So, you’ve heard about the Hillary Body Double thing, right?
If not, basically what happened is that some nitwit Trump supporters noticed that Hillary Clinton looked a bit thinner than usual at a photo-op yesterday several hours after she so famously fainted at the 9/11 memorial.
They concluded, naturally, that this was a counterfeit Hillary who just happens to look exactly like Hillary, but with different earrings and a somewhat smaller butt than they remember. And so the hashtag #HillarysBodyDouble started trending earlier today.
This is getting serious now #HillarysBodyDouble pic.twitter.com/FpTuxTw82I
— Eric Spracklen🇺🇸 (@EricSpracklen) September 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/AltRight_News/status/775346651133276160
It didn’t take long before some of the slightly-more-reality-based members of Trump’s fanbase noticed that a lot of people were, well, kind of making fun of the hashtag. Like so:
https://twitter.com/JustinTaylorBE/status/775344725976952832
https://twitter.com/MikeWehner/status/775361876980969472
And so a new conspiracy theory was born, claiming that the Hillary body double conspiracy theory was itself a conspiracy — a “false flag” by evil leftists to make alt-rightists and other Trump fans look ridiculous.
This new improved conspiracy theory is being promulgated by such icons of credibility as …
This dude who works for Alex Jones:
The #HillarysBodyDouble narrative was probably started by the Clinton campaign to discredit genuine questions about her health.
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) September 12, 2016
This alt-rightist:
https://twitter.com/AltRightToday/status/775312789267152896
Whoever this is:
#HillarysBodyDouble is a false flag from the liberals to discredit the alt-right. Don't fall for it guys!
— Monix (@iMonix) September 12, 2016
This line of argument might be a teensy bit more persuasive had there not been quite so many obviously sincere alt-rightists and Trump fans — all with long histories of pro-Trump tweets, many with thousands if not tens of thousands of followers — declaring that the real Hillary had been replaced by a fake. Seriously, click through to any of these accounts and tell me that they’re “false flags.”
https://twitter.com/MissLizzyNJ/status/775298815289163776
https://twitter.com/nia4_trump/status/775404778264391680
https://twitter.com/trump2016fan/status/775311119485243393
https://twitter.com/ImagineAnna/status/775450722850770944
https://twitter.com/Billhic02785574/status/775304315300962304
https://twitter.com/SouthLoneStar/status/775404319315197952
Everyone missed most obvious faux-pas in photos. HER hair is now parted on the OTHER side. Now THAT'S strange. WTF. https://t.co/7a76bQEg8V
— EvermoreNews (@EvermoreNews) September 12, 2016
Yes, DeplorableCherokee dude, the fact that her hair is parted on the other side, assuming one of the pics isn’t accidentally reversed, clearly proves that this ISN’T HILLARY!!!111!
https://twitter.com/jwd1967/status/775334420790247424
Yes, Jesus dude, the fact that she was wearing different earrings surely proves that she has been replaced by a WHOLE OTHER PERSON!
Meanwhile, others in the Trump camp, while not quite willing to endorse the conspiracy theory outright, were certainly willing enough to indulge those who had, by “asking questions” about, for example, the fact that Hillary wasn’t completely surrounded by secret service officers while leaving her daughter’s apartment yesterday.
https://twitter.com/Ricky_Vaughn99/status/775343783709855744
https://twitter.com/Grummz/status/775356978482679808
JUST ASKING QUESTIONS!
Our old friend Theodore Beale (“Vox Day”) declared in a blog post today that
I’m not saying that the latest “Hillary Clinton” appearance was a body double, but something looks a bit different about the miraculously recovered version. …To be honest, something about the shape of the woman’s body immediately struck me as “off”. Precisely what, I don’t know, but my immediate subconscious reaction was “who is that?” She’s a little too structurally squatty, as opposed to merely overweight like Hillary.
The right-wing Daily Caller, meanwhile, offered the conspiracy theorists this bit of clickbait:
#HillarysBodyDouble — Here Are 10 Women Who Look EXACTLY Like Hillary Clintonhttps://t.co/yPLtCURSYt pic.twitter.com/HgNNIAEqyg
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 12, 2016
The best explanation of Hillary’s appearance at the now infamous photo op came from someone who is very definitely not an alt-rightist:
https://twitter.com/caulkthewagon/status/775437408733192192
But my favorite post in the #HillarysBodyDouble hashtag has to be this one from a slightly miffed 9/11 Truther
https://twitter.com/SemperLiber9/status/775401585073614849
We live in very weird times.
HRC needed to bathe in fresh blood to renew herself. She’s actually Elizabeth Bathory, the blood countess, and standing in the sun for so long weakened her. As for Tupac, everyone knows the Illuminati did away with him. That’s why Kanye uses Illuminati symbols, to placate his overlords, lest they take him out next. Mm-hmmm.
@dlouwe:
I can honestly say that no reference to mental health was intended. If someone needs help with something (like basic logic), does this imply they’re of poor mental health? A LOT of people have difficulty with simple logic but that has nothing to do with a mental impairment.
Today I saw a Trumper using fake logic to claim Hillary must be suffering from Parkinson (because of the pneumonia). I believe that person uses wrong logic (“Parkinson’s can cause pneumonia, Hillary has pneumonia, ergo Hillary suffers from Parkinson’s”) but that’s no indication of mental illness/impairment. The person is using poor logic or is lying because of manifest confirmation bias.
I have no recollection of making such a reference. Can you point it out to me?
@Gert
I’ve often heard people use “they need help” in that manner to imply mental health issues (i.e. they need the help of a mental health professional) – if you say that wasn’t your intent I’ll take your word for it, but maybe something to be aware of in the future.
Also I can’t recall quite which comment thread I remember the “therapist” comment from, but it’s fully possible I’m remembering incorrectly. If that’s the case, then please disregard!
A trump supporter is hanging a Hillary effigy by I-5
http://occupydemocrats.com/2016/09/12/trump-fan-explains-just-put-public-effigy-hillary-hanging-noose/
@dlouwe:
I think we should be mindful of the term ‘imply’: we’re not mind readers and communication is tricky. When in doubt, ask. As you did.
We ALL need help at times (with regards to reasoning) but that doesn’t ‘imply’ any mental impairment/illness.
Re. “therapist” I’m nearly 100 % sure of never having used it here or elsewhere in the recent past. You may be conflating with my use of the word ‘nutter’, applied to someone I disagreed with (not a WHTM commenter) but that was many threads ago. I claimed to have learned from it and believe I have.
@Gert
I agree that we can’t read minds, but “you need help” is a phrase often used with specific connotations for what kind of help is being suggested. e.g.:
The picture makes it explicit in this case, but the phrase still carries the connotation.
Again, I believe you that you didn’t intend it that way, but I would still suggest in the future keeping that in mind before saying people need “help” in such an ambiguous way.
I don’t. I think you were spot on the first time. Gert gets no benefit of the doubt with me. The immediate defensiveness suggests he’s up to his old tricks.
@WWTH
That’s a good point. I intended to see how far he plans on pushing the “can’t be responsible for implications” thing rather than needle at his real intentions.
Also I did find the comment I was thinking of: https://www.wehuntedthemammoth.com/2016/09/10/do-women-really-enjoy-sex-men-who-hate-women-ask/comment-page-1/#comment-943856
By itself I think it’s actually pretty innocuous, but combined with the “needs help” bit is what caused me to side eye. The “supportive/contributing comment + subtle poke at the bear” thing seems to be becoming a bit of a pattern.
@dlouwe:
I’ll bear it in mind. But ‘connotations’ are slippery terrain, IMO and a poor basis for judging what another person says or means.
Reminds me a bit of WWTH’s last comment. A person explains something, an accuser then calls that explanation ‘immediate defensiveness’, et voila: he’s become suspect and up to ‘old tricks’. It’s facile and contentious.
I suppose a delayed defence would have been more ‘appropriate’? Sigh.
Some battles aren’t worth fighting, so WWTH can think whatever she wants, I won’t be responding to it.
@dlouwe:
My comment you linked to:
“Still find it hard to believe some menz feel the need to plaster their ignorance/self-inflicted frustrations on teh Tinkerwebs, to be read and mocked by all and sundry. Maybe a decent therapist could help them a little?”
I think I was being quite charitable here. Does suggesting therapy in this context constitute a slur to those who suffer from mental illness?
Do these people not need some help perhaps? Does help only mean ‘pschotherapy’? It does not at all.
This is now 5 times with Hairt? 4 or 5. Bringin it back to the classic ‘take what I say at face value, dammit!’ Yeah, no. I don’t care what you say. I don’t care what you mean by what you say. I care that, when it’s explained to you how your words might be hurtful, your response is invariably ‘nuh uh!’. Like we’re making it all up to fuck you over. Shut the fuck up
http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/at_a_loss_for_words_obama.gif
Well, you know how feminists adore falsely accusing men. What did Gert expect when he started posting here?
@Gert
Seriously, you need to stop assuming that intention somehow undoes any harm. People don’t act like that when it comes to physical harm, yet still seem to think that it’s all the fault of the person harmed if the magic intent doesn’t erase the harm.
Also, you have this very suspect habit of ignoring women who are trying to explain to you why your words are problematic, especially if we’re not super nice to you. Women aren’t obligated to be sweet and kind to you.
People like this don’t change. They don’t learn. They’ve already decided that other people’s pain doesn’t matter. You can say it nicely, or someone like me can cut the promo. You can calmly reason with them about what they’re doing wrong, or someone like me can cuss at them for a couple paragraphs. They’ll blame other people’s reactions, but it’s always the same rigamarole
I remember, a while back, there was this commenter who was loudly adamant about the comments policy. It was too much of a hassle to police their own words. Got mad when they were reminded wat was expected of em. Got in trouble a few times. But then they did a pretty wonderful thing. They decided not to comment anymore. Remove themself from the pressure they knew they couldn’t live up to. Only in retrospect do I realize how admirable it was
I’m sorry, but this is absolutely screaming for a Chuck Tingle novella. I can see the title now: “Pounded in the Butt by My Own Body Double”. I hope it sells a million copies.
Again, Gert does what Gert does best.
Mendicant.
@Gert
Like, okay, I think that’s a crock of shit, but whatever, that’s beside the point. Connotations are absolutely invaluable for figuring out what the words that you say mean. If you say a thing that you know has certain connotations, you are responsible for anyone who interprets it that way. You have been made aware. You are now responsible.
At this point a Trump victory in November is a virtual certainty barring a meteorite flattening everything in the general area Trump happens to be occupying. I suppose we can feel sorry for Hillary, she tried too hard yet presidential success seems further than ever. Just because Trump is the president now does not mean its time to take it easy, far from it.
@Joe
Is that sarcasm or are you tonight’s third troll ? I’m honestly just asking questions.
Er….
@Joe, so, why does fivethirtyeight.com give Hillary something around a 70% chance of winning now? fivethirtyeight being one of the most respectable and accurate polling/prediction sites there is, of course. Care to break that down for us clueless leftists?
@Scildfreja
Obviously because it’s the librul BIASED media.
I so want to comment, but…I didn’t realize that Kimbo Slice had died. ;_;
@Joe
Oh I swear to ya, I’ll be there for ya
This is not a drive by
Just a shy guy looking for a two ply
Hefty bag to hold my love
When you move me everything is groovy
They don’t like it sue me, mm way you do me
Oh I swear to you, I’ll be there for you
This is not a drive by.
Meanwhile, this is going on.
Yeah, virtually certain victory.
@Alan
I had forgotten the last shot, but Wikipedia reminded me. I did remember the part when the president’s wife popped back into Dave’s life.
Things weren’t going very well for me when I saw that film. It helped to restore my faith in humanity. Art can be amazing that way.