[POLL] U.S. Presidential Election 2016

[Foxi4]

This just in, Pepe the frog is a Public Enemy no.1 and a symbol of racism and white supremacy.

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/post/donald-trump-pepe-the-frog-and-white-supremacists-an-explainer/

I'm beginning to think that it's not pneumonia bothering our female candidate, she just might be mentally retarded. I hope her PR campaign machine employees are proud to have been trolled by 4chan to such an extent that they wrote about a stupid Internet meme on their official campaign website, in earnest. They get as close to calling Trump a racist and white supremacist as they can without actually calling him that, lest he sues the sh*t out of them for libel, like he should.

I really can't wait for this shit-show of an election to be over, it's a mockery of the system that gets dumber and dumber by the minute.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

I'm beginning to think that it's not pneumonia bothering our female candidate, she just might be mentally retarded.

Blame her marketing team, not her. Do you seriously think she personally writes everything on her website?

 

[Foxi4]

Blame her marketing team, not her. Do you seriously think she personally writes everything on her website?

I know she didn't write it, the name of the author is right there, but the piece is published on Hillary bloody Clinton dot com - if she can't proofread and control her own website in order not to look like a complete idiot in front of the whole world, I don't see how she could do so in office. Either she doesn't read and approve/disapprove her promotional material published on a website made in her name, which makes her an idiot, or she actually believes that all this is true, which makes her retarded. Her whole stance on the alt right is bordering on paranoia.

 

[Lacius]

I know she didn't write it, the name of the author is right there, but the piece is published on Hillary bloody Clinton dot com - if she can't proofread and control her own website in order not to look like a complete idiot in front of the whole world, I don't see how she could do so in office. Either she doesn't read and approve/disapprove her promotional material published on a website made in her name, which makes her an idiot, or she actually believes that all this is true, which makes her retarded. Her whole stance on the alt right is bordering on paranoia.

I don't understand what the controversy is. Where did Clinton's people mess up?

 

[RevPokemon]

I don't understand what the controversy is. Where did Clinton's people mess up?

By insisting Pepe is a symbol of the Alt Right and also of Racialist crap

 

[Foxi4]

I don't understand what the controversy is. Where did Clinton's people mess up?

Pepe is an image macro that's been used for just about anything at this point, it doesn't mean anything, it's just a stupid frog. I have no doubt in my mind that they were trolled to believe that it's an alt right mascot, which it isn't, and embarrassed themselves in front of the entire Internet audience. She's on an all-out war against a meme? Really? At which point did we stop focusing on policy and started focusing on stupid Internet jokes? Because this election is looking increasingly stupid every single day. This is a presidential candidate with an article about an image of a frog being an icon of white supremacy on her campaign page, there isn't a single cell in my entire nervous system that can possibly treat that seriously.

 

[Lacius]

By insisting Pepe is a symbol of the Alt Right and also of Racialist crap

Pepe is an image macro that's been used for just about anything at this point, it doesn't mean anything, it's just a stupid frog. I have no doubt in my mind that they were trolled to believe that it's an alt right mascot, which it isn't, and embarrassed themselves in front of the entire Internet audience. She's on an all-out war against a meme? Really? At which point did we stop focusing on policy and started focusing on stupid Internet jokes? Because this election is looking increasingly stupid every single day. This is a presidential candidate with an article about an image of a frog on her campaign page, there isn't a single cell in my entire nervous system that can possibly treat that seriously.

It has become a symbol for the alt right, and she's not on an all-out war against the meme.

 

[Foxi4]

It has become a symbol for the alt right, and she's not on an all-out war against the meme.

...are you serious right now?

 

[RevPokemon]

It has become a symbol for the alt right, and she's not on an all-out war against the meme.

It really is not a symbol for it. It is more correct to say that if anything they have taken over it although still Pepe is still used alot for normal things

 

[Lacius]

It really is not a symbol for it. It is more correct to say that if anything they have taken over it although still Pepe is still used alot for normal things

That still makes it a symbol used by the alt-right.

...are you serious right now?

Yes.

 

[Foxi4]

It really is not a symbol for it. It is more correct to say that if anything they have taken over it although still Pepe is still used alot for normal things

It hasn't been taken over by anyone, it's an image macro, it's all a big f*cking joke to get lulz out of chumps, and people bought it hook, line and sinker. It doesn't represent anything, it doesn't mean anything, it's a f*cking frog.

 

[RevPokemon]

That still makes it a symbol used by the alt-right.

Not really because it has widespread prior use.

It hasn't been taken over by anyone, it's an image macro, it's all a big f*cking joke to get lulz out of chumps, and people bought it hook, line and sinker. It doesn't represent anything, it doesn't mean anything, it's a f*cking frog.

Agreed but just for argument.

 

[Lacius]

It hasn't been taken over by anyone, it's an image macro, it's all a big f*cking joke to get lulz out of chumps, and people bought it hook, line and sinker. It doesn't represent anything, it doesn't mean anything, it's a f*cking frog.

It's a frog meme that had no inherent meaning. That doesn't mean it hasn't been assimilated by the alt right and used as a symbol for their hate.

Not really because it has widespread prior use.

As far as the history of symbols goes, that's pretty darn irrelevant.

 

[RevPokemon]

As far as the history of symbols goes, that's pretty darn irrelevant.

It does if only for the fact that for the majority of its life span it has not been associated and also shows that it has other meanings. This whole alt right thing with Pepe is going to die out soon

 

[Foxi4]

That still makes it a symbol used by the alt-right.

Yes.

I cannot believe this. Are you high? The alt right drives cars and eats cereal too, are those symbols of the alt right too? I bet the alt right breathes, we're breathing alt right air. My water, it's contaminated with the alt right! You're telling me that if I take a random meme, make it racist, post it on 4chan and it gets reposted a bunch of times, it becomes a symbol? The alt right has no organised structure, they have no symbols or leaders, they don't even have a single ideology, they just use an umbrella term to describe themselves. It's not like a f*cking swastika, not every alt right person wears Pepe on an arm band. Is this pod planet? Are you all pod people? Should I just shoot myself before I go mad because the world has been overrun by people as naive as toddlers? Do you actually think this is correct? That this is something a presidential candidate should encompass in her political campaign? It's a meme. It means whatever you want it to mean, it doesn't represent anything or anyone. Nobody "uses Pepe as a symbol", they do it to get a rise out of you.

 

[Lacius]

It does if only for the fact that for the majority of its life span it has not been associated and also shows that it has other meanings. This whole alt right thing with Pepe is going to die out soon

It might die out soon. That doesn't make it any less a symbol the alt right is intentionally using right now. The majority of its lifespan before this is irrelevant. Just look at the Swastika.

I cannot believe this. Are you high? The alt right drives cars and eats cereal too, are those symbols of the alt right too? I bet the alt right breathes too, we're breathing alt right air.

Are they using cars and cereal as symbols? If not, then get over yourself. Your "are you high?" quip doesn't change the fact that this was a pathetic point.

You're telling me that if I take a random meme, make it racist, post it on 4chan and it gets reposted a bunch of times, it becomes a symbol?

You just described what a symbol is.

Edit: Pepe as a symbol for the alt right is also bigger than that.

The alt right has no organised structure, they have no symbols or leaders, they don't even have a single ideology, they just use an umbrella term to describe themselves.

We all know the similarities and shared ideology we're talking about when we bring up the alt-right. If not, then all you need to do is do some research. If you're too lazy to do so, just check all the alt-right pepe memes and look for commonalities.

It's not like a f*cking swastika, not every alt right person wears Pepe on an arm band.

This isn't relevant. It appears you're grasping at straws since your argument lacks any sort of substantive backbone. Making a statement with angst doesn't make it any less irrelevant.

Is this pod planet? Are you all pod people? Should I just shoot myself before I go mad because the world has been overrun by people as naive as toddlers? Do you actually think this is correct? That this is something a presidential candidate should encompass in her political campaign? It's a meme. It means whatever you want it to mean, it doesn't represent anything or anyone.

If you're going to deny the common usage of a meme as a perfectly reasonable point to bring up with regard to the alt-right, which is the real issue, then you're ignoring facts to make some sort of whiny post about memes that doesn't matter and isn't even what anybody's talking about. Anyone can use a meme for any purpose. They're largely benign and often have no inherent meaning. That doesn't change pepe's modern common usage as a symbol for the alt right. Grow up and get over it. It's probably just a fad anyway.

 

[Joe88]

No surprise Lacius just supporting and endorsing whatever turd came out of clintons bum.

 

[Lacius]

No surprise Lacius just supporting and endorsing whatever turd came out of clintons bum.

Yep, that's me. I have never been critical of Hillary Clinton, and pepe has not been used as a common symbol for the alt right. My bad.

Seriously though, why do I even bother? I'm dealing with turds either way.

 

[RevPokemon]

It might die out soon. That doesn't make it any less a symbol the alt right is intentionally using right now. The majority of its lifespan before this is irrelevant. Just look at the Swastika.

Pepe is an apolitical meme that’s been used by everyone from gamers and YouTubers to celebrities and progressive bloggers, tut no single group or ideology has ownership of the meme. And its lifespan before this does matter because it gives it context.

We all know the similarities and shared ideology we're talking about when we bring up the alt-right. If not, then all you need to do is do some research. If you're too lazy to do so, just check all the alt-right pepe memes and look for commonalities.

For what it is worth, there is no central Alt Right group that maintains opinions on topics, rather it is a loosely grouped associations of people on the internet. Basically it's structure is like Anonymous.

 

[Foxi4]

*Snip*

Excuse me while I shoot your entire argument down with a volley of torpedoes because I'm a linguist and I know exactly what a symbol is. In order for something to classify as a symbol (in a linguistic sense, which is what we're talking about) it has to be recognised by an entirety of a given group, the group has to identify with it and it has to carry intrinsic meaning. The bald eagle is a symbol for Americans - it symbolises freedom - it soars through the air unrestricted, strength - it's a predator etc. The cross is a symbol for Christians - it symbolises Jesus' sacrifice, death for our sins, it's a symbol of absolution. Pepe the frog symbolises jack sh*t - it's being used because it looks funny. A symbol works very much like a sign - there's the signifier, the physical representation, and the signified, a mental idea. Pepe does not qualify as a symbol in any shape or form - it's a stupid picture. A mascot would be more appropriate, and even that is a stretch. For something to classify as a symbol it has to have the quality of symbolism which Pepe lacks because it's a stupid meme that doesn't mean anything.

As for "similarities" between people who consider themselves the alt right, turn that judgemental eye inward - you have a lot in common with a communist, but you are not a communist. It's a loose group of people with *similar* ideas, which doesn't mean that they're white supremacists, racists or bigots - some of them very well may be, others not so much. If you're going to put all of them into one "basket of deplorables", I might as well start calling you a commie - you share some of their beliefs after all, we might as well just generalise because the political scene has suddenly turned into a sandbox.

As to why I'm rising a stink over this, it's because a presidential candidate and his/her cohorts should spend exactly 0 seconds on addressing stupid Internet memes. This is an article that's supposed to support someone who might run the country, don't they have bigger things to worry about? Someone spent time writing that piece, then someone read it, approved it, they patted each other's backs, said "good job", posted it unironically and got paid. This is an article about an Internet joke written in earnest, that's the big deal.