this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2025
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What Graham Platner Said When a Trans Mainer Asked: 'Will You Stand Up for Me?' (www.commondreams.org)
submitted 1 day ago by psychothumbs@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world
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[–] Bwaz@lemmy.world 1 points 3 minutes ago

Let's be honest here. How many people would have recognized that image as a Nazi symbol before thos became news? I wouldn't have, skull tatoos are common. News articles had to tell is it was and show pictures of and explain what it had been some 80 years ago. Maybe he knew it was a Nazi symbol, but I kinda doubt it given his political statements and the fact that any smart person running for office in Maine wouldn't have got it removed long before.

[–] wampus@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Eh, having read some of the reddit posts from the old account etc, if I were in that area voting, I'd likely give him the benefit of the doubt. Especially compared to alternatives. There were quite a few posts that seemed like he genuinely thought the symbols extended beyond 'just' Nazism, often arguing in his posts that it was common to see that sort of imagery on ppl in the military.

[–] Tiger666@lemmy.ca 9 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

This article is garbage.

His tattoo is not a resemblance to a nazi tattoo, it is a fucking nazi tattoo.

He knows it's a fucking Totenkopf and it is the size of a grapefruit right over his heart.

No self-respecting tattoo artist would put a Totenkopf on a human being without being a nazi themselves.

He got the Totenkopf in Croatia; a country with strong far-right ties.

He worked for Blackwater killing brown people in the Middle East.

He is not what he seems.

Good luck people of Maine.

[–] KelvarCherry@lemmy.blahaj.zone 23 points 9 hours ago (3 children)

Let's look at the relevant candidates for this Senate race:

It's Graham Platner -- a former marine who had a forgotten reddit account with years of pro-socialist posts; Janet Mills, a 77-year old dinosaur who will be anything but progressive; and sitting Republican Susan Collins.

People can change, and Platner has demonstrated that he did. Given his alternatives, is an old tattoo which he covered really any reason to not vote this guy??? It's not Graham Platner versus a picture-perfect socialist who runs a commune that saves orphans and puppies. It's Platner v. Susan Collins v. Janet Mills. Do not let the Mainstream Media make this a controversy.

[–] leadore@lemmy.world 0 points 18 minutes ago* (last edited 13 minutes ago)

Sorry, he's a nazi who only removed his tattoo when it became known about, and lied that he didn't know what it was. He's running as a Dem just because that gives him better odds to win in Maine. (edit: And even if he didn't have the tat his Blackwater history would disqualify him in my book.)

In this case I'd go for the 'old dinosaur' since

  1. she might die or have to leave early and then you could replace her in a special election

  2. She's neither a repub nor a fucking nazi.

[–] turdcollector69@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Purity testing has been the biggest contributor to the downfall of democracy.

If we weren't so ready to cut each other down trump wouldn't have gotten the foothold he did.

Until the progressive culture in America gets off its high horse the corporate donors are going to just keep us infighting while they sweep away our rights.

We need to accept that nobody is perfect and to allow anyone who wants to pull away from trump/conservativism to do so.

All this "once a X always a X" rhetoric only reinforces X identity because it denies any possible alternative.

[–] Plum@lemmy.world 173 points 1 day ago (49 children)

This. He said the good thing.. I don't like the click bait.

[–] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 0 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Eh, not really. This is not an admission of support. Here's why.

I've seen firsthand what it looks like when these creeps invade tolerant spaces. We're talking clubs packed full of goths, punks, metal-heads, very gay people, and the occasional furry. First, it's just one or two. Then their friends show up. You may not even realize it until it's too late. And there they are, happily mixing it up with everyone else. Their bigotry is usually only evident when put to the test, and there aren't a lot of situations where that's called for. But provoke their sense of 'correct' social hierarchy and things get bad, fast. Then the bouncers get called in to handle the really stupid/violent ones.

And that's where the problem lies with this statement. Nazis have zero issues standing side-by-side with the people they hate. Just as long as they know they can seize control or maintain the upper-hand whenever they want, is enough. In this situation, we have someone running for public office, versus someone who's just a voter. They'd be holding all the power in this situation, and didn't admit to lending that power to a trans person in any way; something that would divorce him from Nazis support. So, the assertion of "stand by your side" isn't even worth the electricity it took to get it to our screens.

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[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 43 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer who launched his Democratic primary campaign in August in hopes of ultimately challenging Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) for her seat in 2026, answered that he firmly believes "that every single American has the right to live the life they want to live in their own body as they see fit," and emphasized what he views as his "responsibility" as a straight, white, cisgender male, to defend the rights of LGBTQ+ people.

"I get to put myself out there in ways that other people don’t," said Platner. "I'm doing this because I know that I can say things, I know that I can have conversations, I know that I can knock on doors in places that a lot of other people can't have access to, that a lot of other people won't feel safe in."

"Yes, I will absolutely stand next to you, and if we ever have to go knock doors together, I'm happy to stand by your side," he added.

[–] chuymatt@startrek.website 0 points 3 hours ago

Seems he is going fairly hard in the mortally correct direction, there.

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