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I am not judging Democrat politicians nor am I saying these are actually salutes in the same way people say Musk gave a salute, but whatever it is, why all of a sudden is this such a repeated gesture? (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/nostupidquestions@lemmy.ca
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[–] 15 points 5 months ago (11 children)

It’s just whataboutism to defend musk and muddy the waters on what is actually fascist.

You can take a still frame from a number of movements to make it appear as if someone is doing a Nazi salute.

For example Mamdani is literally just waving, but with a still frame from one specific angle it looks like a Nazi salute.

Compare that to musk where the whole video in context shows a clear Nazi salute.

Not every raised arm is a Nazi salute, but Nazis like it if you think that to be the case.

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  • [–] [S] 0 points 5 months ago (10 children)

    I know that. I'm not saying that isn't true. But what sparked this spontaneous idea among Democratic candidates of "I'm going to do this thing which is clearly not a salute but which the Republicans are going to call one"?

    It was far less common before to even be in the position where your opponents say "now that's something I can spin into smear". It would be like me hearing that my opponent got in trouble for giving a middle finger in a video starring politicians and being like "that's the finger I'm going to use to push up my glasses from now on".

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago (5 children)

    Like… really? The article doesn’t appear to have the video, but here is the still they use:

    For reference, here is a still of musk:

    Those aren’t even remotely similar, and people arguing they are, are doing so in bad faith.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    I think what he's asking is "why move arms at all?"

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (3 children)

    T pose to assert dominance? Bold, but could work!

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    No, what I mean is why do a gesture that isn't a salute but which people who are reaching for things to complain about... are going to complain about? I'm not saying the gesture is actually similar.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (1 child)

    But he’s like obviously waving, so you’re saying don’t wave at people anymore? I mean… I guess.

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 5 months ago*

    Just wave like someone on the street.

    If not, there are a hundred variations that would look fine.

    Whether or not it's an actual Nazi salute, it doesn't have to look like you inviting a reverse hunchback to give you a high-five.

    Like you said, sometimes people wave in ways where people are going to reach for things to frame as the same thing Elon Musk did. I'm aware it's not the same thing. But if it's not a Nazi salute, but you know it's going to be seen as one by the opposition even if it's completely understood by your party to not be one, you're just poking the bear. Especially when nobody did it so frequently before the person who actually did it got outed for doing it.

    By the way, that analogy I gave earlier about the middle finger actually happened. You could look this up. In Soviet Russia, it was common for people to push their glasses up with their middle finger when they were being recorded because they knew flipping the bird directly was a criminal offense. And there were instances where they did go to gulags. For pushing their glasses up while on camera.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    It’s literally just moving their arm, everyone moves dude. Waving is a very common thing to do.

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    • [–] 1 point 5 months ago

    As someone pointed out a still frame is different from video. The video of much doing it repeadately is super creepy. I mean I stretch by raising one arm and holding it with the other behind my neck. If you catch a picture at just the right time it might look like im doing it but a video of my activity makes it more clear. Even given that the still from your link is clearly a wave. His arm is bents. Its not straight. It looks nothing like a nazi salute other than he has his arm raised. I have waved with both my left and right hand. Its honestly just the right trying to make false equivalencies.

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