Hey, remember when Friday was meme-day here at We Hunted the Mammoth? We’ve missed a couple, mostly because of horrible things happening in the world, but we’re back!
Today, some of the weirdest pro-Trump and anti-Hillary memes I’ve run across lately. Most of these are from Reddit — in particular, from r/The_Donald and r/HillaryForPrison. Enjoy, I guess.
Now this last meme — which I’ve censored a little — isn’t really all that weird. It’s just kind of revealing, at least about the sort of people who sit around making anti-Hillary memes.
Yikes.
@Space Garbage, thank you for the information and translations. I don’t think you’re being overly sensitive at all. I felt the same as I read through your extracts.
@SFHC, remember a couple of days ago when a guy rammed his burning car into a Sydney police station? Half the media here (and certain conservative politicians) immediately labelled it ‘terrorism’ – until it emerged that the perpetrator was an older white man. Now he’s not a terrorist, he’s an individual with problems.
@Mels
Yeah I didn’t like McCain or the guy after him either. Frankly Obama was a breath of fresh air in there was a better chance of progressive policies coming into power.
@Mish
The most blatant show of White Privilege. If he’s white he’s good by nature and we can’t use terrorist at him, that’s our new codeword for minorities.
@Mels
Alright, maybe “like” is too strong a word. “Had actual good points” is better. I mean, at least he’s against torture. And while he’s a little too gung-ho about military action, he’s at least kinda not a hypocrite about it; he actually served. Maybe it’s nostalgia, but if he would have not picked Palin as his VP… I would have still voted for Obama. But it would have been closer.
@Mish
Silly you! White people aren’t terrorists. Except when they’re communists/anarchists. I mean, I come from a country where armed people stormed and occupied a federal reservation, but still weren’t called terrorists. Because… reasons.
Sorry for very OT AND sorry for non Brits here, but I need a safe place to work this out.
I don’t know if this is the audience but I got my Labour Party renewal notice today and I don’t know what to do.
Pre Brexit, I felt that – contrary to my own personal politics – as the Lib Dems have been eradicated post-2015 we need a centrist party. I therefore voted for Yvette Cooper.
Personally I prefer Corbyn’s rhetoric, but the more time that passes, the more uncertain I am of his skillset.
But I hadn’t heard of Owen Smith AT ALL before Brexit and I like to think I pay attention.
So I need to register in the next week, but I can’t work out what the hell is going on in the British Left. I live in Brighton, which just adds fuel to the flames. It’s unlikely I’ll be voting Labour in the next general election anyway.
Any advice? I don’t need to hear rabid pro or anti Corbyn stuff; I’ve heard enough of that.
@ weatherwax
Just to clarify, is it that you have two issues to decide? Whether to renew so you have can have a leadership vote; and then if so, who to vote for?
If it assists, it seems highly likely that Corbyn will be re-elected in any event; albeit with less of a landslide this time.
The question then is what happens to the Labour Party? That might depend on whether there’s an Autumn election. If that’s the case then the PLP will probably hang on in. If there’s the big defeat that they’re expecting (and they’d probably contribute to with some rather unenthusiastic campaigning), then they’ll expect Corbyn to step down. They’ll regard the result as proof that there’s no mainstream demand for a more left Labour.
If the election is delayed then the party may well split. There’ll be a row about who keeps the name, but in the end we’ll see a new centre left party. I think it’s unlikely that the MPs would actually join the Tories, that might be electoral suicide, but I think we’ll see a new ‘purple’ coalition. Theresa May has adopted Ed Milliband’s economic programme, the Tories outflanked labour on social issues with gay marriage etc but more importantly within Westminster, May is regarded as highly competent. The PLP could probably live with the Tory manifesto; Ironically it’s more left than the Blair one they were happy with.
The UK needs a bit of triage at the moment and the first thing is to stabilise the patient. The Brexit fallout will dominate the agenda for the next few years. That’s useful as it diverts from more contentious issues. It would be an easy sell to the electorate that this is a time of crisis so an effective national unity government is putting country before party.
Then the real Labour heavyweights can vie for the leadership before the 2020 election.
That any use? Or have I just muddled things further 🙂
@weatherwax
What is going on in the Left is that the ‘Left’ has been coopted by Blairites, or as some people call them ‘Red Torys’ (personally I hate this as they wipe their arse on the Red Flag)
Corbyn is an old fashioned socialist, a reformist of course, rather than a revolutionary, but a good man with solid left wing principles. The Parlimentary Labour Party became under Blair, Brown and Millipede a safe haven for ‘careerist’ polititians, rather than people with a real heart for the working class, the disabled, elderly and those oppressed by the capitalist system. This is why Corbyn has so often voted against the rest of his party, whilst they vote the same way as the folk on the opposite bench, and why they heckle him, and refuse to support him. Jeremy’s democratic election as leader was a massive shock to Labour, as they included him on the ballot as the ‘token Trot’, but did not foresee the huge support he had from the membership. This has put Labour in a difficult position, because the right wing majority in the PLP (whose policies, mannerisms and attitudes are undistinguishable from the Torys) have a principled left wing leader they are refusing to get behind. Both Eagle and Smith are right wingers, in favour of austerity and renewing Trident, supported the war in Iraq, and Smith was a lobbyist for ‘Big Pharma’ ie Pfizer and is in favour of privatising the NHS.
At this moment in time, we are very excited about Corbyn, and you only have to look at Momentum and the grass roots support he is getting to see that the opinion of the PLP does not matter. He has shown us that socialism is a valid prospect for the future of the U.K. As a Marxist, I am very aware that if he does get to become PM, there will be a lot of pressure on him to go against his principles. But, if he does, it means betraying the workers, and there is strength in numbers. If the Labour Party splits, as well it could, Momentum and other groups like us (International Marxist Tendancy) will have to rise to the occasion and form a new left wing Worker’s Party.
Remember, back in the days of the Torys and the Whigs, we had the same two party system as the USA, two right wing parties who exist to serve the ruling classes and the bourgeoisie. Labour was a revolutionary movement back then, it’s sad to see what a petty bourgeois f*** up it has become.
Thank you both Alan and Virgin Mary. I still haven’t decided what to do, but your input is welcome.
Sorry for hijacking the space. I just hope the time zones meant it wasn’t too troublesome.
Really you don’t have bins in London because of bombs?
Have you still not figured out the trick we have in Sydney?
Here the bins are clear plastic so you can see if people drop something suspicious in one.
http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2011/06/25/1226082/033968-terror-bins-are-coming-back.jpg
People in the USA can see a new Trump meme on the cover of the National Inquirer.
Picture a split screen. One half is Donald yelling. The other half is Hillary with sadface.
The headline is something about how DJT will win. He’s got a plan.
Also just for USA peeps: Are you getting the Trump ads that I’m getting? Awful, awful graphics. At first the “click” button said, “Join Team.” (Presumably the grammar store was all out of articles.) Now it gets straight to the point with “Donate.”
The worst one so far?
Another split screen. Donald is on the left in his stupid hat.
And on the right: the sculpture of the US Marines taking the hill at Iwo Jima.
W
T
F
@Unlucky Blackjack
No he didn’t. ‘Against torture’ isn’t a ‘good point’ its basic human decency. Nor do I give mccain credit for that, given hus myriad failures on that front.
@Kat
You see he’s trying to use the jumpcut of the soviet style third image. By taking him in a silly hat with a historical moment, he’s associating himself as great as this moment over the triumphs over the Japanese troops. Though in reality, the third image I get is a poser who didn’t even go to war banking on the deaths of those who fought against the very ideals he’s espousing.
@Dalillama
Basic human decency is lost in the GOP. Imperialistic grandeur and making Israel Jesus bait is more the agenda of the day.
“Are you frustrated?” is an old 4chan meme. http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/010/491/are_you_frustrated.jpg
Not sure what the shaving cream pic is all about..
@ebilflindas
Prison makes you shave your hair, so that’s what’s he’s doing to Hillary?
@Ooglyboggles
U & me both.
Another thing about London. I think this driving on the left side of the road nonsense has totally ruined people’s pedestrian manners. When walking through various underground tunnels, I’ve seen that the signs sometimes say “keep left” and sometimes “keep right”, but nobody seems to care anyway. Left, right, who cares? They’re both the correct side! As a result, the sidewalks are a mess. I’m getting seasick from slaloming through crowds of confused pedestrians.
Also, Londoners suck at letting people get off the underground before trying to get on.
Other than that, cool city. :p
@Imaginary Petal
My theory is that this is what happens when you try to accommodate Continental types (who drive on the right) and the British themselves (who do the opposite). On the Tube it’s “stand on the right, walk on the left” on the escalators, which is entirely opposite to how the British drive, but consistent with how Continental Europe does it. I assume the converse is due to other places adopting a more “nativist” policy. Of course, I may be way off the mark.
@weatherwax
I’m glad I could help. I didn’t cover this in my first answer to your question, but I hope this makes sense.
When you say the UK needs a new centrist party, what you really mean is a new soft right party. Centrist politics in the UK is dead, as it is in the USA (as McCarthy did a very good job of expunging communist sympathisers, mostly media, education and trade unionists) as it is in much of the increasingly fascist European countries. The reason for this is Hegelian Dialectics. Basically, the correct Left wing solution involves a complete rewriting of the the economic rule book and adoption of socialism. The ruling class elites would not accept this, so whilst they will tolerate a few socialist policies to slip through (universal healthcare, social security, public facilities etc.) they do not allow the economic system to be broken down and rebuilt to the Marxist (communist) blueprint. The Blairite government was popular with the right, and Blair was the true heir to Thatcher, carrying on her agenda of privatisation which was an insult to the working classes of Britain. After the coelition, the Liberals, who most fence sitters think are a centrist party but are actually fiscal conservatives propping up the capitalist system, practically faded into the woodwork, leaving the UK with two right wings, just like the USA. So now, just like the US calls the Democrats lefties, when they are not, we have a PLP which most folk consider the left when it is not. A new centrist party therefore would be the synthesis of that, a new soft right which in time, if the Labour Party gets killed off, will define itself as a the new Left, and take us further and further away from our goal of socialism and into a new neo fascist state!
@ IP
If you’re feeling homesick pop to Savoy Place. It’s the only road in the UK where you have to drive on the right.
Driving on the left is safer though. In emergencies most people instinctively steer to the left, so there’s less chance here of driving into oncoming traffic.
Also, it’s better for jousting.
I agree that the UK political arena (and it does look even more like an arena than usual right now) is currently fairly unpredictable because there are so many unusual factors in play – I mean, Brexit and the completely unexpected emergence of a socialist leader of the Labour party?!?!?!?
Personally I think that it’s worth voting for Corbyn because (apart from the fact that I agree with his policies) support for him may be helping inch the Overton window a little way back towards the left after having skewed further and further right over the last 30-odd years.
The mainstream media keep calling him “extreme left” and “far left” which when you look at his policies is simply ridiculous; his and McDonnell’s positions would have been centre ground not that long ago (much like the US spectrum has shifted further and further right over a similar period, if I understand correctly).
So I’m voting Corbyn partly because “if not now, when?” and partly because I think that win or lose, supporting him is ultimately beneficial for the UK. It seems likely that the mere phenomenon of his unexpected emergence and large support is encouraging the tories to try and look more left-wing-popular than previously. Some people say that it would be hard for a Corbyn-led Labour party to win a General Election, but they fail to note that on recent showing the Labour party doesn’t have anyone likely to do better – partly because the PLP have made themselves look amazingly bad in their attempts to make Corbyn look bad.
If/when he wins the leadership again in September, if the PLP were to actually get behind his policies and work to fill any gaps in specific areas of expertise I think the Labour party could come out of this looking a hell of a lot better than they do now. The fact that Corbyn has a reputation for integrity is a significant asset in itself, at a time when a hell of a lot of people have good reason not to trust any politicians.
Incidentally, yes, there are of course some sexist idiots among his supporters just like there are sexist idiots everywhere. As far as I can see from here (and from what I’ve seen of rallies etc.) Momentum and Corbyn’s support in general are condemning sexist idiocy.
Also, largely thanks to reading here and at Pharyngula over the last few years, it occurred to me to pull someone up on a sexist criticism of Angela Eagle on a public forum recently, pointing out that there are plenty of valid criticisms of her to be made without resorting to sexist bullshit (I’m so extremely confrontation-averse that the mere thought of it is usually enough to bring me out in spots) so fwiw I have youse lot partly to thank for that 🙂
@opposable thumbs
Thank you for saying that. I actually feel a bit sorry for Eagle, not of course because she’s a Blairite, and not someone I would vote for in a million years, but I feel she was pressured into standing for leadership against her wishes. No one deserves to be harassed or subjected to sexual threats. I’m glad she has stepped down now for the sake of her health, although Corbyn having two challengers would have split the vote and made him an easier victory.
I’m going to a Momentum meeting this Wednesday, led by a woman, Corbyn has a load of female support especially among the mothers feeling the crunch of austerity, having their children’s schools ‘academised’ against their wishes, and losing their libraries and youth clubs.
@ebilflindas: It’s a pro-wrestling thing. No kidding.
Alan said
Ack, jousting is a bloody sport (as in those folks emerge from their tin cans battered, bruised, and bleeding)! A few years back, we in the U.S. were treated to a reality show about jousting; apparently there are people who want to start a professional jousting league. It was called Full Metal Jousting and was a contest for a bunch of guys (no women) to get a spot on a pro jousting team. I lost interest because nasty injuries were too common for my taste. There were only two seasons, so maybe I wasn’t alone in that.
Husbeast and I are interested in jousting because we do Renaissance festivals. Some of them have “jousting” which is all staged and there is way less injury. Because of this, I wasn’t aware of the high injury rate before the shows.
As for the memes, they’re more like in-jokes than anything else. Like if we started making Woody memes. Which I notice no one does.
The shaving thing is a wrestling reference. There are pictures of Trump holding down and shaving the head of some wrestler character.
Eta I see others posted this ahead of me! Ah well. Why I never comment on these things… Being on the west coast and sleeping in = nothing left to say!
@Virgin Mary:
You nailed it pretty well with your higher comments on the UK Labour situation.
I’m a Corbynist myself and voting for the ‘Red Torys’ is simply voting for more of the same (Blair and ‘Caring Conservatives’)
Ever since Corbyn ascended there’s been a concerted smear campaign directed at him, orchestrated by Labour’s Blairites and rightwing tabloids. See also the shameful ‘antisemitism flap’ from Zionist mouth breathers like John Mann and Wesley Street et al.
The Blairites and ‘centrists’ are far more interested in maintaining the status quo and keeping their MP jobs than in getting this country out of the neoliberal austerity measures.
@(((Hambeast)))
Yeah, I don’t think I watched even a full episode of it. Lots of metal hitting each other violently is what Battlebots is for.
ETA: BATTLEBOTS4OLYMPICS!!!