For context, it’s a very clear Nazi Salute — and Musk did it more than once. The NYT is implying doubt because they’re afraid of losing access if they speak the truth and because some people who are financially dependent on Musk are denying what it was in public.
Did you see it?
https://youtu.be/-VfYjPzj1Xw
Yeah it’s bait. But it’s also dog whistling (if we can even call it that anymore). Obviously they don’t care if we call them fascist anymore. But it’s also a sign to their supporters and literally a call and acknowledgment to them.
It’s more important to point out that yes, Elon Musk is courting the NeoNazis. And we must not forget these moments.
Yes it’s bait and yes it’s a dog whistle and yes it’s a call and acknowledgement to their facsist supporters.
And it STILL doesn’t really matter.
Here’s one story that’s already getting buried that’s obviously far more important - Trump pardoning 1500 Jan 6 rioters. That’s 1500 people who stormed the Capital, at Trump’s urging, with the explicit stated goal of “stop(ping) the steal,” which is to say, using whatever means might serve, clearly including violence for which they were not coincidentally already equipped, to prevent the Congress from carrying out its sworn duty in accordance with the Constitution and the law of the land.
No matter how you look at it, that’s a FAR more grave threat to the US than a cringe manchild throwing a few sieg heils.
Literally anything we collectively get pissed about they’ll make an excuse and say we’re overreacting. It doesn’t matter what we react to.
Didn’t he also sign an executive order targeting Trans people?
It’s not important, it just makes us look like we’re in hystrionics about Musk etc.
To most Americans, they’re not worried about a handful of idiots in swastikas. When we take this sort of bait it just makes real criticisms look like more Lefty whining.
“Most Americans are not worried about a handful of idiots in swastikas.”
Yeah, that is entirely the fucking point. We should be, I am most of Americans and I give a shit about this and you would be a fucking moron not to because not giving a shit is literally how this stupid fuck ended up on stage making this shit normal for them.
If you are representing most Americans, then presumably you voted trump?
Musk is playing us apparently beautifully.
What literally made trump President is people didn’t believe the warnings on the Left, presumably because we screamed FASCIST for oh, the last 8 years and even the trump presidency we feared didn’t bring about a fascist revolution. But hey, now that there are hand waves it is clearly important to get outraged and be taken even less seriously! Otherwise trump might not dominate the mid terms I guess.
Fuck I wish my side wasn’t so goddamn easy to bait.