It's not just Lies about Immigrants... But Historical Nazi Lies...
September 13, 2024 10:27 AM Subscribe
Science communicator Rebecca Watson pointed out that what J D Vance and Donald Trump repeated and amplified about supposed Haitain Immigrants eating people's pets are not just lies... but historical Nazi "blood libel"... started by ACTUAL current Neo-Nazis in Springfield (at Anti-Haitian Rallies)... they've dragged grieving parents into the hate campaign as well.
You can find the transcript of that Youtube episode here, but I'll summarize the points below...
* The "they're eating the pets" is a modern variation of an ANCIENT blood libel about supposedly Jews were murdering Christian children and using their blood to make matzos for Passover. It's basically a NAZI talking point.
* The supposedly bodycam footage used as "proof" was of a mentally disturbed woman trying to "eat a cat" that was not Haitian, not an immigrant, and NOT in Springfield
* So who first started the slur against Haitians? An actual Neo-Nazi by the name of Drake R Berentz, who appeared at an anti-Haitian Rally in Feb 2024 where he assaulted people ON CAMERA, then appeared in front of Springfield City Countil using a pseudonym to "warn them" of consequences of accepting more Haitian immigrants.
* Which lead to J D Vance posting the lie on X.
* When Springfield officials denied the whole thing, J D Van double down, and decided to politicize the death of an innocent child. Yes, an Haitain immigrant driver did crash into a bus and tipped it over. Yes, a child died. In 2023. His name is Aiden Clark, and he was 11. His parents has had enough of the haters, and gave this speech, which lead me to sob.
So, remember, when Donnie and JD repeat the lies about Haitians, it's not funny. It's hate speech. AND IT MUST BE STOPPED.
* The "they're eating the pets" is a modern variation of an ANCIENT blood libel about supposedly Jews were murdering Christian children and using their blood to make matzos for Passover. It's basically a NAZI talking point.
* The supposedly bodycam footage used as "proof" was of a mentally disturbed woman trying to "eat a cat" that was not Haitian, not an immigrant, and NOT in Springfield
* So who first started the slur against Haitians? An actual Neo-Nazi by the name of Drake R Berentz, who appeared at an anti-Haitian Rally in Feb 2024 where he assaulted people ON CAMERA, then appeared in front of Springfield City Countil using a pseudonym to "warn them" of consequences of accepting more Haitian immigrants.
* Which lead to J D Vance posting the lie on X.
* When Springfield officials denied the whole thing, J D Van double down, and decided to politicize the death of an innocent child. Yes, an Haitain immigrant driver did crash into a bus and tipped it over. Yes, a child died. In 2023. His name is Aiden Clark, and he was 11. His parents has had enough of the haters, and gave this speech, which lead me to sob.
So, remember, when Donnie and JD repeat the lies about Haitians, it's not funny. It's hate speech. AND IT MUST BE STOPPED.
That video of Aiden Clark’s parents is heartbreaking.
posted by whatevernot at 10:33 AM on September 13 [10 favorites]
posted by whatevernot at 10:33 AM on September 13 [10 favorites]
As the descendant of Jews that fled murderous Cossacks, I know pogroms when I see them. Even worse is that one of the architects of these pogroms is also a descendant of Jews that fled murderous Cossacks.
posted by Glegrinof the Pig-Man at 10:40 AM on September 13 [18 favorites]
posted by Glegrinof the Pig-Man at 10:40 AM on September 13 [18 favorites]
The humor seems to be working to defuse the fascism
Mel Brooks (who fought in Europe against the nazis) pointed out that humor is a good weapon against nazis. He also pointed out that when that fails guns were sometimes also needed.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:42 AM on September 13 [45 favorites]
I hate Illinois nazis
posted by torokunai at 10:49 AM on September 13 [20 favorites]
posted by torokunai at 10:49 AM on September 13 [20 favorites]
There are 500,000 Haitian Americans in Florida and they are pissed off. So the dog and cat bit Trump thought was so clever may end up having very real electoral consequences for him.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 10:55 AM on September 13 [51 favorites]
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 10:55 AM on September 13 [51 favorites]
It boggles the mind that Candidate Brainworms, who professed a liking for "bushmeat", was A-OK with the MAGA crowd. I guess it's okay when you have money and eating roadkill (how do we know he never ate a pet?) is your weird hobby.
posted by Soliloquy at 11:04 AM on September 13 [3 favorites]
posted by Soliloquy at 11:04 AM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Thank you so much. I wrote to my mom last night (she's super zionist christian, but actual loving towards others, and that love makes her blind from the evils of her allies - I followed up with this link (and the clip of Aidens' parents).
"don't.vote.trump. This is on him for spreading racist lies and hatemongering about "hatian immigrants eating cats". LIES from the pit of hell.posted by symbioid at 11:07 AM on September 13 [10 favorites]
ok now i'm going to bed goodnight.
https://haitiantimes.com/2024/09/11/haitian-immigrants-in-ohio-under-racist-attacks/
Anyways, sorry just triggered me last night, but if it were Jewish people you wouldn't stand for it. Not sure why you'd vote for someone saying it about Haitians.
And I hate to hammer on about this, but --- PLEASE read this --- it explains the origin this lie (a nazi at a town meeting), and also the "illegal immigrant murdered a child" (JD Vances words) is also a lie.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/comedy-tragedy-111939974
I've said my piece on this, but I really really want you to reflect. I constantly beg you. I'm not asking you to vote for Kamala, I dont' want you to vote against your conscience. But voting for Trump IS a vote against your conscience. Against everything moral and right. You dislike Putin? Trump Loves Putin.
https://x.com/democracynow/status/1833929609382912389"
I don't know, this seems like a real stretch when the most immediate and obvious explanation is it's a spin on the old "Chinese/Koreans eat cats and dogs" bullshit.
posted by star gentle uterus at 11:16 AM on September 13 [19 favorites]
posted by star gentle uterus at 11:16 AM on September 13 [19 favorites]
this is so disgusting. they are truly vile hateful monsters willing to use the (largely innocent) death of a child for political points. I hope the Harris Walz campaign sweeps a wide blue wave over this country to clean away this Nazi bullshit garbage for once and for all.
posted by supermedusa at 11:24 AM on September 13 [4 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 11:24 AM on September 13 [4 favorites]
I don't know, this seems like a real stretch when the most immediate and obvious explanation is it's a spin on the old "Chinese/Koreans eat cats and dogs" bullshit.
That's just a different form of the same slander; Arguably softer since it's talking about bad stuff happening to housepets instead of people's children, but still absolutely dehumanizing towards the people and cultures it's talking about.
Not to mention that this is something that hateful old people who are alive today still joke about! I proposed bringing in some catered pan-Asian selections -- the kind of stuff you can get at Panda Express at the mall, for crying out loud! -- for a sales meeting at my work once and was immediately shot down by members of our "senior" (as in over retirement age, but still working for some reason) management, whom I later overheard making "eating dogs and cats" jokes around the copier afterwards.
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:26 AM on September 13 [22 favorites]
That's just a different form of the same slander; Arguably softer since it's talking about bad stuff happening to housepets instead of people's children, but still absolutely dehumanizing towards the people and cultures it's talking about.
Not to mention that this is something that hateful old people who are alive today still joke about! I proposed bringing in some catered pan-Asian selections -- the kind of stuff you can get at Panda Express at the mall, for crying out loud! -- for a sales meeting at my work once and was immediately shot down by members of our "senior" (as in over retirement age, but still working for some reason) management, whom I later overheard making "eating dogs and cats" jokes around the copier afterwards.
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:26 AM on September 13 [22 favorites]
I feel like it’s an evolution of the old racist canard about pets being used in voodoo rituals. I guess maybe that specific rumor feels silly to adults so they syncretized it with the other old racist canary about East Asian people.
posted by gauche at 11:38 AM on September 13 [3 favorites]
posted by gauche at 11:38 AM on September 13 [3 favorites]
you know in the midwest, the coyotes are the ones eating cats and dogs - and some of these accusatory people HAVE to know that
such vileness
posted by pyramid termite at 11:38 AM on September 13 [10 favorites]
such vileness
posted by pyramid termite at 11:38 AM on September 13 [10 favorites]
Commentary on the Aiden Clark situation from Charlie Pierce.
posted by TedW at 11:42 AM on September 13 [2 favorites]
posted by TedW at 11:42 AM on September 13 [2 favorites]
One thing I've noticed about this whole discussion is that very liberal, anti-Trump facebooks and instagrams are either just sharing or using AI to make satirical images mocking the Haitian-eating-pets story...which are coming out about as racist as the original story. AI, apparently, doesn't know how to show Haitians in a non-stereotypical way, which is yet another problem in itself...
posted by AzraelBrown at 11:48 AM on September 13 [19 favorites]
posted by AzraelBrown at 11:48 AM on September 13 [19 favorites]
the most immediate and obvious explanation
Why Not Both Dot Gif
posted by stevil at 11:48 AM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Why Not Both Dot Gif
posted by stevil at 11:48 AM on September 13 [3 favorites]
I hate Illinois nazis
As should we all! But I should point out to anyone who isn't aware, in this particular case we're talking about Ohio nazis.
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:48 AM on September 13 [5 favorites]
As should we all! But I should point out to anyone who isn't aware, in this particular case we're talking about Ohio nazis.
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:48 AM on September 13 [5 favorites]
star gentle uterus it may seem that way to you, but Trump, Vance, and the entire Republican infrastructure have not been complaining and generally dehumanizing immigrants from China and Korea lo these many years. Trump surrounds himself with Nazis and Nazi-leaning people. This is what you get.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 11:50 AM on September 13 [8 favorites]
posted by fingers_of_fire at 11:50 AM on September 13 [8 favorites]
I think there's some old canard about people eating pets for pretty much every culture, but the most immediate connection would seem to be to smears about Haitian Vodou rather than blood libel or East Asians.
posted by ssg at 11:50 AM on September 13 [2 favorites]
posted by ssg at 11:50 AM on September 13 [2 favorites]
My haitian friend who is super chill about everything (a 40 year old bro who works in tech is about things). Is super pissed and he said he got this all growing up in South Florida, so it's definitely a haitian/voodoo thing.
posted by sandmanwv at 11:54 AM on September 13 [11 favorites]
posted by sandmanwv at 11:54 AM on September 13 [11 favorites]
Lots of Dems have been laughing at the "eating cats and dogs" thing. A family member joked with me about it. Kamala laughed at Trump when he mentioned it in the debate.
Maybe that was the right reaction from her at that time. But the laughing needs to stop. This is Blood Libel, and it could lead to bloodshed. I hope Harris and Dem leadership in general start calling this out for the dangerous incitement that it is. As Josh Marshall wrote today,
Maybe that was the right reaction from her at that time. But the laughing needs to stop. This is Blood Libel, and it could lead to bloodshed. I hope Harris and Dem leadership in general start calling this out for the dangerous incitement that it is. As Josh Marshall wrote today,
Because of JD Vance’s racist incitements to violence, now joined by Donald Trump, immigrants from Haiti in Springfield, Ohio, are cowering in their homes, holding their children back from school. Bomb threats have forced evacuations of the town municipal buildings and schools. We can only hope that it doesn’t escalate from here to assaults and murders. But there’s no question this is a community under siege.posted by Winnie the Proust at 11:59 AM on September 13 [13 favorites]
Look, everyone splitting hairs about whether this particular lie is specifically connected to Nazi blood libel against Jews or maybe American racist lies about Chinese or Haitians voudou or whatever is missing the point.
We have a political party in the US that is using this particular racist lie as a way to demonize people. In order to inflame hatred in its supporters, in order to build political power. You know who else did that? Yes, Hitler. That is the Nazi comparison that is important here. Trump is taking a page from the Hitler playbook. This is not exaggeration or analogy, it is literal.
We're not quite at pogroms yet but we're on the way. This terrorism directed at Haitians is not an accidental outcome. It is the purpose of the Republican lies. Both to harm Haitians and to bolster Republican power. This is a fascist tactic.
posted by Nelson at 12:04 PM on September 13 [51 favorites]
We have a political party in the US that is using this particular racist lie as a way to demonize people. In order to inflame hatred in its supporters, in order to build political power. You know who else did that? Yes, Hitler. That is the Nazi comparison that is important here. Trump is taking a page from the Hitler playbook. This is not exaggeration or analogy, it is literal.
We're not quite at pogroms yet but we're on the way. This terrorism directed at Haitians is not an accidental outcome. It is the purpose of the Republican lies. Both to harm Haitians and to bolster Republican power. This is a fascist tactic.
posted by Nelson at 12:04 PM on September 13 [51 favorites]
I think there's some old canard about people eating pets for pretty much every culture, but the most immediate connection would seem to be to smears about Haitian Vodou rather than blood libel or East Asians.
Yeah, when I heard about the geese thing, I was thinking, "poultry has sacrificial uses in vodou, but it's mostly chicken and doves". And of course, not every Haitian is a vodou practitioner, nor does modern vodou practice necessarily include animal sacrifice. (The same assertions can be made about a lot of Afro-American syncretic practices, like santería and candomblé)
As for East Asians, there is a very limited and largely extinct practice of eating dog meat in Korea (AFAICT, no culture anywhere has ever normalized eating cats; eating cats, when it has been observed, has been a sign of either mental illness or extreme famine). It's never been hugely popular, but there have historically been stews made with dog meat like bosintang. It's basically not something that's actually done anymore though and there have been both judicial and legislative actions in South Korea to make dog-butchering illegal, although the latter is still phasing in (to be in full effect in 2027).
posted by jackbishop at 12:33 PM on September 13 [6 favorites]
Yeah, when I heard about the geese thing, I was thinking, "poultry has sacrificial uses in vodou, but it's mostly chicken and doves". And of course, not every Haitian is a vodou practitioner, nor does modern vodou practice necessarily include animal sacrifice. (The same assertions can be made about a lot of Afro-American syncretic practices, like santería and candomblé)
As for East Asians, there is a very limited and largely extinct practice of eating dog meat in Korea (AFAICT, no culture anywhere has ever normalized eating cats; eating cats, when it has been observed, has been a sign of either mental illness or extreme famine). It's never been hugely popular, but there have historically been stews made with dog meat like bosintang. It's basically not something that's actually done anymore though and there have been both judicial and legislative actions in South Korea to make dog-butchering illegal, although the latter is still phasing in (to be in full effect in 2027).
posted by jackbishop at 12:33 PM on September 13 [6 favorites]
@ssg @sandmanwv In case you missed another presidential candidate's clueless commentary ...
Marianne Williamson claims ‘voodoo is real’ as she backs Trump’s racist claim that Haitians are eating pets
posted by lukemeister at 12:47 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Marianne Williamson claims ‘voodoo is real’ as she backs Trump’s racist claim that Haitians are eating pets
posted by lukemeister at 12:47 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Is there a link to the video of the Clarks' testimony that doesn't have the "Democracy Now" watermark on it? My BFF and I have an arrangement where if one of our relatives comes onto our Facebook spouting MAGA shit we throw up a bat signal for the other to come in and lay down the smackdown. Her uncle is pulling some "they're eating cats" crap and I want to go WHOLE HOG on this guy, but the watermark would likely make him say "oh, fake news".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:48 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:48 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
...So I spent my first month in New York exploring the city with my poodle at my side. Donald was not a dog fan. When I told him I was bringing Chappy with me to New York, he said, "No." "It's me and Chappy or no one!" I insisted, and that was that...Raising Trump by Ivana Trump
I've told you about Chappy and his deep love for my chinchilla coat. He had an equal dislike of Donald. Whenever Donald went near my closet, Chappy would bark at him territorially.
Trump shares with James Polk and Andrew Johnson the distinction of being a President who -- apart from Rudy Giulani, Mitch McConnell and now J.D. Vance -- never owned a Presidential pet. (Although allegedly, Andrew Johnson did befriend some mice who lived in the White House.)
posted by y2karl at 12:48 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
So the dog and cat bit Trump thought was so clever may end up having very real electoral consequences for him.
Florida is closer than people think. In spite of the GOP sweep two years ago, this year Trump is only up by about 6 points or so at the moment, and Rick Scott in his race for re-election to the Senate is only up about 4 or so.
posted by gimonca at 1:11 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
Florida is closer than people think. In spite of the GOP sweep two years ago, this year Trump is only up by about 6 points or so at the moment, and Rick Scott in his race for re-election to the Senate is only up about 4 or so.
posted by gimonca at 1:11 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
White People Have Never Forgiven Haitians for Claiming Their Freedom: Behind the vicious Trump-Vance attacks on Haitian immigrants is a long history of making the people of Haiti pay for the audacity of their revolution. [The Nation]
posted by mazola at 1:32 PM on September 13 [25 favorites]
posted by mazola at 1:32 PM on September 13 [25 favorites]
you know in the midwest, the coyotes are the ones eating cats and dogs - and some of these accusatory people HAVE to know that
I'm in Massachusetts. The trees in my neighborhood are postered with notices about 3 different missing cats. At night, I often hear coyotes coming in from the Middlesex Fells. So I know exactly why the 3 cats are not likely to return to their pet humans any time soon.
I'm also right by a sizeable Haitian community.
This is New England. We respect frugality. So there's a lot of respect for the many obvious ways Haitians take frugality up umpteen notches. You can't live next to these people and not notice how they scrape every possible penny to send back to try to build a better future for Haiti itself.
That's also why I have a very strong opinion that the answer to Haiti's predicament is to just just fucking let them. Let enough of them in and Haiti will have a nice Malthusian sabbatical and get reforested, while the pennies they scrape up to a modern built up society on the island so the suffering ends. All it takes is the ability to walk past a bunch of French speaking Blacks and ignore them. But that appears beyond the abilities of some people.
Anyway, at least so far nobody's blaming them for the missing cats. I think my neighbors are not that stupid. I hope that stays the case.
posted by ocschwar at 1:40 PM on September 13 [8 favorites]
I'm in Massachusetts. The trees in my neighborhood are postered with notices about 3 different missing cats. At night, I often hear coyotes coming in from the Middlesex Fells. So I know exactly why the 3 cats are not likely to return to their pet humans any time soon.
I'm also right by a sizeable Haitian community.
This is New England. We respect frugality. So there's a lot of respect for the many obvious ways Haitians take frugality up umpteen notches. You can't live next to these people and not notice how they scrape every possible penny to send back to try to build a better future for Haiti itself.
That's also why I have a very strong opinion that the answer to Haiti's predicament is to just just fucking let them. Let enough of them in and Haiti will have a nice Malthusian sabbatical and get reforested, while the pennies they scrape up to a modern built up society on the island so the suffering ends. All it takes is the ability to walk past a bunch of French speaking Blacks and ignore them. But that appears beyond the abilities of some people.
Anyway, at least so far nobody's blaming them for the missing cats. I think my neighbors are not that stupid. I hope that stays the case.
posted by ocschwar at 1:40 PM on September 13 [8 favorites]
From information (/disinformation/misinformation) expert Mike Caulfield:
For Knopf, the hostile belief system precedes the creation of rumor. It is not created by it. Rather, the belief system creates a market for rumors that help to support, maintain, and activate it.
Think of it this way. You’re an individual that holds a view that Black men are violently seditious. Over time, however, in the absence of evidence this view begins to feel a bit silly. If this is the case, where is all the sedition? Hence, when a rumor comes along that Black men have seized control of a local armory, and are planning a takeover of large swaths of the city, you eagerly adopt and spread that rumor. It justifies your belief, and allows you to maintain it. And of course it can do more than that — while it may not change the belief it can intensify it, make it more salient, and make one feel more justified on acting on it. That in turn can lead to tensions that are long simmering in erupting in violence.
posted by Jeanne at 1:40 PM on September 13 [8 favorites]
For Knopf, the hostile belief system precedes the creation of rumor. It is not created by it. Rather, the belief system creates a market for rumors that help to support, maintain, and activate it.
Think of it this way. You’re an individual that holds a view that Black men are violently seditious. Over time, however, in the absence of evidence this view begins to feel a bit silly. If this is the case, where is all the sedition? Hence, when a rumor comes along that Black men have seized control of a local armory, and are planning a takeover of large swaths of the city, you eagerly adopt and spread that rumor. It justifies your belief, and allows you to maintain it. And of course it can do more than that — while it may not change the belief it can intensify it, make it more salient, and make one feel more justified on acting on it. That in turn can lead to tensions that are long simmering in erupting in violence.
posted by Jeanne at 1:40 PM on September 13 [8 favorites]
But surely immigrants in prison are eating transgendered pets.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 1:44 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 1:44 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
Not that I expect much from Trump, but he's not saying Haitians should be deported to Venezuela. Which yeah just piles onto the racism.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 1:48 PM on September 13
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 1:48 PM on September 13
I came here to post White People Have Never Forgiven Haitians for Claiming Their Freedom but saw that mazola had already posted it. If you missed it up there, you can click it down here. It's that important.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 2:11 PM on September 13 [5 favorites]
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 2:11 PM on September 13 [5 favorites]
Yes I know that Substack is infested with neo Nazis. I don't know how much longer I will be on the platform. I make no money from subscriptions nor does Substack (from me at least).
"Send these, the homeless, tempest lost to me..."
posted by DJZouke at 2:26 PM on September 13
"Send these, the homeless, tempest lost to me..."
posted by DJZouke at 2:26 PM on September 13
People were accusing immigrants of eating pets here in the UK in the 1970s. It was a common enough thing to suggest that the people from the town's Chinese takeaway were responsible for missing dogs or cats. I also remember my racist uncle talking about Windrush immigrants eating cans of dog food, something I was reminded of by something else recently.
posted by pipeski at 2:26 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 2:26 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
Marianne Williamson claims ‘voodoo is real’ as she backs Trump’s racist claim that Haitians are eating pets
To which I saw the following very frustrated (uncredited) response:
To which I saw the following very frustrated (uncredited) response:
Marianne Williamson is known to be an adherent of "Christianity," an ancient religious cult whose origins are lost to history. "Christians," as its followers call themselves, are known for their practice of "blood libel," first documented in the tenth century, which involves leveling false accusations of human sacrifice and cannibalism against Jews. These accusations typically lead to antisemitic laws and, frequently, mob violence, resulting in the deaths of many Jews over the centuries. It is hardly surprising that Christians in the modern era, never having been taken to task for this practice, would continue observing the rite of blood libel by expanding its scope to accusations of animal murder against Haitian Vodouists and other marginalized groups.posted by Faint of Butt at 2:41 PM on September 13 [12 favorites]
Trump, Vance, and the entire Republican infrastructure have not been complaining and generally dehumanizing immigrants from China and Korea lo these many years
What timeline are you writing from? They absolutely have been here in this timeline! (Remember what Trump et. al. called covid, for example?) In addition to all the antisemitism. And a variety of other racisms as well.
posted by eviemath at 2:51 PM on September 13 [18 favorites]
What timeline are you writing from? They absolutely have been here in this timeline! (Remember what Trump et. al. called covid, for example?) In addition to all the antisemitism. And a variety of other racisms as well.
posted by eviemath at 2:51 PM on September 13 [18 favorites]
It is hardly surprising that Christians in the modern era, never having been taken to task for this practice, would continue observing the rite of blood libel by expanding its scope to accusations of animal murder against Haitian Vodouists and other marginalized groups.
Just an fyi: the vast majority of Vodou practitioners consider themselves to be Christians.
posted by not just everyday big moggies at 3:37 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Just an fyi: the vast majority of Vodou practitioners consider themselves to be Christians.
posted by not just everyday big moggies at 3:37 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Note that Trump has moved on from eating animals to accusations of raping young girls.
Also the Ohio AG is all in on the story, despite local officials completely denying it.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 3:54 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Also the Ohio AG is all in on the story, despite local officials completely denying it.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 3:54 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
Ohio town's schools evacuated amid Trump anti-immigrant drive
posted by Nelson at 4:13 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
posted by Nelson at 4:13 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
That video of Aiden Clark’s parents is heartbreaking
Yes. Aiden Clark's parents are practically saints IMO. How anyone could look that Trump and think he has one ounce of goodness in his vile soul is beyond me.
We all know that Trump doesn't give a rat's a** whether or not anybody eats dog meat. And I'm sure he absolutely despises cats. But he had to do something to energize the unmarried cat lady base. No, the accusations aren't really amusing, they're despicable. I guess the reason we're laughing is that his comment is so far out there that it's like a long drawn-out fart at high mass. Something done by an immature loser bully-boy looking for attention. We need to loudly condemn what he said, but I'm also all in favor of laughing at the orange ass--he hates to be laughed at.
posted by BlueHorse at 4:41 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
Yes. Aiden Clark's parents are practically saints IMO. How anyone could look that Trump and think he has one ounce of goodness in his vile soul is beyond me.
We all know that Trump doesn't give a rat's a** whether or not anybody eats dog meat. And I'm sure he absolutely despises cats. But he had to do something to energize the unmarried cat lady base. No, the accusations aren't really amusing, they're despicable. I guess the reason we're laughing is that his comment is so far out there that it's like a long drawn-out fart at high mass. Something done by an immature loser bully-boy looking for attention. We need to loudly condemn what he said, but I'm also all in favor of laughing at the orange ass--he hates to be laughed at.
posted by BlueHorse at 4:41 PM on September 13 [2 favorites]
I now believe that Trump and the GOP are attempting to incite race riots in the rust belt. It's why they're escalating.
The logic being similar to their encouragement of tensions during the BLM riots: their fundamental strategy is that racial tensions will take the talk/attention away from the economy and Trump's age and onto identity politics. Key minorities in OH, MI, and PA will be intimidated in key swing counties (Lancaster PA, for example), while the white suburbs will be filled with race fear and anxiety.
It's disgusting, but this is their October Surprise, their last minute strategy. We truly are in a fight against the worst devils in our nation's nature, to invert the old phrases of Lincoln.
posted by LeRoienJaune at 4:46 PM on September 13 [16 favorites]
The logic being similar to their encouragement of tensions during the BLM riots: their fundamental strategy is that racial tensions will take the talk/attention away from the economy and Trump's age and onto identity politics. Key minorities in OH, MI, and PA will be intimidated in key swing counties (Lancaster PA, for example), while the white suburbs will be filled with race fear and anxiety.
It's disgusting, but this is their October Surprise, their last minute strategy. We truly are in a fight against the worst devils in our nation's nature, to invert the old phrases of Lincoln.
posted by LeRoienJaune at 4:46 PM on September 13 [16 favorites]
Yup. The Twitter fuelled UK anti-immigrant riot seemed like it could have been a test run, of sorts. Great for making border security the key issue.
posted by mazola at 6:27 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
posted by mazola at 6:27 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
"I suppose that Old Man Trump knows just how much racial hate
He stirred up in that bloodpot of human hearts
When he drawed that color line
Here at his Beach Haven family project
Beach Haven ain't my home!
No, I just can't pay this rent!
My money's down the drain,
And my soul is badly bent!
Beach Haven is Trump’s Tower
Where no black folks come to roam,
No, no, Old Man Trump!
Old Beach Haven ain't my home!"
Woody Guthrie wrote this about Trump's dad 70 years ago while living at a Trump property and noticing who was allowed to rent there. But in this case the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
posted by downtohisturtles at 6:43 PM on September 13 [10 favorites]
He stirred up in that bloodpot of human hearts
When he drawed that color line
Here at his Beach Haven family project
Beach Haven ain't my home!
No, I just can't pay this rent!
My money's down the drain,
And my soul is badly bent!
Beach Haven is Trump’s Tower
Where no black folks come to roam,
No, no, Old Man Trump!
Old Beach Haven ain't my home!"
Woody Guthrie wrote this about Trump's dad 70 years ago while living at a Trump property and noticing who was allowed to rent there. But in this case the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
posted by downtohisturtles at 6:43 PM on September 13 [10 favorites]
It's not exactly the same: killing children is a more serious crime than killing pets. But the method and intent are the same
They did in face accuse people of actually killing children. Literally.
Ironically the original blood libel was against Christians, perceived by Romans as a secretive cult who were accused of marrying their siblings (because they addressed each other as sister and brother), drinking blood, and eating human flesh (that’s the Eucharist).
posted by bq at 6:45 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
They did in face accuse people of actually killing children. Literally.
Ironically the original blood libel was against Christians, perceived by Romans as a secretive cult who were accused of marrying their siblings (because they addressed each other as sister and brother), drinking blood, and eating human flesh (that’s the Eucharist).
posted by bq at 6:45 PM on September 13 [3 favorites]
This is an awful situation, pushed by awful people. But I think it might also be a sign that Trump is desperate.
posted by LastOfHisKind at 7:38 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
posted by LastOfHisKind at 7:38 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
Or it's just his schtick... Make up issues to keep his name in the news, whether positive or negative, consequences be ****ed.
posted by kschang at 9:27 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
posted by kschang at 9:27 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
I think TFG said what he said for no reason more deep or complicated than that he did see it on TV. So much of what dribbles out the front of that absurd head supports the working assumption that television is the only medium from which it's capable of absorbing information.
TV is his sacred text, and having it questioned actually offends him. Recall the outrage evident in the "but it was on TV!" response to the debate moderator fact-checking his horseshit.
Fucker hasn't had an original idea in his entire miserable life. He's racist because US television is racist, and his own racism is all the more foul for being so goddamn lazy.
posted by flabdablet at 1:45 AM on September 14 [2 favorites]
TV is his sacred text, and having it questioned actually offends him. Recall the outrage evident in the "but it was on TV!" response to the debate moderator fact-checking his horseshit.
Fucker hasn't had an original idea in his entire miserable life. He's racist because US television is racist, and his own racism is all the more foul for being so goddamn lazy.
posted by flabdablet at 1:45 AM on September 14 [2 favorites]
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The way that the leadership of the Republican party has so swiftly embraced it is shocking. Well it should be shocking, but we're well past being shocked by stuff like this from the GOP now. It is absolutely disqualifying for public participation IMHO. Also it's weird to see Trump dancing to the tune of catturd2 and a Malaysian gamer troll.
We are in a dark place. I appreciate how decent people have turned this lie into a joke, all the memes about cats flying around from Democrats. The humor seems to be working to defuse the fascism. But it feels wrong to me, this kind of Nazi tactic should be completely shunned. Hard for me to make a joke or appreciate the mockery.
posted by Nelson at 10:31 AM on September 13 [18 favorites]