# Why is calling Trump Supporters MAGAts allowed? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 31, 2024, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060 "2024-07-31T14:23:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/61 "2024-08-01T21:24:05Z")
Nothing meaningful to add, but I always equated “MAGAt” with calling the Tea Party (remember them?) “TeaBaggers.” In both cases I think the damage, if any, was self-inflicted. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/62 "2024-08-02T15:12:17Z")
I think the term was ‘red hats’ and not ‘maga hats.’ Any way you slice it, the term ‘MAGAts’ doesn’t belong in any serious discussion forum. Nor does dumbocrats and republiturds etc. etc… ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/63 "2024-08-02T16:33:02Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Any way you slice it, the term ‘MAGAts’ doesn’t belong in any serious discussion forum. True, but we’re discussing the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/64 "2024-08-02T16:40:30Z")
Well, I wouldn’t want to ban it or anything. It’s not scary, like the most terrifying threat to humankind to ever haunt a message board: A TANGENT ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/65 "2024-08-02T16:42:35Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > The rest is just Why is it allowed, or broader, why are people fine with doing it? I’ll give up “MAGAt” when they give up “groomer”. “MAGAt” is clearly a metaphor. No one really thinks they’re actually maggots squirming about on the floor. But “groomer” refers to actual people who exist. They’re vile criminals who target children to commit actual crimes with life-long negative effects. Label someone a “groomer”, and at a minimum, you expect them to be rejected by society, and investigated by the police. At worst, you make them a target for vigilante justice as people hunt them down to assault or kill them. That’s far, far worse than making people think of MAGAts as metaphorically maggots. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/66 "2024-08-02T18:36:57Z")
I think (strictly IMHO) that part of the issue is that while not 100%, the majority of the board considers itself (and for good reason!) moral, as well as intellectually gifted. And there’s a LOT of feeling (outside the Pit, duh) that we should not “sink to _that_ level” in any number of arguments or debates. Which is… fine. It’s certainly the high road. But, for MAGA specifically, and increasingly any number of right-leaning populist movements world-wide, it’s been a losing game. Many of the die hard supporters of such movements (note, I’m not automatically extending this to all their enablers and “hold-my-nose-and-vote-because-of-one-issue”) the refusal to dispute or counter claim is an _admission_ that the claims are correct. See @Horatius’ comments on “groomer”. And people who pride themselves on not being swayed, the “independents” tend to see the extremes and assume the reality is in the middle. So one side talks none-stop about groomers, murderers, replacement-planning, evil communist/socialist, and the other says misled, misguided, undereducated, easily-led, the middle of those two POV is NOT a good place to be for the left-leaning group. So, once again, the paradox of tolerance is killing those who wish tolerance, and those who want to destroy their “opposition”. So say what you will about using the term _here_ - and certainly feel free to be careful using it IRL as it were, because one side is more than happy to endorse violence if you disagree with them. But be aware, they know and depend upon your forbearance. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2024, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/67 "2024-08-02T18:45:03Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > because one side is more than happy to endorse violence if you disagree with them That side was calling liberals/Democrats "zombies’ about a decade ago . . . one should remember how one deals with zombies. Currently, I think, NPCs is all the rage and I don’t know how you can be more dehumanizing than saying that other humans are not really real. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/68 "2024-08-02T20:00:29Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Any way you slice it, the term ‘MAGAts’ doesn’t belong in any serious discussion forum. Nor does dumbocrats and republiturds etc. etc… I concur, nor orange shitgibbon, etc. I just use “trump”. > [@Horatius](#): > > I’ll give up “MAGAt” when they give up “groomer”. Find me a poster _here_ that made that accusation. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/69 "2024-08-02T20:05:47Z")
Regardless, it’s deliberately dehumanizing and insulting language and we know that equivalent language directed at the politicians and supporters of said politicians that align with the vastly predominant ideology of this board would not be tolerated under the deliberately vaguely worded rules concerning persons of jerkhood, hijacking, and various other subjective and inconsistently applied categories of infractions. So, my opinion is either let the gloves come off for all sides or try to keep political debate, outside of the pit of course, somewhat civil. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/70 "2024-08-02T20:09:30Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Regardless, it’s deliberately dehumanizing and insulting language and we know that equivalent language directed at the politicians and supporters of said politicians that align with the vastly predominant ideology of this board would not be tolerated under the deliberately vaguely worded rules concerning persons of jerkhood, hijacking, and various other subjective and inconsistently applied categories of infractions. I’ve never seen anyone moderated for using such language against people for their political beliefs. Has anyone been modded for calling someone a “demonrat” in P&E or the Pit? Do you have actual examples? > [@octopus](#): > > So, my opinion is either let the gloves come off for all sides or try to keep political debate, outside of the pit of course, somewhat civil. I think the effort is to keep a balance between both of those things. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. ETA: You might be surprised to learn that I am somewhat sympathetic to your viewpoint though, and I do think that things can get a bit more childish than I’d prefer. I don’t like the nicknames for the most part. I’m not offended by them though. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/71 "2024-08-02T20:11:35Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Regardless, it’s deliberately dehumanizing and insulting language and we know that equivalent language directed at the politicians and supporters of said politicians that align with the vastly predominant ideology of this board would not be tolerated under the deliberately vaguely worded rules concerning persons of jerkhood, hijacking, and various other subjective and inconsistently applied categories of infractions. Completely untrue, though I know this is one of your hobby horses. You’ll never know how many flags we reject from posters who are upset when a right-leaning poster uses dehumanizing language against a left-leaning politician. I’ve personally rejected a number of them. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/72 "2024-08-02T20:12:01Z")
Who is left on this board that posts critically of the left? Perhaps that could answer your question. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/73 "2024-08-02T20:12:46Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Perhaps that could answer your question. Perhaps it does answer my question, in that the answer is “no”. ---
**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:** [August 2, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/74 "2024-08-02T20:16:43Z")
So, this is about that one time when that one poster finally went too far but you’ll happily ignore that history to score a point? Unless you’re voicing your opposition to Clothahump’s banning for using a blatant racial slur of course. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/75 "2024-08-02T20:18:43Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Has anyone been modded for calling someone a “demonrat” in P&E If you called a poster that, yes you would be. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/76 "2024-08-02T20:41:58Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > note, I’m not automatically extending this to all their enablers and “hold-my-nose-and-vote-because-of-one-issue You’d be absolutely wrong. The abortion “one issue” voters are a block that was crafted from “Christian” racists by the likes of Falwell: They are the fucking rank and file of the modern American “alt-right” or “Christian nationalist”. They are, without exception, the enemy. There is no federalist society, no “project 2025” without these folks. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/77 "2024-08-02T20:47:38Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > You’d be absolutely wrong. The abortion “one issue” voters are a block that was crafted from “Christian” racists by the likes of Falwell: And less that 15% of voters want all abortion banned. More than 50% do want some reasonable limitations, sure, but that is not the same. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/78 "2024-08-02T22:09:44Z")
Abortion isn’t by any means the only single issue voter out there. I’m thinking more of “I don’t care but I don’t want higher/I do want lower taxes” as an example I think short sighted but not egregiously evil. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/79 "2024-08-02T23:03:54Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > I didn’t get the “maggot” thing until just now, but I find derisive political nicknames incredibly tiring, particularly the way every third poster here has their own pet nickname for Trump. > > And I do mean tiring in a literal sense; it’s a constant low-grade effort to parse one hundred terms for the same thing over and over again. What’s especially tiring is when posters here use an abbreviation for a Trump nickname and there’s no way to know they’re referring to Trump. Seemingly random letters standing for some pet-name the writer assumes we all know. Don’t assume. Or even spelling it out (for once) but using some bizarre personal nickname like Orangutan Dolly-Face (or whatever). Just say what you mean, folks. Don’t ask a reader to have psychic ability. > [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > > [@Atamasama](#): > > > > When you need “slap my head” use one of those. > > Or this gif: Or, be a conscientious poster and don’t fill up our threads with needless junk such as motion GIFs. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060/80 "2024-08-02T23:10:37Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Or, be a conscientious poster and don’t fill up our threads with needless junk such as motion GIFs. Nope, conscientious posters use _good_ gifs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-calling-trump-supporters-magats-allowed/1005060.md?page=5)