# I pit over-the-top Anti-Trump hysteria **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [August 5, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735 "2025-08-05T18:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 105
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2268 "2026-05-02T04:57:00Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > With or without that list comprising one name, Der Trihs? “Including or not including Der Trihs posts” would be shitty last words, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2269 "2026-05-02T08:23:55Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So if I’m understanding you, you’re saying that Trump wants to use nuclear weapons but he’s not planning on using nuclear weapons. No, you are not understanding me. In fact, it feels as if you are doing everything in your power to deliberately not understand my point because your ego won’t allow you. What I’ve said is that I believe, based on evidence, that he WANTS to use nuclear weapons. I don’t know whether he will or won’t. He says he won’t. That’s not good enough for me, and I’m not fucking hysterical for thinking he might, just because he hasn’t yet. ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2270 "2026-05-02T08:44:59Z")
And by the way, please do not attribute something to me that I did not say. According to you, I said somewhere that “Trump is not planning on using nuclear weapons.” Can you quote me saying that? What I said was, Trump SAYS he is not planning on using nuclear weapons. I never said that I agreed he wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2271 "2026-05-02T13:26:27Z")
> [@Disinfectus](#): > > And by the way, please do not attribute something to me that I did not say. According to you, I said somewhere that “Trump is not planning on using nuclear weapons.” Can you quote me saying that? What I said was, Trump SAYS he is not planning on using nuclear weapons. I never said that I agreed he wouldn’t. You said; > [@Disinfectus](#): > > If you are referring to me, I never said Trump was planning on starting a nuclear war. Again the subtle distinctions you’re making are not clear to me. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2272 "2026-05-02T13:35:35Z")
> [@Fuji](#): > > There’s a corollary to this line of thinking. That you personally don’t feel that you have insulted people also doesn’t necessarily mean that you have _not_ offended them. > > Offense is always in the eye of the recipient, and may be (and frequently is) given without ill intent of the originator. Decent people with a modicum of grace and tact would offer apologies for such unintentional offense when an instance of this is pointed out to them. You have not done so, and have compounded the original offense with a sustained display of intransigence that makes your denial of ill intent an increasingly dubious proposition. I agree that people can give offense without intending to. I have said that it was not my intent to offend anybody by my use of the word hysteria. But what I feel is being asked of me is an admission that I was being knowingly offensive. That is not the case. I would be willing to offer an apology for causing unintended offense but I’ve already been told that such an apology is unacceptable. I’ve been told saying “I’m sorry if you were offended” is a non-apology. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2273 "2026-05-02T13:39:53Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@Disinfectus](#): > > > > If you are referring to me, I never said Trump was planning on starting a nuclear war. > > Again the subtle distinctions you’re making are not clear to me. Let me try. I don’t think it’s subtle at all. Trump has expressed interest in and enthusiasm for using nuclear weapons. He has also said that he won’t use them. Does he have concrete plans to drop nukes? Probably not, and certainly not that we know of. Is it irrational to fear that he might do it anyway? No, absolutely not. There’s a reason that people say things like, “surely no one has actually given him the codes to launch nuclear bombs”. It’s because they are reassuring themselves that it probably won’t happen. No one said stuff like that about other presidents in my memory. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2274 "2026-05-02T13:45:13Z")
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that was offensive and didn’t mean it that way. I won’t do it again in the future.” is an apology. (At least, if the person actually stops doing it.) ‘It’s not offensive because I say so, but I’m sorry that you’re pissed off for no good reason’ is not an apology. And no, that’s not a direct quote; but it’s certainly the sense of what you’ve been saying. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2275 "2026-05-02T15:45:26Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > In my humble opinion, some of the claims you’ve dismissed are more realistic than others. But no, it’s not about whether you think they are realistic. It’s about insulting and demeaning your potential political allies. And dismissing someone’s fears as hysterical is absolutely insulting and demeaning. As any number of posters have pointed out.. I’m just reposting this, as I think it’s very relevant, and Little-Nemo does not seem to want to respond to it. Maybe they missed it. So here it is again. I’ll bold an important bit so it’s easier to read: **"it’s not about whether you think they are realistic. It’s about insulting and demeaning your potential political allies. "** ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2276 "2026-05-02T16:23:32Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Let me try. I don’t think it’s subtle at all. Trump has expressed interest in and enthusiasm for using nuclear weapons. He has also said that he won’t use them. Does he have concrete plans to drop nukes? Probably not, and certainly not that we know of. Is it irrational to fear that he might do it anyway? No, absolutely not. There’s a reason that people say things like, “surely no one has actually given him the codes to launch nuclear bombs”. It’s because they are reassuring themselves that it probably won’t happen. No one said stuff like that about other presidents in my memory. Thank you. This is exactly my point. But despite your eloquence, I’m not hopeful that this will get through to him. It’s like talking to a brick wall. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2277 "2026-05-02T18:21:24Z")
Thank you for saying succintly what I more or less was getting at and saving me the need for a reply. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2278 "2026-05-03T02:39:24Z")
Why the difference between _wanting to do thing_ and _planning to do thing_ needs an explanation baffles me. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2279 "2026-05-03T12:43:32Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’m just reposting this, as I think it’s very relevant, and Little-Nemo does not seem to want to respond to it. Maybe they missed it. So here it is again. I have responded to. But people don’t seem to like my response. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2280 "2026-05-03T15:50:04Z")
Hmmmmm… Nope. I just scrolled back a mere 12 posts, and you have not replied to **puzzlegal** ’s comment at all. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2281 "2026-05-03T16:41:00Z")
Don’t you know that saying that you have responded is exactly the same thing as actually responding? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2282 "2026-05-03T17:12:53Z")
I know that, and have already responded to you about this. ---
**Author:** ![Frilly\_Heck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90ced4/32.png) [@Frilly\_Heck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frilly_Heck)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2283 "2026-05-04T17:21:50Z")
> People might use the term “hysterical” for various reasons, including: > > - **Immaturity or Lack of Emotional Intelligence:** Some individuals use dismissive language because they lack the skills to navigate emotional conversations. > - **Power and Control:** Labeling someone as hysterical can be a way to diminish their credibility or silence their voice. > - **Cultural or Societal Norms:** In some cultures, emotional expression is frowned upon, leading to the use of terms like hysterical to shame or suppress feelings. > - **Misunderstanding or Miscommunication:** Sometimes, people misinterpret intense emotional reactions and respond with dismissive labels out of confusion or frustration. > **[What Does It Mean When Someone Calls You Hysterical?](https://inspirepearls.com/blogs/people/what-does-it-mean-when-someone-calls-you-hysterical)** > > What Does It Mean When Someone Calls You Hysterical? I started this thread thinking the last thing was happening. Now I think it’s mostly the first, with some of the rest all mixed in. ---
**Author:** ![Frilly\_Heck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90ced4/32.png) [@Frilly\_Heck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frilly_Heck)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2026, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2284 "2026-05-04T17:26:12Z")
> And this should, perhaps, give us some pause before we call someone “hysterical.” The word’s origin ties it to the idea that any show of emotion or force from a woman is evidence of her fragility and inherent instability, and echoes of that are still present in its uses today. > **[What It Really Means To Call A Woman Hysterical | Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/articles/hysterical)** > > by Kory Stamper published September 25th, 2018 Is hysterical a gendered insult? It began, unsurprisingly, on cable TV. In 2017, the Senate intelligence committee called Attorney General Jeff Sessions to testify about his Russian contacts as well as... ---
**Author:** ![Frilly\_Heck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90ced4/32.png) [@Frilly\_Heck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frilly_Heck)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2285 "2026-05-04T17:43:19Z")
The [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) folks are even more critical than I am: > But, what about the “funny” sense? Surely that’s a positive use we don’t have to shy away from? > > Nope. Even the “funny” sense of _hysterical_ usually connotes a loss of control, as in the original hysteria: a hysterical joke or comedian makes you laugh uncontrollably, sometimes sob, just absolutely _lose it_. It’s the sunny inverse of an emotional breakdown, but the breakdown is still implied. (It’s worth noting that when _hysterical_ is used to refer to funny people—the word’s only “positive” use—it’s most often used of men.) ---
**Author:** ![Frilly\_Heck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90ced4/32.png) [@Frilly\_Heck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frilly_Heck)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2026, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2286 "2026-05-04T17:50:12Z")
The misogyny of the right is worse and more violent than the misogyny of the left/center, but it is getting worse in both camps, and that is problematic. Not just because it displeases us uppity bitches, but also because it is a security threat: > **[The Lethal Price of Misogyny in Security and Defense](https://newlinesmag.com/argument/the-lethal-price-of-misogyny-in-security-and-defense/)** > > Recent intelligence failures in the US and Israel have prompted a misguided pushback against women in protection positions > **[When Women Suffer From Online Hate, So Do Democracies](https://time.com/6257188/disinformation-women-online-hate-study/)** > > A new global study finds that disinformation campaigns against women in politics are a national security threat. ---
**Author:** ![Frilly\_Heck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90ced4/32.png) [@Frilly\_Heck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frilly_Heck)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735/2287 "2026-05-04T18:23:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But what I feel is being asked of me is an admission that I was being knowingly offensive. That is not the case. That isn’t something I expect of you, if it is me you are talking about. I was hoping you’d adjust your language so you weren’t pissing off people you didn’t need to piss off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735.md?page=104) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-over-the-top-anti-trump-hysteria/1021735.md?page=106)