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WHAT. A. THROBBER!
I suspect he knew it was a Nazi salute and what it means in the US but has no idea how it would be recieved in Europe
My guess is he's just a pathetic man child that had a bet with someone that he could get away with doing a Nazi salute, sadly he's probably right. Cue him posting on Twitter about the woke left deliberately misinterpreting what he was doing etc.
I'm not totally sure he has the awareness of how offensive and provocative that is outside the US.
I fear that all the far right groups across America and Europe will be aware and it will fuel them.
Nazi salute????? Nah, it's a Roman salute according to Musk Kool Aid drinkers
Tired of having your hand gestures misinterpreted as Nazi salutes?
Pro tip: don't do Nazi salutes
What a priceless comedy duo.
He did another one:
Binners: you really need to stop letting him off with the "he doesn't know what he's doing" stuff. You said the same about the grooming gang thing.
I’m not totally sure he has the awareness of how offensive and provocative that is outside the US.
Yeah it's not like he's spent any time outside the continental US, or expressed support for Tommy ten names or the AFD...
At what point do people stop making excuses for increasingly out and proud fascists and realise what is happening in the states? The Far Right is taking over and are pretty confident nobody can touch them...
The US far right white supremacists have been doing this for years, and there is lottsss of overlap between Trump's circle and white supremacy figures. So of course Musk knew what he was doing, and surprised Binners is giving him cover.
And Musk's family tree is full of white supremacists.
White supremacists back in 2016:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-38057104
Binners: you really need to stop letting him off with the “he doesn’t know what he’s doing” stuff. You said the same about the grooming gang thing.`
I didn't say “he doesn’t know what he’s doing” at all. I've not commented on his intent. He knows exactly what he's doing.
I'm talking about his knowledge, or lack of...
What I was trying to say, but I didn't put well (sorry), is he's like one of those bores you meet in the pub who read something once - they probably can't remember where (probably X/Twitter) - and now think that makes them a world authority on the matter. Whereas all they actually do when they spout their ill-informed nonsense is telegraph their ignorance to everyone else.
He's had years surrounded by sycophantic yes men, who spend their days blowing smole up his arse, so much so that he believes his own hype...
I think binners may be taking some flak for my comment.
I don't disagree that he knows he made a Nazi salute, and all the US fascist groups will know that's what it is.
I wonder if - without having half their country obliterated by the Nazis the way European countries did - they don't fully understand the visceral fear, disgust and loathing it creates. It was Japan who dragged the US into the war, not Nazi Germany.
I'm not excusing or minimising what they've done. It's like kids playing with matches. It's fun and exciting to strike a match and set fire to a piece of paper. There's an "oh shit" moment when it burns your house down.
they don’t fully understand the visceral fear, disgust and loathing it creates. It was Japan who dragged the US into the war, not Nazi Germany.
Neither do I really, I just know the significance. It only takes a bit of empathy. Something sociopaths don't have.
Musk isn’t stupid. An idiot yes, but not stupid. That’s a clear Nazi salute performed with no other intent to inflame, stoke & anger. Dangerous, dangerous times.
I think pub bore is too kind Binners, he's the figurehead for white supremacy in the US....
https://futurism.com/civil-rights-groups-horrified-elon-musk-racist
And his grandfather's white supremacy might have skipped a generation, but the grandson is doing what his grandfather hoped for...
Today podcast giving Musk strong cover about his salutes. In general, the stretching to find balance about Trump and his whole team is a very hard listen.
These sort of justifications would make sense if the thread title was
My 13 y/o wannabe edgelord son did a nazi salute at Scouts, WWSTWD
But its not.
no other intent to inflame, stoke & anger.
See most of Trump's 'policies'.
Be unpredictable, unsettle the other side, and so on. At some point people will see the emperor has no clothes but I wonder what will happen as those who'd like to see the US taken down a level realise this is the opportunity (they already have oc) - there is no plan, they have no strategy aside from filling their pockets.
Sieg Heil....!
Who would have thought that the white South African kid who grew up with wealth built off the backs of his father's black workers might be a bit of a wrong un...
It's because of ****s like this doing what he does without any consequences that the likes of AfD's Weidel and her followers are emboldened and can stand on the stage with eight German flags to her left and eight to her right without much commentary.
The number of neo-Nazi stickers and posters I see is saddening.
I wonder if – without having half their country obliterated by the Nazis the way European countries did – they don’t fully understand the visceral fear, disgust and loathing it creates
Worth remembering that prior to 9/11 the IRA was largely funded from the US by idiots who bought the whole idea of the plucky freedom fighters combatting a ruthless and oppressive occupying colonial power. Of course that all stopped when the Americans belatedly realised where their money was going and that being blown up on your way to work wasn’t a particularly good thing and these people weren’t freedom fighters, they were terrorists
they don’t fully understand the visceral fear, disgust and loathing it creates
They might, if they didn't themselves find Jews untrustworthy.
Because it resonates, they embrace it.
At what point do people stop making excuses for increasingly out and proud fascists and realise what is happening in the states?
ernie will wander in at some point to tell us.
Uncanny.........
.. find Jews untrustworthy.
I don't trust rich men in suits. I don't care what gods or books they may believe in. Or claim to believe.
I don’t care what gods or books they may believe in.
It's looking increasingly like ElMo believes in Mein Kampf though.
I watched it, I dont think it was a genuine nazi salute with intent, just an idiot who should know better and got over excited, but I can also see very much how others could see it as deliberate.
I watched it, I dont think it was a genuine nazi salute with intent, just an idiot who should know better and got over excited, but I can also see very much how others could see it as deliberate.
So, why did he do it twice? It was a calculated gesture. He knew exactly what he was doing. He knows exactly what he IS doing.
I think the only thing that will stop Musk / Trump is the harsh reality of a complete US economic meltdown.
If the US gets stronger over the next few years then we are all gonna be on a path to a dystopian hell hole.
I think the only thing that will stop Musk / Trump is the harsh reality of a complete US economic meltdown.
A US economic meltdown could be a great excuse to go in harder.
It also won't stop either Musk or Trump making money out of it, or concentrating power in a way that has a good chance of out living their time in government.
Walks like a duck
Quacks like a duck..
A US economic meltdown could be a great excuse to go in harder.
It's everyone else's fault, if they had done what The Donald told them, none of this would have happened.
It's then only a short step to "I'm the only person who can fix this, lets make it possible for me to serve another term, and become the Supreme Leader for Life"
<u><b><i>I watched it, I dont think it was a genuine nazi salute with intent, just an idiot who should know better and got over excited, but I can also see very much how others could see it as deliberate.</i></b></u>
You're being far far too forgiving & somewhat naive..
My guess is he’s just a pathetic man child that had a bet with someone that he could get away with doing a Nazi salute, sadly he’s probably right.
To be fair I reckon they're at the stage where Musk or Trump could sit on the White House lawn wearing an SS uniform, smoking a crack pipe and roasting a bald eagle on an open fire and his supporters would still find a reason to excuse it
Do not be fooled by the evidence of your own eyes - it is exactly what it appears to be. A Nazi salute. It is far, far too close for it to be beyond doubt. Imagine a high street, a town hall, your local pub & someone starts banging that out. What are you going to think? It's just a bit of harmless fun? Done as a bet? No, it's offensive & needs to be called out as such.
You’re being far far too forgiving & somewhat naive..
I dunno. Personally I agree it was deliberate but wouldn't completely write off other explanations, such as "overexcited idiot in the heat of the moment tries to make 'giving heart' gesture and makes a monumental mess instead".
This thread is starting to look like the "Elon is a 4D chess genius" people, but from the other direction.
It’s then only a short step to “I’m the only person who can fix this, lets make it possible for me to serve another term, and become the Supreme Leader for Life”
Ugh - and I only watched Civil War a couple of weeks ago...
Of course Musk knew what he was doing - he was shitposting in real time. Seeing how far he can push things.
It is all there in plain sight - how long will it be until all the facilities to hold illegal immigrants are full, and it becomes clear how expensive this is and they look to implement a more cost-effective and final solution?
But hey Mussolini (who ran for power on the Make Italy Great Again slogan - actual verifiable fact there for those that find them hard to recognise) made all the trains run on time for people.
I cannot think of a single time I've accidently given a Nazi Salute
I cannot think of a single time I’ve accidently given a Nazi Salute
Not even when complaining about a mark on the window?
Nazi salute????? Nah, it’s a Roman salute according to Musk Kool Aid drinkers
Well, technically it is – but both the German Nazi Party and the Italian Fascist Party (amongst others) started using it in the 1920s and 30s. But obviously, it is now most closely connected to the Nazis and surely Musk knows that full well.
I've seen a fuller video where he says something like "I'm reaching out with my heart to you" after one of the gestures. I've certainly seen folk do the heart-pump action previously.
Edit: I see the BBC have now caught up.
When you are standing on that platform, with that power, you have a responsibility to think carefully about what you are saying and doing, and the potential consequences, so suggesting that Musk was just a bit excited and doing some edgy trolling is a pretty weak excuse. Musk is all about power without responsibility.
Anyway, on a lighter note, the entertainment lineup for the inauguration suggests that the fascists still have the worst music.
The left in USA have just been soundly beaten by egotistical monsters who don’t even try to hide it.
We should be ashamed of ourselves that this was even a contest. No way someone like Trump should be anywhere near winning a popular vote. No way anyone should be listening to Musk about anything.
And yet the best attack we can come up with is to pretend that Musk was doing a nazi salute when everyone knows he wasn’t. That’s it, our best strategy.
And the real problem is that everyone knows that we’re lying about it, so when we tell the truth about other stuff nobody will take us seriously. This is embarrassing and pathetic. If the left wants to get these maniacs out of power we have to do better than this.
<br />where to post photos<br />
Oh look, here's proof that loads of democrats are doing nazi salutes. I guess they should all have been thinking more carefully about what they were doing, lest it be taken as a sign that they are stirring up division.
Seriously people, let's get our arguments straight and win elections because we are right. We have to do better than this.
Oh look, here’s proof that loads of democrats are doing nazi salutes.
Now lets see the video of them.
It is amazing anyone is defending musk here. I mean this is a drug addled edgelord so you could just go for the "trolling" line but the full denial is pushing it a tad.
youd have a point if from the video you can clearly see he was doing a nazi salute
not that he's an actual Nazi, just that he's a bit of a nutter that does a lot of drugs and is trying very hard to be liked by a certain demographic
and where did anyone say this was the 'best' we have against trump? its actually a long thread about musk pointing out how much of a nutter he is, vut ine smart enough to buy the worlds mist popular social media platform and help leverage himself and trump into the world most powerful job
Ok dissonance, you go with that strategy: tell everyone they shouldn’t vote Republican next time because Musk looked a bit like he did a nazi salute. Let’s see how those tactics play out.
These people just won an election where they shouldn’t even have been in it, because the left keep making it easy for them.
Call me a loon but I can see him interfering with England on a economic scale to dump pressure on starmer
He already is - his constant harping on about Starmer and the ‘grooming scandal’ is proof of that, Elonia is desperately trying to get Starmer removed from office, a general election called so that he can then influence things to get his pet English racist party into power and instigate a Third Reichs here. He’s so plucking transparent!
tell everyone they shouldn’t vote Republican next time because Musk looked a bit like he did a nazi salute.
I'm not aware anyone has said that?
tell everyone they shouldn’t vote Republican next time because Musk looked a bit like he did a nazi salute.
Eh where did I do that?
Lets be clear. The one person dissembling here is you. Dishonestly comparing stills vs a video.
Now why did you do that to protect Musk?
Whatever. Enjoy the next republican government.
Context, people...
I'm pretty sure I've 'thrown my hands up in the air' when clubbing in my youth, after a few beers and a disco biscuit, it's called dancing badly, and not even a good dance move...
What Elon musk did is a Nazi Salute. Live on stage in front of the world... twice...At a presidential ..I dunno what anyone would call it, ...car crash?
They are not the same things. We are not the same people.
Aaargh, I’m sorry, I’m not normally this angry.
I really just think we need to find better ways to attack. This sort of stuff doesn’t work. It’s good for Have I Got News for You, but that’s it.
… and I’m really, really not ‘protecting Musk’ whatever that means. Do you think he needs my protecting?
Musk is an anarchist as well as a fascist - he doesn't want a fascist govt installed in the UK so much as disharmony, discord, chaos and a good old hate fuelled pile on to whoever can't defend themselves or doesn't want to.
He wants us to be arguing, shouting and fighting.
Each other.
I'm sure once he finds out lots of people think his spontaneous gesture resembled a couple of Nazi salutes he'll be mortified, immediately clarify things and apologise for his clumsiness
What's that Skippy? he's bankrolling Tommy Robinson's legal bills....oh!
I think if he had any sense of duty or responsibility for his role in government, or any shred of respect for people in general, the vicitms of Nazi Germany, their descendants, he would apologize, but it appears he could not care less. It's playtime, and after that, it's lets **** everything up time.
Lots of Tesla's in my posh gym's carpark. Must remember my Heil Hydra salute when I pass them.
well that's the thing, he has no role in government, unless you class 'donor with bottomless pockets' as a government role.
The guy has more money than any of us could even mentally parse... that must do crazy things to your mind, and it clearly does... I mean the guy has so much money he could make everyone in the world 'ok' and solve the energy crisis and still be massively more richer than 'average'.
But he is not doing that...he's being ...I'm struggling to think of a word... just pure evil? why?
Just checking in to see if he's still a complete ****. Yep, weapons grade ****.
the best attack we can come up with is to pretend that Musk was doing a nazi salute when everyone knows he wasn’t
Try doing that salute in your work tomorrow and let us know how you get on
Don’t try that if you work in Australia.
I really just think we need to find better ways to attack. This sort of stuff doesn’t work. It’s good for Have I Got News for You, but that’s it.
All this talk of “attack” and “win” and left vs right. Forget all of that. This “gesture” should be and is being called out for what it is. A white suprematist salute by a leading member of the new government of the most powerful country in the world. It’s 100% wrong and history has taught us (so many time) what venturing down this path leads to. It needs to be stopped and no matter which side you voted for, it should always be wrong and stopped. If (for any reason) you think this is okay, you are equally in the wrong and that’s what the issue is here. Musk is seeing how far he can go both at home and abroad because he wants it to be okay to discriminate and he wants allies in places where he can derive financial value which further increases his influence and ability to erode values. Trump is a prime example of that - a useful idiot. AFD (Tesla Gigafactory) Reform and UK (massive investment in renewables and tech) and both countries with declining natural populations and labour shortages (Robotics - Optimus) VAST opportunities for Musk, but only if he can erode protections. This is what the minority parties are for.
Musk is many things, but he’s not stupid. He’s no genius but does seem to have a gift for long term planning and investment, particularly in targeting where the pinch points are.
youd have a point if from the video you can clearly see he was doing a nazi salute
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What more do you need to see? I'm really hoping I've missed the context of your post, because... I mean defending Nazi stuff isn't a good look.
Oh look, here’s proof that loads of democrats are doing nazi salutes.
Show us some video then.
I really just think we need to find better ways to attack. This sort of stuff doesn’t work. It’s good for Have I Got News for You, but that’s it.
If there's no backlash against someone with extraordinary power to influence politics and people behaving like that then where's the line in the sand and what's the appropriate response when it's crossed? For all the right-wing rhetoric of there being a woke mind virus infecting the left it's clearly the opposite, a fascist/populist mind virus infecting the disillusioned masses and it's being spread via social media.
At this point though I don't know what the answer is, you can't reason with it (that's been tried for years already) and those benefitting from it now hold all the power. The UK (even if the government had the balls) is far too weak to have any impact (e.g. banning social media companies that don't moderate such disinformation, banning Tesla, massive tariffs on US imports etc.), maybe the EU has the power but they won't do it either and without decisive action I don't see how the issue isn't just going to get worse. As a child at school I never really understood how fascism spread across Europe seemingly so easily, I do now.
It might be hyperbolic but unless something happens the US could have seen it's last free and fair elections. I'm hoping the US economy crashes if Trump instigates a trade war with China and the EU, if instead the US economy strengthens then he's just going to become even more popular and will be allowed to get away with pretty much anything he wants.
Lol at somebody literally not realising the difference between a video and a still photo
That is definitely a nazi salute
TBH we used to do it in the school playgrounds back in the ‘70s.
I have a feeling that continually sniping at these people and the microscopic level criticism over absolutely everything they do/say 24/7 isn’t actually helping anything and is more likely to make people support them than detest them 🙁
I honestly think the whole thing is terrifying.
We have one of the richest men in the world clearly doing a nazi salute at the inauguration of the most powerful man in the world!
the fact that his response is not to immediately at least try and explain it and state how deplorable it is and how ashamed he is to be even associated with the Nazis is unbelievably worrying.
TBH we used to do it in the school playgrounds back in the ‘70s.
Usually accompanied by placing the forefinger across the upper lip to signify the moustache.
the fact that his response is not to immediately at least try and explain it and state how deplorable it is and how ashamed he is to be even associated with the Nazis is unbelievably worrying.
Well his current support for Tommy and various other people with Nazi tendencies sort of seems to indicate he’s not particularly ashamed.
Other than wandering around in a full nazi uniform how much evidence is required that he’s gone full banana 🙂
I have a feeling that continually sniping at these people and the microscopic level criticism over absolutely everything they do/say 24/7 isn’t actually helping anything and is more likely to make people support them than detest them
People cool with throwing out 3 sieg heils in front of an international audience potentially greater than a billion should be detested.
microscopic level criticism
Wow. He hasn't dropped some litter. He's given multiple Nazi salutes while the whole world watches. This is for his next political target, Germany. Their elections are next month, and increased instability is very much likely, with his help. Oh, of course, plausible deniability... from his heart... recent public support for AfD just a coincidence... etc.
For all his wealth, power and obvious ability/intelligence/luck/whatever he still looks like a naughty teenager pulling that stunt in school assembly, which says a lot IMO. Like his mates dared him to do it.