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As for his tattoo, the kind of people that get Nazi tattoos are not likely to get just one Nazi tattoo. Nor are they smart enough to plan far enough ahead to gin up a leftist political career while being "secretly a Nazi". Also , it doesn't make any sense to for someone with that Ideology to try and win on a progressive platform.
It makes more sense for that person to infiltrate already right wing spaces and increase the tension with grievance politics and dog whistles to push the Overton window further right. Then it would make sense for that movement to secure support in the media and in the capitalist class to ensure access to non-rightwingers TVs and Internet to push constant culture war grievance culture to exhaust any effort to stop them from seizing power.
As for him being a "Groyper" in his younger years, it would be impossible considering he is 14 years older than Nick Fuentes, the founder of that "movement".
Agreed that it's unlikely he's a secret Nazi, but given the tattoo, we can't rule it out entirely. I definitely think he's not telling the entire truth about it, though.
The official story is that he got the tattoo in Croatia while he was a marine and he had no idea it was a Nazi tattoo until it came to light during the campaign, and I don't buy that for a second. Maybe he got it because he was a far-right extremist in his 20s, maybe he got it having no idea what it was, but there's no way he made it through 6 more years in the military and then the rest of his adult life without someone going, "Hey Graham, you know that's a Nazi tattoo, right?"
And when I say, "some kind of Groyper," I mean, generally, a far-right troll. Platner's only a little older than me, and there were plenty of people getting pilled on 4chan when I was in my early 20s. I wouldn't be surprised if Platner made some regrettable posts on /pol/ when he was younger, but if he did, I don't think he believes them now.
The reason I believe his tattoo story is because I spent 8 years in the Navy, and I know how much alcohol is consumed when visiting foreign ports. I can see a very intoxicated group of young marines in a foreign port making a poor decision and getting a cool looking tattoo together without really thinking what it means. And since it's on his chest, not many people who aren't family or friends are going to see it that often. Not to mention the Totenkopf predates the Nazi party and was used by imperial Germany in WW 1.
Not excusing it's use by the Nazis, but I would like to have an honest and frank discussion about how we let bigots appropriate existing and non offensive symbol, which robs the culture that created them of their own heritage.
As for his past comments, being voted most likely to start a revolution in highschool as well wearing communist styled outfits to highschool in the 90s in Maine of all places shows me his convictions lie a little left of center at a minimum.
Yeah, I think this the most likely scenario, I just don't believe it was never realized it was also a Nazi thing. There's even a deleted Reddit thread where they're discussing the totenkopf, and he comments on soldiers using the Punisher skull iconography without knowing where it comes from. There's just no way he didn't realize, at any point, that his tattoo was also a Nazi tattoo.
Yeah he might have known, but at the same time, does it reflect who he is now and what he stands for?
Briefly circling back to the whole "iconography" topic, I think symbols do hold power, but the nature and scope of that power are determined by individuals. I also think that an effort should be made to reclaim these symbols for a more pro-human message (admittedly difficult to do for a skull and crossbones) because I believe it takes away messaging and in group camaraderie between bigots.
As for Platner, he has a past, but if we can't look at who he is today and how he has grown as a person, what hope is there for any of us? I won't make the claim that I haven't said or believed wrong things, and even failed to grow when first confronted, but eventually I did begin to deconstruct, as I got older and experienced life.
On top of that, the alternative choice is 78 year old Susan Collins or equally decrepit, but Republican, Janet Mills. I think Democrats are having a "Tea Party" moment with the new progressive push by people like Platner and Mamdani.
On a side note: it's refreshing to have a nuanced conversation online with anothet human, instead of a bot programmed to scream the most extreme position. I just migrated from reddit after being banned from r/Seattle because I suggested that the homeless problem will get worse if we don't address the glaring structural issues. I got in an argument and got called a junkie, so I abandoned reddit altogether.
Yeah, agree on all points. Personally, I've been getting a little sick of the discourse on the left about Platner. A lot of people's take has become, "fuck Platner, he's a Nazi, he's gonna be the next Fetterman," and it doesn't go any further than that. If you're skeptical of Platner, fair enough, but then you have to articulate a better alternative. Do you think Mills would be safer? Is there another leftist to support? If you don't have a better vision, that's just doomerism, and at that point, you're just doing the fascists' work for them.
I am getting tired of it as well. It sustains itself on the circular logic of "Platner isn't literally perfect in every way, despite clearly advocating pro working class policies, so I guess I'll just keep voting for the very anti-working class polices of another ancient establishment Dem".
The fetterman comparison is so hollow on deeper inspection, which the opposition doesn't want you to do. Fetterman was an establishment dem with an active political career before running for Senate and his opponent was an actual snake oil salesman. Platner had no political ambitions before starting this campaign, and very clearly shows how an actual real person that isn't a psychopath practices politics.
It finally feels like the working class is waking up from the neocon induced haze shat out by Ronny Rayguns.