NBC news busts coast guard member flashing white power symbol on TV

[Misuteri]

My dude, this is a legitimate article from NBC news, the most trusted name in news. Are people supposed to believe this '4chan' over NBC?

NBC News, the most trusted name in news.... okay, I spit up on my screen at that one with an LOL. Who says the internet is smart?

[tyrlaan]

Has the coastguard been infiltrated by fascists? What should be the penalty for committing such a heinous crime live on national television? Why are so many people suddenly flashing white power hand signs?

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...nal-tv-n909856

This is a pretty weak bait thread, but I guess that's par for the course for you? Amazed this got 13 pages already.

The article literally says "While the gesture appears innocuous and may have started as an online troll campaign, it has seemingly become a symbol used by alt-right supporters to "trigger" liberals with the implicit suggestion that white nationalist views have become more prominent."

[Collegeguy]

I said he was a fucking idiot. You are the one lying.

Sounds like you're lying.

[Mister Cheese]

So a perfectly capable person that can help people was removed from duty because he scratched behind his ear? Jesus fucking christ what's the world coming to.

[Cerilis]

That is a stupid stance to take. You are literally saying "Wow these people are pointing out how fucking stupid these people are for getting outraged over some supposed sign and trying to get a guy fired, they are so much worse."

Oh I see you are from Germany. It makes sense then.

Yeah, yeah. Keep your babyrage going, you just won't get any dessert.

[Machismo]

Sounds like you're lying.

Prove it.

/

[Endus]

What has me wondering who the lunatic was who made that image.. As a lot of those hand gestures have definitely been subverted and corrupted by the creator of the image..

The simpler reality is that hand signs are a superficially innocuous thing. It's why gangs use them. And in many cases, similar symbols are repurposed specifically because there's an innocuous alternate meaning, meaning that they can plead innocence when called out.

Exactly as is happening here, I'll note.

It's no different than neo-nazis saying their swastika is a Hindu peace symbol, or that they're doing a "Roman salute" not a Nazi salute.

"88" isn't automatically racist, but people randomly using "88" without other relevant context has been a neo-nazi symbol for decades.

Using an apparently innocuous symbol is exactly the point. And regardless of whether this started as a 4chan troll or not (there's plenty of evidence it predates that 4chan thread by a few years), you basically end up with a few possible options for those using it;

1> They know its racist connotations, and are using it to flag themselves as racist to other racists.
2> They know its racist connotations, and are pretending to be racist because they think it's funny, which is colossally stupid.
3> They don't know its racist connotations and are using it innocently, and can explain exactly what they meant in a manner that makes it the more likely reason in context.

And for #3, that bit in italics is the key part. Just flashing it for no real reason makes it pretty clear it's falling under #1 or #2. That there are innocuous explanations doesn't make it not-a-hate-symbol; there are innocuous uses for swastikas and 14/88 and roman salutes, too.

[Dextroden]

The simpler reality is that hand signs are a superficially innocuous thing. It's why gangs use them. And in many cases, similar symbols are repurposed specifically because there's an innocuous alternate meaning, meaning that they can plead innocence when called out.

Exactly as is happening here, I'll note.

It's no different than neo-nazis saying their swastika is a Hindu peace symbol, or that they're doing a "Roman salute" not a Nazi salute.

"88" isn't automatically racist, but people randomly using "88" without other relevant context has been a neo-nazi symbol for decades.

Using an apparently innocuous symbol is exactly the point. And regardless of whether this started as a 4chan troll or not (there's plenty of evidence it predates that 4chan thread by a few years), you basically end up with a few possible options for those using it;

1> They know its racist connotations, and are using it to flag themselves as racist to other racists.
2> They know its racist connotations, and are pretending to be racist because they think it's funny, which is colossally stupid.
3> They don't know its racist connotations and are using it innocently, and can explain exactly what they meant in a manner that makes it the more likely reason in context.

And for #3, that bit in italics is the key part. Just flashing it for no real reason makes it pretty clear it's falling under #1 or #2. That there are innocuous explanations doesn't make it not-a-hate-symbol; there are innocuous uses for swastikas and 14/88 and roman salutes, too.

So, what's the excuse you'll offer us for the people doing it in other pictures in this thread? I highly doubt you'll apply #1 or #2 to Obama or the Clintons, who are very clearly making the symbol themselves.

[Endus]

So, what's the excuse you'll offer us for the people doing it in other pictures in this thread? I highly doubt you'll apply #1 or #2 to Obama or the Clintons, who are very clearly making the symbol themselves.

I already provided it, in #3. Also, that a lot of examples predate the emergence of the use of this by racists entirely. You're just engaging in exactly the kind of bullshit equivocation that these symbols fundamentally rely upon.

The entire point of a coded symbol or message is that it's overtly innocuous if you don't understand the hidden meaning.

[Dextroden]

I already provided it, in #3. Also, that a lot of examples predate the emergence of the use of this by racists entirely. You're just engaging in exactly the kind of bullshit equivocation that these symbols fundamentally rely upon.

The entire point of a coded symbol or message is that it's overtly innocuous if you don't understand the hidden meaning.

Someone has to start the trend to get it to hit the mainstream, friendo. And everyone looks old enough for this to be happening during the white supremacy panic, anyway.

Plus, how do you know they weren't signaling their racism?

[NatePsy]

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-circle-game

Because a lot of people are retarded apparently.

[Endus]

But your lying about the point of the symbol. The symbol was made specifically to troll the media/ people into thinking racists where using it, to make about about how dumb and easy to manipulate they are (weather or not this is a funny joke to you is irrelevant). That distinction is hugely important, but in your classic fashion, you ignore this accept, which is widely known, as the original posts/ threads still exist and can be quickly googled, after all this stupid joke is very very recent..

There's plenty of evidence to suggest it predates the 4chan thread you're citing. And racists have been using it as described. So it's not a "troll" any more, even if it might have started that way.

There's no lie here at all.

[Dextroden]

There's plenty of evidence to suggest it predates the 4chan thread you're citing. And racists have been using it as described. So it's not a "troll" any more, even if it might have started that way.

There's no lie here at all.

So if it was racist even before that thread. And you claim their use of it predates the thread.


Hmm......

[Deleted]

1> They know its racist connotations, and are using it to flag themselves as racist to other racists.
2> They know its racist connotations, and are pretending to be racist because they think it's funny, which is colossally stupid.
3> They don't know its racist connotations and are using it innocently, and can explain exactly what they meant in a manner that makes it the more likely reason in context.

4> They know some idiots in US consider it racist, but vast majority of world considers it international "ok" sign and they understand that nobody cares about small minority of triggered idiots who want to repurpose signs for their political agenda.

Scenario #4 is more likely in almost any scenario. In this case however its clear #5: it wasn't a hand gesture at all, he just moved his hand to support his tired head.

[Celestial476]

Apparently this guy missed the memo. To get someone with the circle game it's supposed to be underneath your waist.

[Daethz]

This thread has convinced me, all liberals need to be escorted to asylums asap.

- - - Updated - - -

Put your pointer finger and thumb around your ear, omg white power symbol, its as if nature made your hand and ear to make that symbol! Evolution is colluding with white supremacists.

[Saucexorzski]

The simpler reality is that hand signs are a superficially innocuous thing. It's why gangs use them. And in many cases, similar symbols are repurposed specifically because there's an innocuous alternate meaning, meaning that they can plead innocence when called out.

Exactly as is happening here, I'll note.

It's no different than neo-nazis saying their swastika is a Hindu peace symbol, or that they're doing a "Roman salute" not a Nazi salute.

"88" isn't automatically racist, but people randomly using "88" without other relevant context has been a neo-nazi symbol for decades.

Using an apparently innocuous symbol is exactly the point. And regardless of whether this started as a 4chan troll or not (there's plenty of evidence it predates that 4chan thread by a few years), you basically end up with a few possible options for those using it;

1> They know its racist connotations, and are using it to flag themselves as racist to other racists.
2> They know its racist connotations, and are pretending to be racist because they think it's funny, which is colossally stupid.
3> They don't know its racist connotations and are using it innocently, and can explain exactly what they meant in a manner that makes it the more likely reason in context.

And for #3, that bit in italics is the key part. Just flashing it for no real reason makes it pretty clear it's falling under #1 or #2. That there are innocuous explanations doesn't make it not-a-hate-symbol; there are innocuous uses for swastikas and 14/88 and roman salutes, too.

Why am i not surprised Mr. Communism himself is claiming the OK sign has racist connotations....

[Darkeon]

4Chan pranks are the best. They show how dumb some people are and it's glorious.

[mitre27]

Since when is the okay sign a white power symbol?

[Minikin]

No. No it's not.



Welp we all better to take to Twitter and call for your firing!

Lol yeap. What is the running hastag for this new movement going to be?
#fingerstuff ? #fingeroffense ? Lol

- - - Updated - - -

That picture is the legit sign language alphabet...please tell me you aren't that stupid. They just put troll names for them in place of a, b, c, etc...

I do know that. Please tell me you aren't so stupid that you missed the sarcasm there.