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What Graham Platner Said When a Trans Mainer Asked: 'Will You Stand Up for Me?'
(www.commondreams.org)
this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2025
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politics
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I think both things can be true in this case. People can admit that accidental Nazi tattoos should be disquailifying in a sane world, but also recognize that we are not currently in a sane world and that a person that got accidental Nazi tattoos is making a lot of sense in the current circumstances.
That second point seems to be forgotten when we talk about aspiring progressives. Fellas, a Reddit incel who called himself "Kekius Maximus" pulled a coup d'état with DC police in lock-step, then got pushed out of his leadership because of a scuffle with openly Nazi Stephen Miller. You know how this happened? Because the formerly far less popular Right-wing declared "No Enemies to the Right" and grabbed people with outreach that blatantly contradicts other members. Evangelicals and Incels. Kirk and Fuentes. Homophobes and #WalkAway Gay Republicans. Caitlyn Jenner endorsing Transphobes. Doctors backing RFK, Phil, Oz... We had Nazi Furries called "Burned Furs" (iirc) while school board hijackers whined about "unisex furry litterboxes".
I don't care about anything but policy at this point. I don't care if the man had a tattoo of Hitler sucking a penis. He got it covered up, and has years of posts about Socialism and calling out others for being racist. A Congressman could be fucking a waifu dakimakura bodypillow during their debate and I'd still rally if he'd get the homeless and poor fed and housed. We're too worried about seeming weird or "politically incorrect" in a world where the policy and decorum is merely an illusion.
There's still a year before the primary. This is ridiculous. You don't believe there is a single progressive person in Maine without any tattoos of Hitler sucking a penis?
Are they in this race? Are they loudly standing up for justice?
Go find that better candidate first before you hand this seat to a Republican.
There are 8 people in the Primary. Part of "loudly standing up for Justice" is not getting a fucking Totenkopf.
I'm not in Maine. Go fuck yourself.
I think that you're onto something with the dumbass White Guy™ thing here, and while it's pretty reductive and I do believe that people can (and often do) grow and change (for better or worse) over the course of their lived experiences.
So, perhaps today he is still a dumbass. I know that I am in some ways. We're all dumbasses in our way and it's the people who believe that they (or anyone) are infallible that are the true idiots.
Maine could do a LOT worse than the dumbass lefty-leaning former Marine that you describe. Maine is composed of roughly 92.82% dumbass White Guy™ (and gals)
So yeah, maybe someone better will rise up. Or maybe, this guy, who just recently pointed out on his own, in an extemporous exchange at a town hall, that he has a lot of privilege based on his cis-white-maleness and personal experiences, is a good fit for Maine.
We will see.
Fascists lie. You really want to elect another Fetterman or Sinema?
When someone tells you who they are by keeping a Nazi Tattoo on their chest for 20 years, believe them.