho, Western Civ has got to go!
1990
15
Socialized medicine has incredible wait times!
1990
16
Tax and Spend Democrats
1990
17
Central Park Five
1990
18
Political Correctness
1990
19
Sovereign Citizens
1990
20
War on Christmas
1990
21
Hillary Clinton (really, a list of her own)
1991
22
Polls oversample democrats
1992
23
Stem Cells
1995
24
USPS must be profitable!
1995
25
Starbucks Christmas
1999
26
Anti-LGBTQ
2000
27
Elian Gonzalez
2000
28
Laura Bush did what? Well, she’s right with Jesus NOW…
2000
29
Book bans
2000
30
Border Security
2000
31
The War on Terror
2001
32
French Fries (Freedom Fries)
2002
33
Ground Zero Mosque
2002
34
Shoe inspections on airplanes
2002
35
Boycotting Heinz Ketchup because of John Kerry’s wife.
2004
36
Gay Marriage
2004
37
John Kerry’s wife is a foreigner and can’t be First Lady
2004
38
No Child Left Behind(?)
2004
39
Patriot Act
2004
40
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
2004
41
Ted Koppel read names of Iraqi war dead on Nightline (2004), implying war wasn’t going well.
2004
42
I have a wide stance!
2005
43
Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine
2005
44
Obama Katrina 14: Katrina (2005)
2005
45
Participation Trophies
2005
46
Janet’s Boob
2006
47
Terry Schiavo
2006
48
Michael Moore’s F 9/11
2007
49
Elitist Obama mentioning aurugula to a bunch of Iowan farmers who planted…. Aurugula.
2008
50
Happy Holidays!
2008
51
You didn’t build that
2008
52
ACORN
2008
53
Common Core
2008
54
The 2008 Obama terrorist fistbump with Michelle
2008
55
The Ohio State Flag is mistaken for an Obama flag
2008
56
Moochelle Obama
2008
57
Obama golfing
2008
58
Obama Katrina 15: Affordable Housing
2008
59
Obama used a teleprompter!
2008
60
The Sarah Palin Experience. All of it.
2008
61
Gender-Neutral Restrooms
2009
62
Michelle Bachman
2009
63
Michelle Obama food initiatives
2009
64
Michelle Obama is a man
2009
65
Obama bowed!
2009
66
Obama Katrina 01: The 2009 Swine Flu epidemic
2009
67
Obama’s Mustard
2009
68
Sharia Law is coming!
2010
69
HPV vaccine
2010
70
Obama didn’t wear a flag pin!
2010
71
Obama Katrina 02: The Haiti Earthquake of 2010
2010
72
Obama Katrina 05: Ebola!
2010
73
Obama Katrina 06: Unaccompanied Children at the Border!
2010
74
Obamacare
2010
75
Tea Party
2010
76
Obama caused ISIS
2010
77
Tan Suit Gate
2011
78
Benghazi
2012
79
Birth Certificate
2012
80
Crisis Actors
2012
81
Keystone Pipeline
2012
82
Miley Cyrus is training girls to be trashy
2012
83
Obama Katrina 03: BP Oil Spill
2012
84
Obama Katrina 04: Hurricane Sandy
2012
85
Obama’s plan to wind down AFG coincided with election
2012
86
Austerity (Debt Ceiling debate 2013)
2013
87
Birth Control
2013
88
Bundy/BLM
2013
89
Comicsgate
2013
90
Gamergate
2013
91
Government shutdown: 2017
2013
92
Ha! There was a trucker protest in 2013, too!
2013
93
IRS targeting conservatives (they didn’t)
2013
94
Marine holding an umbrella over Obama’s head and not the marine’s own.
2013
95
Obama paying for a muslim culture museum out of his pockets (2013)
2013
96
Sandy Hook
2013
97
Seccessionist movements
2013
98
The Duck Dynasty Debacle/Phil Robertson (2013)
2013
99
Ten Commandments in public spaces
2014
100
George Soros
2014
101
Tide Pods
2015
102
Voting to remove protection from VA’s pro-gun control governor (2015)
2015
103
Immediate, negative reactions to ANYONE who criticized Trump, including the Pope.
2015
104
But Her Emails!
2016
105
Liberals are why we X!
2016
106
Locker Room Talk
2016
107
Anti Cheneyism
2016
108
Anti McCainism
2016
109
Beyonce mentions BLM, police brutality in a 2016 Super Bowl performance
2016
110
Gold Star Family fight
2016
111
Islamic Travelers
2016
112
Jade Helm will have US Military ‘take over’ US.
2016
113
Melania Trump is an inspiration as a foreign-born First Lady
2016
114
PizzaGate
2016
115
Safe Spaces
2016
116
Target (announced non-discrimination against transgenders back in 2016)
2016
117
Teen Vogue (2016)
2016
118
Losing Advertiser Support = Free Speech being Suppressed
2016
119
Obeying the Law is unfair
2016
120
RINO 's
2016
121
Russia Hoax
2016
122
Trump Fact-Checked during debate
2016
123
Trump was sent by God
2016
124
Windmills cause cancer
2016
125
AOC
2017
126
Caravans
2017
127
Confederate Statues
2017
128
George Zimmerman
2017
129
Government shutdown: 2018
2017
130
Jim Acosta (How dare he ask the President questions?)
2017
131
Kathy Griffin (Decapitated Trump Head)
2017
132
Kneeling
2017
133
Large crowd sizes at 2017 inaugral
2017
134
Nancy Pelosi Gavel
2017
135
Sarah H Sanders being heckled at a restaurant
2017
136
Unite the Right rally
2017
137
Qanon
2017
138
Sanctuary Cities
2017
139
Transexuals playing school sports
2017
140
Antifa
2018
141
Avocado toast as an example of Millennial ‘waste’
2018
142
BLM in general
2018
143
BLM/Antifa riots have destroyed cities
2018
144
Blue Lives Matter/Thin Blue Line/Police fetishism
2018
145
David Hogg
2018
146
Government shutdown:2013
2018
147
Greta Thunberg
2018
148
Nancy Pelosi ripping Trump’s speech in half
2018
149
Nascar (banned confederate flag)
2018
150
National Butterfly Center
2018
151
Poor Brett Kavanaugh! What does his possibly being an alchoholic rapist have to do with anything?
2018
152
Release the Memo!
2018
153
Sexuality
2018
154
The Wall around Obama’s house meant he was a hypocrite about the border wall!
2018
155
George Floyd
2019
156
Gillette (said toxic masculinity is bad in a 2019 ad, toxic whining ensued)
2019
157
Kyle Rittenhouse worship
2019
158
Nike (Colin K ad)
2019
159
Nikole Hannah-Jones @ NC
2019
160
The 1619 Project
2019
161
The Hunt (2019 film Trump rage-tweeted about. The controversy caused the film to be released streaming only)
2019
162
Hunter Biden
2019
163
Pronouns
2019
164
Wokism
2019
165
After I acted like a fascist, racist, grifter, libs are preventing me from getting a job!
2020
166
Anti-Fauci
2020
167
Arnold becomes a RINO because of masks
2020
168
Biden’s dementia (compared to man, woman, person, camera, TV)
2020
169
Big Bird
2020
170
Cancel Culture
2020
171
Child smuggling in furniture (in general, actually)
2020
172
COVID Vaccine
2020
173
Cracker Barrel offers Impossible Sausage, makes zero other changes.
2020
174
Defund the Police (no!)
2020
175
Doctor Suess estate removing books
2020
176
Dominion Voting Machines
2020
177
Genders (identity)
2020
178
Ivermectin
2020
179
Jill Biden is NOT a ‘Doctor’. (She is. Just not a medical doctor.)
2020
180
Mail-In ballots
2020
181
Masks
2020
182
Nancy Pelosi at Hairdresser
2020
183
Old People Should Die for the Economy
2020
184
People’s Convoy
2020
185
PePe LePew being left out of LeBrons Space Jam
2020
186
Plandemic
2020
187
Taylor Swift endorses Democrats
2020
188
The Big Lie
2020
189
Trump is secretly President! He will announce himself on Inaugration, er, President’s, er the First Day of, er, some day in August, er, when the COVID thing is straightened out, that’s the ticket!
2020
190
Let’s Go, Brandon!
2021
191
Liberal/Woke/Gay Agenda
2021
192
White Replacement Theory (Carlson)
2021
193
White Supremacy is a hoax (Carlson)
2021
194
2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Protest
2021
195
Baby Formula to illegal immigrants
2021
196
Cardi B’s WAP
2021
197
Cocaine Orgies
2021
198
CRT
2021
199
Defund the FBI (yes!)
2021
200
January 6th denial
2021
201
Jewish Space Lasers
2021
202
Monkeypox is caused by Gay People
2021
203
Yoga being taught to children
2021
204
Dark Brandon - Started as a right-wing op (in China), was co-opted by the left. But, for the purposes of this list, it was INTENDED to be a RW freakout.
Pelosi has expensive ice cream! During Coronavirus!
2022
219
Lizzo played a musical instrument 335,000,000 Americans didn’t know existed
2022
220
Biden ate an ice cream cone
2022
221
Leslie Stahl is being mean to Trumpie!
?
222
Michelle Wolf joking about Sarah H Sanders
?
223
Nick Sandmann
?
224
Obama Katrina 07: Hurricane Isaac
?
225
Obama Katrina 08: MF Global problems
?
226
Obama Katrina 10: Mississippi River floods
?
227
Obama Katrina 11: Fort Hood shootings
?
228
Obama Katrina 12: Swine Flu
?
229
Obama Katrina 13: Kentucky Ice Storm
?
230
Operation Fast and Furious
?
231
Paul Wellstone’s Funeral
?
232
Poor, rapey, Brock Turner!
?
233
Sad Puppies
?
234
Samantha Bee (Feckless Cunt)
?
235
Saul Alinsky
?
236
TN tries to make Bible Official State Book
?
237
Obama and Tire Pressure as an energy saver.
?
238
Rebranding suicide-bombers as homicide-bombers
?
239
Ebonics
1990s
240
Death Panels
1994, 2010
241
Ellen Degeneres
2000ish
242
Walmart selling satanic messages in music
2005?
243
Republicans mad about Obama’s Christmas cards
2008-2016
244
Duke Lacrosse scandal
2012?
245
Light Bulbs (incandescent bulbs being phased out)
2012?
246
Lo-flow flush toilets
2012?
247
Obama saluting a marine with a coffee cup in his hand
2012?
248
Obama’s feet on desk
2012?
249
Shut up and dribble!
2013?
250
Joe the Plumber
2016?
251
Walmart NOT selling guns!
2017?
252
Kuerig (destroying machines after advertising pulled from Hannity)
2018?
253
When MLB moved the All-Star game from Atlanta
2019?
254
The Debates are unfair!
Every 4 years
255
Thoughts and Prayers as a response for every shooting in America
Every Day (literally)
256
Amend the Constitution so that Arnold S/Elon M can be President!
Every So Often
257
College Speakers
Every So Often
258
Satanic Panics
Every So Often
259
THE MLK quote
Every Year
260
People being effective is a sign that Obama/Biden is failing! (i.e., Agents siezed a record amount of fentynal gets translated to Our agents are failing and it’s the Presidents fault)
Whenever a Dem is President.
Again, any additions and/or corrections are appreciated! Thanks to all of you for all of your help!
#1 - The year should be some time in the early 1970s. It wasn’t until then that the NRA joined forces with the Right and serious gun fetishism began on a general scale. This was largely due to the Civil Rights Movement and the knee-jerk reaction of all the secret Klansmen in the Republican Party.
Besides, the Second Amendment dates from 1789, not 1776.
(Apologies - I couldn’t get the table to format right in the quote)
#3 - The Native American Party (Know-Nothings) was founded in 1844, and became powerful on a national level by the mid-1850s. Or, you could date this all the way back to the Alien Act of 1798, or even (stretching it a bit) the Constitution’s provision against foreign-born presidents.
#4 & #8- Anarcho-communism/socialism was an intellectual movement in the late 19th century, though I’m not sure of what freakouts it may have inspired politically or socially. Perhaps the Haymarket Affair would be the best single event of the era to date this from, though that’s more recognized as a labor rights benchmark (not that the right distinguishes much between them). You could also date it to the Red Summer of 1919, though that was more a racial thing where accusations of communism was made against movements for nondiscrimation and labor and civil rights (much like the 50s and 60s as well).
#5 - All media, pre-Civil War, had a partisan bent. The growth of news agencies like the AP after the war, with their dedication to “objective” news reporting to allow their news products to be used by a greater range of local periodicals, was key to the notion that the purportedly objective media was in fact biased. However, the Google Ngram viewer has a flatline on “liberal media” until 1965, so that might be a better date, although I’m guessing it probably started in right wing samizdat or as a shibboleth before it started to be written down in books.
#6 & 7 - Hays (of Hays Code fame) got started on “cleaning up” Hollywood in 1922, though the code dates to 1934. I’m sure the movie part of this probably could start in the early 1900s, but 1922 would be a better start date here. I’m not sure of any particular moral panic over music before, say, Blackboard Jungle but I’m sure that plenty of elders wrung their hands over Scott Joplin, Stephen Foster - you name it, old folks just don’t get young people’s music.
#9 - The Hate That Hate Produced was a TV documentary largely focused on the Nation of Islam produced by a New York station in 1959. (The NoI and mainstream Islam have a touchy relationship, but this is more about how the Right sees things.)
Oh, and the “Ground Zero Mosque” really became controversial in 2010, according to the Wikipedia article on the subject. Oddly enough, Ngram shows it starting to appear as early as 2007.
#11 - Jane Fonda - “Hanoi Jane” dates from her visit (and ill-advised picture looking through the sight of an antiaircraft gun) in 1972.
#14 - The Closing of the American Mind, 1987, or maybe God and Man at Yale, 1951?
#16 - The Ngram viewer shows small activity for “tax and spend Democrats” in the 1940s, but it really takes off in the early 1980s.
Hope this helps. It really starts to come thick and fast with the advent of conservative talk radio, doesn’t it… all that airtime that needs to be filled with one thing to panic about or another.