Holman wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:31 pmThe upshot is that when you see all the videos, not just the one that initially spread like wildfire, you get a lot more context to what led up to that video moment. But it doesn’t greatly change the substance of what you see on the video, which is a middle aged Native American activist/elder beating a ceremonial drum in the face of what appears to be a bemused and cocky teenager while his classmates surrounding them, mostly wearing MAGA caps, jeer and taunt the man with chopping motions. To me, Sandman’s grin looks self-satisfied and arrogant. You can see that part as well as I can. So make your own judgments.
The two videos I saw showed me two groups of people, black/white, sort of facing off in a non physical way. That is, they each were trying to show they weren't intimidated/were standing their ground/etc. Then this guy comes walking into the middle of all that, playing a drum no less. He gets in the teens' faces, which results in what I'd expect if an elder got in a group of teens' faces like that.
The fact he's native American means nothing in this context. It would be like saying he's a veteran, a cop, a Medal of Honor winner, or any other person worthy of respect. Here he's just a man jumping in the middle of a agitated group of people. The fact they are teens automatically means reason and consideration will be in short supply. Groups of ADULTS can't be counted on to behave, who expects that from kids?
The MAGA stuff? Eh, who cares? People in this country have all sorts of political beliefs, including stupid ones. Proof of that sits in the White House. Once again, these are teens, the dumbest of the human age range. Smarter than little kids, but not yet adults, perfect for acting like they know it all. And that's what happened. They have all the smugness teens can have, which is a lot. I know, I was a teen once.
I'm as liberal as they get, more or less, but I see nothing to get outraged about here.
edit: "It does raise an interesting discussion though. When someone is walking around in public with the modern equivalent of a swastika armband, what level of shit should they reasonably expect to receive?"
That's a step I'm not willing to make, at least not at this point in time(MAGA=swastika). Certainly the potential is there, but right now to me it's merely an icon of the Confederate flag waving kind. Worn by teens it's even more meaningless, since they are just trying to be rebels.