I've got a backlog of news to read, so I'm only gonna post one thing

[conuly]

Patriot Movement AZ members say their reputations have been damaged over a tweet about the 'OK' gesture

Here's the thing. If you're absolutely, 100% not a bigot, then nobody will ever suspect that your hand signals have secret bigoted coding.

With that said, I think the only coherent response I can make to these people goes something like this: "hahaha, so triggered, lol"

Comments

[jessie_c]

Awwwww, poor little Nazis. Do they need a safe space to protect their tender little feelings?

[conuly]

I KNOW.

[foliedemars]

Haha yes, this!

[marahmarie]

That's alright, they've not only taken the OK sign (which I normally use only in fits of extreme sarcasm, but anyhow), they've also appropriated the Tiki torches. I'm in the South so fairly safe leaving them in place (only because the South is so damn hateful most people wouldn't dare say a word about it) but still.

[spikethemuffin]

>If you're absolutely, 100% not a bigot, then nobody will ever suspect that your hand signals have secret bigoted coding.

I like to think that I'm as much "not a bigot" as anyone, yet I used to wear a necklace with a Norse symbol on it (Heather, the goddess of the Destiny's Child song "Survivor") until this vámr took it as permission to stroll up to me and start chatting about my Aryan heritage...

I feel like my culture has been appropriated, and

via GIPHY

[conuly]

Ouch. Well, at least when you visibly recoil and yell "I'm not a bigot, ew!" they'll believe you then.

[spikethemuffin]

I was so taken aback, I asked him to explain himself, and he scurried, presumably back under a log or something.

[spikethemuffin]

But I don't wear it openly now, because I feel like, if it makes bigots feel safe, it probably makes their targets (including my queer self) feel unsafe without an explanation.

[conuly]

That really sucks, but what can you do? :(

[marahmarie]

LOL!

[notasupervillain]

Also, if you're not a bigot, then it's not a problem to counter people who think you might be one by putting in some time volunteering for a refugee agency or advocating inclusivity or whatever. You only run into that problem when you don't want to do any actions that might make someone think you're not a bigot. Which begs the question.

[conuly]

It shouldn't even come to that. You go "Shit, really, this is a far right bigot hand sign now!?" or "Are you sure? I never heard that before...." and because nobody has any recollection of you actually, y'know, being hugely bigoted they just drop it.

[notasupervillain]

It's true.

[zesty_pinto]

"Members of the anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim extremist group Patriot Movement AZ (PMAZ) have often bragged about “triggering liberals.”

Yup, they triggered something all right.

Who would have imagined following crap incels and edgy bois would have gotten them into trouble?

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

I know, right? "Wah wah! Nazis haz a sad because people calling them Nazis after they posted pics of themselves making the Nazi troll sign."

Mmmm, sweet fascist tears.

[conuly]

And maybe I should care about companies firing people based on their social media posts... but I kinda don't. Not in this situation.

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Hmm... maybe I kinda do, even in this situation, because there can't be one law for people we like, and another for people we don't. But the law about firing is mostly "at will", meaning companies can fire anyone at any time and don't have to give a reason, so it's kinda moot anyway.