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21 tweets,
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Thread on Trump's dehumanizing language and media-abetted gaslighting.
Adding this point: resurfacing old clips to experience the outrage of the words anew is the opposite of misleading; it is vital work necessary to countering largely successful misinformation companions.
Adding this point: resurfacing old clips to experience the outrage of the words anew is the opposite of misleading; it is vital work necessary to countering largely successful misinformation companions.
Donald Trump has been dehumanizing entire groups of people from the very beginning of his career, from "Mexican rapists" to Muslim travel bans.
From the very start.
This, along with his constant lying, are the context which should inform all stories about him and his supporters
From the very start.
This, along with his constant lying, are the context which should inform all stories about him and his supporters
*campaigns*
(dammit)
(dammit)
They will dismiss this racist shit, and corporate media will largely go along.
But Donald Trump called himself a nationalist. He has repeatedly used the language and pushed the policy of neo Nazis and white supremacists.
We must keep bringing it up, again and again and again.
But Donald Trump called himself a nationalist. He has repeatedly used the language and pushed the policy of neo Nazis and white supremacists.
We must keep bringing it up, again and again and again.
In fact—and people are bringing this up in my mentions—reviewing at a year's remove is all the more vital, as we've observed a year's actions.
He was just talking about MS-13 being animals? Then why did he put children of asylum seekers in cages?
Lie.
He was talking about all.
He was just talking about MS-13 being animals? Then why did he put children of asylum seekers in cages?
Lie.
He was talking about all.
The *reason* we found his comments disturbing was that they typically lead to the sort of thing he has done.
That he has done!
He's done the thing! That we warned about! Because of his words!
Do you see how empty the defense of his words now is?
Why repeat it?
That he has done!
He's done the thing! That we warned about! Because of his words!
Do you see how empty the defense of his words now is?
Why repeat it?
Do you see how empty new defenses of new outrages should be?
Do you see how dire the warnings are, of the continuum upon which he's set us?
Do you see how dire the warnings are, of the continuum upon which he's set us?
"Um, that clip is a year old...?"
Extraordinary, the extent to which the mere chronology of information can be used deem it as misinformation
As if remembrance itself is bias
It's not misinformation! It's something relevant but forgotten!
Remember it!
Extraordinary, the extent to which the mere chronology of information can be used deem it as misinformation
As if remembrance itself is bias
It's not misinformation! It's something relevant but forgotten!
Remember it!
Resurface the clips.
Show the defense at the time was a lie.
Trump wasn't defending the Nazis at Charlottesville? Really?
And yet he's pursued their policy objectives since. And yet he lectured the EU using their language.
And yet he's called himself a "nationalist."
Show the defense at the time was a lie.
Trump wasn't defending the Nazis at Charlottesville? Really?
And yet he's pursued their policy objectives since. And yet he lectured the EU using their language.
And yet he's called himself a "nationalist."
There are a lot of reasons people carry Trump's water for him (the "corporate" in "corporate media" being a huge one), but the largest factor, I suspect, is that a lot of people are psychologically unwilling to deal with the fact that we have a white supremacist president.
Facing that fact means facing the fact of a ruling party and a ruling class and an entire societal structure that are either actively white supremacist or perfectly comfortable with white supremacy
Enablement defers that pain to a future date.
Enablement defers that pain to a future date.
I have this by @AdamSerwer bookmarked. It's relevant.
Oh, and the comments Serwer is referencing are these.
Forgot them, didn't you?
Bringing them back up isn't biased. It's relevant.
He's a white supremacist. A lot of the country is either enthusiastic or at least comfortable with it. Many more are perfectly willing to forget.
Forgot them, didn't you?
Bringing them back up isn't biased. It's relevant.
He's a white supremacist. A lot of the country is either enthusiastic or at least comfortable with it. Many more are perfectly willing to forget.
Donald Trump is a white supremacist to the core, who regularly uses neo Nazi talking points and pursues neo Nazi objectives and priorities, and the Republican Party has given them their full-throated uncomplicated support.
These are facts.
These are facts.
You may have seen that clip and thought it was brand-new, and felt outrage.
If you realized it was a year old, did your outrage diminish? If so, ask yourself why? What's changed?
Trump is still president. He hasn't modified his views. Immigrants remain endangered.
If you realized it was a year old, did your outrage diminish? If so, ask yourself why? What's changed?
Trump is still president. He hasn't modified his views. Immigrants remain endangered.
Only two things have changed.
First, Trump has spent the time between enacting policy in alignment with the worst possible interpretation of those words.
Second, we forgot he said it.
We shouldn't forget he said it.
First, Trump has spent the time between enacting policy in alignment with the worst possible interpretation of those words.
Second, we forgot he said it.
We shouldn't forget he said it.
So, while I get the impulse, I'm going to push back
The person who presented the clip did not mislead. In fact, this argument below contains the reason I support the way it was done
It *should* feel like he just said it. In actions, he says it every day
The person who presented the clip did not mislead. In fact, this argument below contains the reason I support the way it was done
It *should* feel like he just said it. In actions, he says it every day
For context, here is the original tweet.
This statement is so shocking and concerning, it should be as famous as anything any president ever said.
A journalist should be able to present it, in supplement of a current story on immigration, as if it were that famous.
The fact so many forgot he even said it is amazing.
A journalist should be able to present it, in supplement of a current story on immigration, as if it were that famous.
The fact so many forgot he even said it is amazing.
It's as if, a year after saying "read my lips, no new taxes," George HW Bush were discussing taxes, and somebody linked to the year-old clip ... and nobody realized it was a year old.
That would be a concerning level of forgetfulness.
It would indicate something was wrong.
That would be a concerning level of forgetfulness.
It would indicate something was wrong.
Our outrage should be as fresh today as it was the day Trump said it.
It should be more, because he was able to utilize deep cracks in the foundation of our news media to successfully memory-hole it.
Let the clips rise again. Keep them alive. Feel them afresh.
Remember.
It should be more, because he was able to utilize deep cracks in the foundation of our news media to successfully memory-hole it.
Let the clips rise again. Keep them alive. Feel them afresh.
Remember.
