Donald Trump’s billionaire ally Elon Musk has responded after being accused of performing a Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration celebrations on Monday, dismissing the accusations as “dirty tricks”. The new president signed a deluge of executive orders last night, just hours after being sworn in as the 47th president at the Capitol rotunda and delivering an address that both chastized Joe Biden’s outgoing administration and promised a new “golden age of America.” Trump then set to work, just as he had promised, by signing a stack of executive orders.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 83348.html

Musk is a physical spaz. Based on him proceeding twitches and what he was saying at the time, it wasn't a Nazi salute. However, based on the #resist that is firing up, it will absolutely be spun up to be literally Hitler.

It's going to be a fuckin loooooong 4 years.

The code that runs the World Wide Web was still being written when attorney Mike Godwin came up with a simple law: Sooner or later in any online argument, someone will bring up Hitler. Today, the 1990 adage known as Godwin’s Law seems more appropriate than ever, as social media has turned civil discourse into a never-ending series of flame wars.

https://time.com/4837881/godwin-law-interview-2017/

That's the way it was during Trump's first administration and I expect it will be the same in his second one. If it isn't Hitler being brought up it's fascists like Mussolini or Mao or Stalin, the butchers of history.

I don't see how that can be interpreted as anything other than a Nazi salute. Check out this side by side video

https://s3.masto.ai/cache/media_attachm ... bfc3a1.mp4

Just for funsies, it looks like with enough time and photos, there are Nazis everywhere:

Given the context, it looks like a Nazi salute, but it does not appear he overtly meant it to be one. The optics of it are horrible, given the timing, circumstances, and the person.

He does not seem to be the type of person to respond with "Oh shit, I see what you mean, that does look bad. That is NOT what I intended, at all!" which would stop the whole thing in its tracks. But he is more likely to just double down on it in some way. Kind of like Trump could have said "Covfefe? Yeah, that was a typo, I meant "coverage" but hit send too quickly. Mistakes happen."

These guys just can't ever say "oops, sorry" - it's not in them.

Or admit they made a mistake. I don't care for Trump or Musk but I don't think constantly comparing them to Fascists is really constructive. Authoritarians yes but not Fascists yet.

VooDoo

We see faces in common objects unrelated to the face. We see tears streaming from the eyes of a statue. Space aliens in a weather balloon. Emptiness in the promise of a politician.

OK, that last one isn't your imagination.

VodoundaVinci wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 2:01 pm Or admit they made a mistake. I don't care for Trump or Musk but I don't think constantly comparing them to Fascists is really constructive. Authoritarians yes but not Fascists yet.

VooDoo

Yup. Trump is fuckin horrible. Musk is totally nuts. But we're going to be exhausted and miss the big problems if we go all in on "OMG, look at the Nazi salute" starting day one.

Incidentally, this sort of sensationalism has given us trump twice now, as we seem unable to allow differences of opinions without extreme labeling at every opportunity. The voters have seemingly had enough of that. If we have hope for better in 4 years, we'd best start employing some objectivity. I think the truth will be plenty bad without literally Nazis everywhere.

I don't think it's us calling a Jack a Jack, it's trumps constant berating of everyone who doesn't like him day after day, rally after rally telling the lie after le convinced the feeble minded people to vote for him.
The democrats just didn't show up and MORE MAGA minded people did. If a democrat did a RALLY EVERY STINKING DAY for four years you'd get the same effect.
It's very simple.
I will keep calling the dog a dog.

It does not matter. Chaotic times ahead. By design. Everyone will watch the drama while backstage everyone's pocket is getting picked.

CDF

Considering that Musk backs the AfD in Germany, wants a former BNP member freed from jail in the Uk, and promotes islamaphobiic lies…. It’s not surprising people would think that was what it appears to be.


Having said that, I think it’s not healthy to let yourself be “outraged “ at everything all the time . It’s far healthier to take note, so you know who’s who when the house of cards tumbles

Nomadsurfer wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 7:17 am Considering that Musk backs the AfD in Germany, wants a former BNP member freed from jail in the Uk, and promotes islamaphobiic lies…. It’s not surprising people would think that was what it appears to be.


Having said that, I think it’s not healthy to let yourself be “outraged “ at everything all the time . It’s far healthier to take note, so you know who’s who when the house of cards tumbles

They require outrage in their opponents, as that shuts down critical thinking and the ability to plan long term. Idiots they are not. They seek to monetize everything so they can demand a piece of everybody's action or else. Not a good look.

CDF

Nomadsurfer wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 7:17 am Considering that Musk backs the AfD in Germany, wants a former BNP member freed from jail in the Uk, and promotes islamaphobiic lies…. It’s not surprising people would think that was what it appears to be.


Having said that, I think it’s not healthy to let yourself be “outraged “ at everything all the time . It’s far healthier to take note, so you know who’s who when the house of cards tumbles

Yup, outrage is meaningless when everything sets someone off. Don't obsess on words because there are plenty of politicians full of hot air, but look at actions.