Social Question

ragingloli's avatar

How does someone like the people in this picture, possibly believe that they are a "patriot"?

Asked by ragingloli (52278points) August 11th, 2021

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/p2j6wu/american_terrorists_with_flags_of_terrorism/

Carrying around flags and symbols of groups their country was literally at war with.

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46 Answers

kneesox's avatar

This is one of those cases where I am purely grateful not to understand it because to understand it I would have to be able to think like them.

I just wish that what they’re playing at and toying with would come and get them for real. Like they could control it. Like the baby alligator in the bathtub isn’t going to grow up. They should only get eaten in their sleep.

smudges's avatar

That’s horrible! Disgusting! And the one of the polar bears 2 pics down is too!

filmfann's avatar

These people are scum.

Tropical_Willie's avatar

They are not patriots but Trumpers and Frightwingers.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@Tropical That picture is from 2011 but point taken. Gross.

Tropical_Willie's avatar

Frightwingers.

Demosthenes's avatar

Who knows. People like that hold all kinds of contradictory identities; they give off the vibe of being desperate for meaning, latching onto whatever identity or group that makes them feel powerful and important (and only ending up looking confused, stupid, and hateful).

gondwanalon's avatar

Those brain dead Neanderthals are not patriotic to this country (USA). They’re freaks, weirdo’s and SOB’s.

kneesox's avatar

But the OP’s question asks how they can manage to see themselves as patriots. What kind of definition of patriotism are they using that can be made to fit with what they’re doing? That’s the mystery.

JLoon's avatar

It’s always “The last refuge of scoundrels” – In every country, in every time.

Mimishu1995's avatar

I can’t access the picture. Can someone tell me what’s going on?

JLoon's avatar

@Mimishu1995 – Guys in black uniforms waving Confederate & American flags overprinted with fascist symbols. Oh, and they’re all giving the Nazi salute.

Just another day at Bible camp.

Brian1946's avatar

They’re white nationalists, so their primary loyalty is to the white “race”.

In reference to the US, their only loyalty is to white Americans, which in their Adolf-addled “minds”, is “patriotism”.

They have no patriotism for a diverse democracy, but instead for their warped “vision” of a neo-Nazi US.

Mimishu1995's avatar

I can kind of understand the Confederate flag though I’m against it, but that white-blue-black-American-Nazi-word-salad monstrosity…

Gosh are they grown adults? I thought that was just some edgy teenagers trying to stuff as many offensive things in one place as possible to shock people for kicks.

I don’t even want to comment on this, because there is just no making sense with the crazies.

Mimishu1995's avatar

@kneesox how they can manage to see themselves as patriots

I think the same can be applied to those Vietnamese who think supporting North Korea makes them patriots. They operate in an alien world that no one wants to step foot in.

That, or @Brian1946‘s excellent answer.

Nomore_lockout's avatar

Nothing patriotic about them. Scumbags, extreme right wingers, and Trumpites. Did I mention terrorists? Oh, and also racists.

Incoherency_'s avatar

@Mimishu1995

“That, or @Brian1946‘s excellent answer.”

It was okay, but it needs more quotation marks and commas. ;-p
There’s nothing that makes an answer more mediocre, than a paucity of punktuation! ;-o

However, at least he made no references to dance floors or Disco.

SABOTEUR's avatar

If nothing else, the most important thing we should have learned during the last 6 years is if someone says something often enough people begin to believe it’s true.

And if you get enough people to believe an untruth and convince them to repeat the untruth you grow a power base.

When you grow a large enough power base you have a force to be reckoned with.

Chess is a strategy game where nothing is hidden. Tactful players use strategies to distract the opponent from seeing what’s unfolding under their very noses.

It’s a mistake (or “blunder” in chess) to be so consumed with something that’s so obviously false that you fail to see what’s unfolding on another section of the chess board.

Who cares why these people believe they are patriots? What we should be watching for is the agenda behind why we’re repeatedly having these people placed in our field of vision.

flutherother's avatar

NSM stands for National Socialist Movement. They are avowed neo-Nazis so we know what they stand for. How they can reconcile that with the principles the United States was founded upon I don’t know and I doubt if they know either.

Mimishu1995's avatar

@Incoherency_ No dance floors and Disco? Now I’m disappointed :(

KNOWITALL's avatar

It’s so hard to explain the concept. Even biker life is often wrapped up with brotherhood, oaths, illegal behavior and living proudly outside societal boundaries. Shriners and other ‘clubs’ are secret for a reason. Many still do not allow women to join at all.

Kind of like gangsters or Yakuza. They have their own code of honor.
And yes, many feel keeping the WS values is part of the American culture for whites. Some are firmly convinced that white is right.

On the other hand, at work or the store they may appear normal, and be kind. Many ride for charities and help children in court, against bullies, rescue animals, etc…
They don’t usually believe their personal beliefs are wrong and it’s very much a lifestyle.
I dated one for years when I was younger and left because it was getting too dangerous, plus it conflicted with my religious beliefs. You can’t underestimate the power and pull of being accepted with likeminded people.

And again this picture is Pre-Trump 2011, these people have been around forever and likely always will be. There are many many more no one will ever see marching. Look out for black flags, those are the ones who think Jan 6th was a good idea.

Mimishu1995's avatar

@KNOWITALL those are the ones who think Jan 6th was a good idea.

Gosh, I cringe every time I hear “seventeen-seventy-six”.

Blackwater_Park's avatar

I don’t see patriots or what would be considered patriotic even by those on the far right. That picture shows fringe lunatics and their behavior is clearly anti-american in the sense that they’re completely against what America is about and would probably like to see it changed into a more fascist state.

smudges's avatar

@SABOTEUR Who cares why these people believe they are patriots? What we should be watching for is the agenda behind why we’re repeatedly having these people placed in our field of vision.

You’ve hit it right on the nose.

@KNOWITALL You can’t underestimate the power and pull of being accepted with likeminded people.

Absolutely, and perfectly stated. Anyone remember Manson?

KNOWITALL's avatar

@smudges Right. I just finished Manson Says on Netflix last night ironically enough.

Most people here already know this, but I literally had to move to get out of the situation I was in back then before I got hurt. I had felons pulling up outside my house trying to block me in, my phone line cut, my dog’s pup stolen, my dog threatened with being put in the pit. It was pretty horrible. These are dangerous people.

Call_Me_Jay's avatar

What @Brian1946 wrote. That’s the answer.

kneesox's avatar

@SABOTEUR, the OP is German, remember. That does have a bearing on the question. Her profile says more.

SABOTEUR's avatar

@kneesox Thanks for the info?

Blackwater_Park's avatar

@KNOWITALL That sounds pretty bad? What happened if you don’t mind me asking?

KNOWITALL's avatar

@Blackwater_Park PM and let me know what you want to know.

smudges's avatar

@KNOWITALL I’m so glad you’re here with us now.

smudges's avatar

@kneesox I don’t understand your comment to @SABOTEUR about the OP being German. I suspect, based on his question mark, that he doesn’t either. Is there something I’m missing?

Demosthenes's avatar

@smudges Germans may be more sensitive to the embrace of Nazi symbolism given the country’s history? I’d be interested in hearing how these symbols have resurged in Germany given what I’ve heard about a rise of far-right nationalism there in recent years.

SABOTEUR's avatar

@smudges Probably not. Since I tend to see things at face failure I occasionally miss relevant points. You had me wondering how being German was worth consideration but I couldn’t think of an appropriate response.

smudges's avatar

LOL Yeah, I still don’t see it, but will simply say, ‘never mind’ a la Gilda Radner. ;)

Demosthenes's avatar

@SABOTEUR Well I’d be interested to know then what do you think the agenda is behind why we’re repeatedly having these people placed in our field of vision?

SABOTEUR's avatar

@Demosthenes I have a pretty good guess but I choose not to hijack the thread or start any debates. But anyone willing to set aside personal bias and simply observe what’s been occurring the last few years can see that these people were methodically agitated to the point they could be manipulated to act in certain ways.

Patty_Melt's avatar

@KNOWITALL how can you tell when the photo was taken?
I can’t place the event.

KNOWITALL's avatar

@Patty_Melt The OP’s link had it in the comments, I couldn’t place it either.

Mimishu1995's avatar

I think @kneesox means that @ragingloli is asking how those idiots could call themselves patriots, since the OP is German and they want to understand the American’s perspective of those idiots.

But I highly doubt that’s the case, since we all know who the OP is…

Nomore_lockout's avatar

OP aside the issue here is that these clowns are not patriots, in any sense of the word. But they ARE morons, and obviously a few fries short of a Happy Meal.

Incoherency_'s avatar

@Brian1946

“They’re white nationalists, so their primary loyalty is to the white ‘race’.

In reference to the US, their only loyalty is to white Americans, which in their Adolf-addled ‘minds’, is ‘patriotism’.

They have no patriotism for a diverse democracy, but instead for their warped ‘vision’ of a neo-Nazi US.”


Also, your post is seriously suffering from a large lack of adequate alliteration. ;-p

Patty_Melt's avatar

Of course they are not Patriots. Not of the US. They haven’t the ethics or principles the country was founded and built on.

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