I made a quick run to the grocery store to get some diet cherry coke, white bread, and ranch dressing. It was late and I didn’t bother wearing any street clothing. I wore a grey t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants that my mom got me for Christmas. They had frog prints.
I’m a frog lover. I have three pet frogs. Travel destinations that have a high frog population are a high priority. And, even as an adult I occasionally wear pieces of clothing with images of frogs. These days you’ll see this particular frog; he’s dark green, has a mischievous look on his face, and it appears that he was created in Microsoft Paint. I thought he looked rad and didn’t think anything of it 'till now.
As I headed to the check-out lane, I was approached by three hip looking guys. They told me that they loved my pants, and asked me if I knew what that frog stood for. I said “no”, and they asked me if I thought the following were cool:
-Blonde female public figures such as Taylor Swift.
-“The Donald” subreddit.
-The first and second amendment.
-Ev psych.
-SJW bashing.
-Being low in openness to experience, high in conscientiousness, high in extraversion, low in agreeableness, and high or very low in neuroticism.
-Wearing dress vests with dark blue jeans and Redwing boots.
-Haircuts that are long on the top and short on the sides. “Fashy haircuts”.
I answered “yes” to all of them but one. The guys then invited me to the next alt-right meetup. When I got back and looked up “alt-right” I was disgusted! I felt like such an idiot. I’ve heard of the term before, and I just assumed it was a young and alternative subgroup of the right wing, opposed to stuffy old bible thumpers who are over represented. But it turns out they are a white nationalist group.
I am humiliated. I feel like I have been fooled. I always assumed that white nationalists were rednecks with no teeth. And I had no idea that frog was associated them. It is my fault though, I don’t keep up with the news and current events. Too depressing. However, from now on I will make an effort to stay in the loop on what’s going on in this country.
A bit like how rainbows, which used to mean nothing more than cheerful, sunny, springtime and slightly saccharine niceness, now have a completely different interpretation.
You mean like a normal guy? Those things are normal to me and where I’m from.
What’s wrong with being normal?
Ok. I feel less of a moron now!
Guess??
Nope, not at all. It’s a uniform worn by younger guys everywhere, many who are non-racist. Going by research, it’s kind of the alt-right’s strategy. To normalize white nationalism. The most obvious way, is to blend in with the right type of clothing.
Yup. Racists often walk up to strangers to ask if they are “low in openness to experience, high in conscientiousness, high in extraversion, low in agreeableness, and high or very low in neuroticism.”
This is such an actual thing that happened that the OP just had to join the board today to tell us about it.
Those things are normal to me and where I’m from.