A man who walks onto the stage and hugs a flag is pretty fucked up

[Cyrano]

But what's more fucked up is the audience at CPAC that stood, and applauded and cheered him.

Someone really needs to explain to me the difference between that crowd, and those who cheered and adored Hitler during his torch lit rallies where the highlight was burning books.

This is frightening. And anyone who doesn't see it and recognize it for a fascist rally is a fool.

This is how it starts. This is how it begins. It doesn't take a majority. It just takes a minority of fanatics.

And the next thing you know, your country is gone. And whenever you go out, some uniformed thug will stop you and say "Papers please."

Am I being an alarmist? Watch the video of that CPAC rally where the orange madman spoke for two hours and was cheered from moment to moment. Then tell me what country you think you're living in.

[CrispyQ]

1. He's done it before. It's truly bizarre.

The face rubbing this time, was particularly odd.

If a dem prez did that the rw outrage would drown out the noise of the universe.

[Eliot Rosewater]

3. The world would stop, completely and not go again till said Democrat was removed from society

[onit2day]

93. Trying to alert friends to seriousness of Trump fascism and sociopathic supporters

Compared to Trump, Hitler was at least rational. Trump is nonsensical. It's scary to have a madman in the office of president but scarier still are those twisted psychos who applaud him. This PINO's vindictive stupidity is destructive to us all.

[Pachamama]

78. I have never seen any world leader of any Nation hug and rub their face against the flag...

Has anyone else? Is there any documented case of this?

Its disgusting and disrespectful....

Desecration....

[Eliot Rosewater]

101. Just another prop to him, I actually do blame the people who follow him more than him.

ANYONE who supports him in ANYWAY is an enemy of America.

Period.

[lagomorph777]

102. Hey at least he didn't hump it! (...almost but not quite...)

[forgotmylogin]

87. Yeah, seriously...

You'd think someone on his team would pull him aside and be like "I know you weren't a boy scout, but embracing and crotch-rubbing is not a good look nor on the list of the ways you show respect to an American flag."

[NewJeffCT]

90. are there supposed to be rules about handling the flag?

or does that just apply to disposing of an old/damaged flag?

[CrispyQ]

92. There are.

Like don't write on it. Which W did. He autographed a flag & the image was posted all over the internet & not one media outlet picked up on that, but when Obama gave a salute with a cup of coffee in his hand, did they ever have a proper meltdown.

You're not supposed to let the flag touch the ground. If you display the flag at night it needs to be illuminated. It's not meant to be an article of clothing. It needs to be properly disposed of & you should never fly a torn or tattered or dirty flag. I've written to establishments about that last one & sure enough within a week the flag looks better.

I'm not a big flag person, but I'm tired of the hypocrisy of those who claim respect for the flag but wear flag underwear* or stick a flag decal on a trashcan in a public restroom. And fuck those cheap flag pins from China, no less. WTF?

The American Legion flag code

* Not that I know if they're wearing flag underwear, but someone is buying that shit.

[maddiemom]

95. This shows ENORMOUS DISRESPECT for the flag!

"Flag Hugger" was not originally meant to be literal.

[CrispyQ]

96. There's a DU post this morning.

Someone said Joy Behar said on The View, that if he'd hugged that flag any harder he'd have to pay hush money.

Laughing because what the fuck else can I do I'm so disgusted at this POS in the WH.

[Achilleaze]

2. Draft-dodging republican flag humpers are being profoundly disrespectful

to all the men and women who have sacrificed for the USA.

Flag humping by five-time draft dodging republican casino hustlers may be protected under the Constitution, but it's still DEPLORABLE.

[Eliot Rosewater]

4. Cheering him on are many veterans who he is disrespecting. Big fucking problem.

[Pachamama]

77. You mean also when they gave a standing ovation at CPAC when Trump declared "McCain Dead"?

There simply are no words....

[spanone]

85. I was NEVER a McCain fan, but god these are some sick fuckers.

the. man. is. dead.

[catbyte]

5. ...

[calimary]

22. Ouch! Good one, sadly enough.

[mshasta]

6. look at me

, look look, if I wrap the American Flag around my fats ass no one will touch me

[lagomorph777]

103. "Does this flag make me look fat?"

No fucker, but it makes you look evil.

[LuckyLib]

7. Trump and Co needs to charge big time concert

ticket prices to those power rallies. Why not make money in the usual grifting way!

How on earth could anybody stand 2.5 hours listening to that looney-tune?

[True Dough]

8. But if another man kneels in the name of minority rights

look out!!!

[Ohiogal]

9. You have to wonder

If any of his orange clown makeup stained the flag. I guess they don’t care about things like that.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

10. His followers use the flag as a snot rag!

[mahina]

70. That's much less disgusting that the use I thought of, metaphorically.

I’ll go with yours. It’s gross enough already.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

100. As a veteran, this is one use of the Flag I find repulsive.

[Luz]

11. Wrapped in a flag and carrying a bible?

[bdamomma]

60. apparently

there are those sick religious righties who think he's the messiah. Wow we got a lot of deluded people in the country.

[C_U_L8R]

12. When you're a celebrity, they let you do it.

So gross.

[docgee]

27. There's a meme for you...

Trump hugging the flag with the caption "I moved on her like a bitch... When you're a celebrity, they let you do it. "

[docgee]

29. There's a meme for you...

Trump hugging the flag with the caption "I moved on her like a bitch... When you're a celebrity, they let you do it. "

[Meowmee]

13. Fortunately I missed this

Since I rarely watch the creep unless subjected to sound bytes on news and then usually the channel is changed or the sound muted. Scary stuff. The people supporting him and not supporting dems or attacking “impure” dems are the major problem here. Just the other day, people in a store proclaimed to my father the creep is “ a fine man” 😳😟 fascism.

[BigmanPigman]

37. Me too. I finally saw some clips last night

and was able to watch without throwing up. I was amazed. It was so obvious that he is both insane and terrified shitless. I really do believe that Whitaker or Barr told him what Mueller and the SDNY know and what they are going after. He is acting like a trapped animal and it will get much worse.

[Meowmee]

74. You are brave

For my mental health I mostly avoid it. Yep he is getting worse I’m sure, maybe even scarier to me are the people still supporting him etc.

[malaise]

14. Did you see his facial expression

That lunatic is sick

[thewhollytoast]

19. W's flag signing was demeaning and arrogant, but Trumps flag humping is more like a rape.

What kills me is how his Trumplings love him for it.

Toast

[malaise]

20. It's all a circus act for this clown

A treasonous scumbag hugging up the flag

[calimary]

23. Bread and Circuses.

[Maru Kitteh]

75. without the bread nt

[calimary]

97. Yep. Pretty much.

[lastlib]

21. American flag is joining the #MeToo movement as a victim of a sexual assault.

Absolutely disgusting!

[malaise]

25. DUzy

Love it

[bdamomma]

67. I love it

yes indeed.

[Eyeball_Kid]

32. Trumpy is MOCKING patriots,

those who appreciate the flag and for what it stands, and the flag itself.

[at140]

15. Do not forget what made Hitler's ascension possible..

It was the horrible inflation and terrible economy with high unemployment.
Germans were under high stress and that made it easy for a demagogue to take over.
Hitler found a convenient scapegoat in Jews and exploited it and Germans jumped on it.

Situation in good ole America is just the opposite. People are fat and happy right now.
They are too busy chatting on FB & Twitter, getting fat on junk food using food stamps,
(obesity is higher than ever), smoking pleasurable weeds, and using their iPhones.
Which makes it easy for a man like Donald Trump to carry out his destructive agenda
for the environment, enriching the top 1%, and build walls around the country. Not enough
are actively protesting.

[bdamomma]

51. yes and a lot

of crap is going on behind the scenes too. This is how it begins the decline of a country and a society, but...………...it can be stopped by us. Or maybe his unhealthy habits will catch up with him.

[Volaris]

64. For a general strike to happen, he would have to shut down the internet.

Nothing short of that would motivate us.

But at that point:

'Rome IS the Mob.', and tyrants beware.

I fear there are no more frontiers for us to 'conquer', and what will inevitably become of us as a result. Even the race to the Moon gave us something to focus on, and without it, we've become so goddamn bored that we have to bother ourselves with what 'the gays' might be doing with their naughty bits.

[Blue Owl]

16. Never seen anyone do it before...

He got the idea from his "My Pillow" buddy who's always hugging his stupid bag of scrap foam...

[at140]

52. Drumpf rarely hugs Melania (in public anyways) nt

[louis-t]

17. All showmanship.

Madness.

[Whiskeytide]

18. It's the act of someone who thinks ...

... that is how you pretend to love the country.

[Scurrilous]

71. Yep.

[Solly Mack]

24. It's the type of idiotic shtick his supporters love.

[Yonnie3]

31. Shtick!

I was just daydreaming and ignoring the realities of the situation ...

I'm in a comedy club, we have a D in the White House, etc.
A man walks onstage and looks and talks like Spanky Rump.
He tells a bunch of outrageous lies and speaks in Palin

The audience rolls in the aisles laughing their asses off.

How the hell is the WH occupied by such a buffoon?

I need a drink.

[Solly Mack]

34. You and me both. Several. Or a few tokes.

Maybe both.

[Yonnie3]

38. I haven't had either in a while

I'm not on the wagon or anything, my lifestyle just went in a different direction.

I'm a cheap date now. One glass of wine gives me a nice buzz.

[Solly Mack]

39. I'm not cheap but I am easy.

Or not.

[Yonnie3]

40. .

[3catwoman3]

59. "Speaks Palin."

Excellent imagery! I’ll be using that.

[Yonnie3]

68. I stole it

I also saw it said as "speaking Palinese."

[japple]

26. Footage Recalls the Night Madison Square Garden Filled With Nazis

Last edited Sun Mar 3, 2019, 08:02 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/documentary-shows-1939-nazi-rally-madison-square-garden-180965248/
(This is from Oct. 2017)

The torch-lit rally of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, earlier this summer may have been surprising to many Americans. But for Academy Award-nominated documentary director Marshall Curry, it was a call back to an event he was already investigating: a 1939 Nazi rally on George Washington’s birthday that drew 20,000 Americans to Madison Square Garden. Curry collected together the existing bits and pieces of film footage from that rally and put them together into a short documentary called “A Night At the Garden,” that premiered on The Atlantic this week.

The film shows about six minutes of the rally, including the American Nazis marching into the hall in the party’s brown uniforms, reciting the pledge of allegiance and listening to the national anthem before giving Nazi salutes. It also includes a piece of a speech by Fritz Kuhn, the leader of the German-American Bund (the American wing of the Nazi party), in which he rails against the "Jewish-controlled media" and says it’s time to return United States to the white Christians who he says founded the nation. At one point during the speech a 26-year-old plumber’s helper from Brooklyn named Isadore Greenbaum charges the stage and yells, "Down with Hitler."

The filmmaker, Michael Curry, was interviewed on On The Media by Brooke Gladstone.

The rally is the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary short "A Night at The Garden" by filmmaker Marshall Curry. In this On the Media podcast extra, Brooke talks with Curry about how the film's themes resonate today and how a 30-second broadcast spot has had a media moment of its own.

https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/when-nazis-gathered-in-new-york

[bdamomma]

49. that film was

nominated but didn't win last week.

[japple]

72. Yes it was. Hoping this exposure will cause people to share (yet another) chapter in our

history that has been ignored or neglected.

[CDerekGo]

28. but, there is discussion

that the more the orange turd ranted and raved, attendees began to walk out of the Meeting Hall. Of course, about the time this was occuring, Shitler began ranting about the 'tremendous crowds' attending to hear him speak at CPAC.

We can only hope that the more that folks listen to Orangesicle, the more they'll all begin to make faces similar to Plaid Shirt Guy...

[muntrv]

30. Especially when that man was kissing Kim Jong Un's ass.

[kimbutgar]

33. It's a desecration of the American flag when he hugs it!

[bdamomma]

48. exactly.

I don't know why people can't get this or him. He's a sociopath a very dangerous one.

I am encountering some people that I graduated with from HS with our next 45th Reunion coming up in 5 months who applaud this guy. Sad, I will not bring myself to comment on their FB page when they totally have been duped by this POS, They are immune to the facts and they hate CNN. WTF, I'm not buying the con man's crap not at all.

[3catwoman3]

58. My 50th reunion is coming up in September.

A classmate who once held a “best friend” status is now someone I don’t even want to see. she is all over FaceBook, screeching about libtards. I suspect she has no idea that she is talking about me, in=or do the many classmates that respond in agreement.

Granted, I, as a Democrat/progressive/liberal do not hold her and those who think like her in very high regard, but I would never go on a public forum and assume that people think the same way I do just because we know each other.

I’m not sure I’m going to go.

[kimbutgar]

65. The orange maggot has really f'ed up things like reunions, family holidays & long term friendships

I don’t remember this being as bad when Bush was President. It’s as if the orange maggot has unleashed the worst instincts in his supporters. He brings out the ugly nature of people. And personally I question the judgement of people who support them and regard them wearily.

Go to your reunion and smile at the fools. You might find some kinship in people you barely knew in high school.

[3catwoman3]

69. When the phrase "He's playing to his base," is used, it is...

...right on target. He appeals to people’s baser instincts, that is for damn sure. No better angels there.

Before Trump’s campaign, I really didn’t think there were so many really horrible people in this country. I guess I was naive.

[bdamomma]

66. oh go

and avoid any political talk, just know you are right in your thinking and walk away or just shake your head. Avoid political talk.

[pangaia]

35. It didn't just start with this, of course....

[Ilsa]

41. I like what David Robinson, NBA player said

when the Spurs won the title. He said, paraphrased, "I don't kiss trophies or objects as if they are people. I only kiss people."

Trump just looks like a drunk.

[BobTheSubgenius]

42. I don't think what you say is alarmist at all.

The situations aren't completely analogous, but do people believe that, in general, German people were blood-thirsty monsters in the late 20s and early 30s? It was a process that took years.


Not a LOT of years, but it wasn't like they woke up the day after the election and walked outside to find a fascist regime, fully formed.

[MartyTheGreek]

43. Someone needs to do a study on his Mussolini Stage antics.

I recall when he was running, he would step away from the podium, cross his arms and nod. I have a hunch Steve Bannon taught him that and the flag hugging.

[Smackdown2019]

44. SNL

Saturday Night Live summed it up quite well last night.

He needs to go a Democrat Stronghold State and have the white coats nab him and send him to an insane asylum!

[bronxiteforever]

45. His ultimate con is that he is devoted to the Country.

His devotion is only to himself. He doesn’t work at his job. He watches TV and fills his schedule with executive time. He doesn’t know how to put in a hard day’s work.
Everyone knows he ducked military service.

He has destroyed so many built in institutional protocols that we will never recreate. The rot he surely carries with him has had it spores broadcasted throughout the federal government by McConnell.

[bdamomma]

46. Yes he is

very deluded. CPAC is too.

We have a very big problem and it's those people that have been gaslighted into believing this POS is the messiah.

Fuck that.

[titanicdave]

47. ......Hell No......

.......you are NOT an alarmist in any way, shape, or form.......#45 is NOT a conservative as he claims, and there is no way in hell that he is one of us......meaning is certainly is not a liberal.....he is suffering from several mental problems, and he has no place whatsoever in our government......he is a danger to our country and a danger to the world......he needs to be removed from office, hopefully after the November 2020 election, and I hope and pray that he has not damaged our country beyond repair......this is a very serious period in the American way of life.....

[handmade34]

76. "...he is a danger to our country..."

everything you said and more... we have a mentally sick person in our White House and I am seriously worried about our future

[CharleyDog]

50. people have to realize, and somehow confront, that humans

are easily brainwashed. Cult following is rampant. Not just Jim Jones, David Koresh, Bhagwhan and their evil ilk, but cult behaviors with Scientology, (and all religions in general more or less) movie stars, rock stars, and "celebrities." There must be a gene for it. Another instance where we must be protected from our own vicious selves, our own hardwiring leads us to doomsday unless we are enlightened and circumvent our own tendencies.

CPAC guys applauded for denying a disabled person health insurance. CPAC applauded no school lunches Paul Ryan austerity and then his more billions for billionaires. Because? Does that make sense? Because it's a group identity. To be out in the cold is even worse, we know that though our own evolution (which is denied). Humans alone cannot survive. Survival is in the group. (socialism).

[ZeroSomeBrains]

53. I find almost everything 45 does as being very fucked up

How he refers to his daughter to how he treats our traditional allies to how he speaks. I think there are more than a few screws loose in a person who didn't have many screws to start out with.

[Alwaysna]

54. Scary thought.

For every moron at a trump rally there are probably 100 like- minded morons who agree with them but didn't go. It's frightening that the trump zombies can't think for themselves.

[Nitram]

55. Say what you will, Trump really knows how to play all those moronic, uneducated rural dweebs who

think that such acts are what "patriotism" is all about.

[marieo1]

56. Unreal!!

What I don't get is why is he still a free man? If any one of the rest of our country had behaved the way DJT has we would be locked up. Why do we still have to listen to these bizarre actions of his? I have always trusted Mueller but I cannot understand what is taking so long, don't we have laws protecting the office of the President from wacko's like DJT? And.....why aren't they enforcing these laws?

[Evolve Dammit]

57. Don't think you're alarmist. He as at least 40 million followers. How many will kill & die for him?

If asked by code? Michael Cohen said it well. He speaks in code. How many of the 40 million, encouraged by Limbaugh, Coulter, Ingraham, Hannity, Savage, Jones etc., etc. will take up arms for him? That is the question.

[cstanleytech]

62. Maybe we should all send him KFC and McDonalds gift vouchers to prevent that?

[cstanleytech]

61. Hugging the flag is not the problem rather its the false display of patriotism and the crowd

eating it up that is the problem.

[liberal N proud]

63. It is pretty weird and childish

It really shows he does not have the mental capacity to be a president

[NCjack]

73. Flaghumper-45 let a fake case of bone spurs exempt him from

serving the flag in VN. Now, he is safe in his bed every night.

[duforsure]

79. After conspiring with foreign enemies

To get elected it is very troubling to see him trying to continue to con people into believing he's for our country, especially when he clearly isn't . He's selling us out to the highest bidders , and doing his best to eliminate our Democracy for his absolute control to do anything he pleases, like his hero dictators do. We've never has anything close to being this corrupt in our highest office. Then he accuses others of corruption and worse. If he accuses anyone of anything , just accept that as something he's admitting he's doing .

[DeminPennswoods]

80. A less alarming take

Trump is first and foremost a showman. He loves an audience and has a savant-like ability to read them. Think PT Barnum. Most of his audience know this and expect it. It's why you hear the "lock her up" and other familiar chants. It's the audience response part of the show. It's a symbiotic relationship. Trump gave them a 2+ hour expanded version of his "greatest hits" and they ate it up.

I do think the flag-humping was over-the-top, though.

[Guilded Lilly]

81. Agree. And yet, he is still here. The nightmare continues to bleed our country...

of decency and humanity.
Frightening display of rotted to the core wretchedness.

And yet he is still here.
And yet he...is...still...here.

[Blue_Tires]

82. cultists, plain and simple

Trump could have burned the flag and the reaction would have been the same

[Ferrets are Cool]

83. Someone in his close circle told him that it would make for great theater

and he would get HUGE applause and cheers. He doesn't have the brain cells to think of that stunt by himself.

[GoCubsGo]

84. As Randi Rhodes said,

CPAC=Conservative People Acting Crazy. This is Jonestown-level crazy.

[IronLionZion]

86. Foreign visitors are often amazed by Americans' overdoing of patriotic symbols

flags and eagles everywhere remind some Europeans of the Nazis.

[orangecrush]

88. Just another display of vulgarity

from one of the most vulgar men on earth.

[cp]

89. Even worse are the hate yokels cheering his ravings

[RainCaster]

91. Was he wearing a condom during that hug?

Do they even make them in mushroom size?

[nolabear]

94. "Chain Lightning, it feels so good..."

Great Steely Dan song that not a whole lot of people know was about Hitler and his mesmerized followers. We're getting closer and closer.

Some turnout, a hundred grand
Get with it we'll shake his hand
Don't bother to understand
Don't question the little man
Be part of the brotherhood
Yes it's chain lightning
It feels so good

Hush brother, we cross the square
Act natural like you don't care
Turn slowly and comb your hair
Don't trouble the midnight air
We're standing just where he stood
It was chain lightning
It feels so good

[FiveGoodMen]

98. "the difference between that crowd, and those who cheered and adored Hitler"

The BIG difference is that we fought Hitler's Nazis rather than trying to see their side of it.

[joe_stampingbull]

99. the flag is the last refuge of a criminal asshole

nt

[Pepsidog]

104. Adderall fueled euphoria, I suspect.