PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — His U.S. Senate campaign under fire, Maine Democrat Graham Platner said Wednesday that a tattoo on his chest has been covered to no longer reflect an image widely recognized as a Nazi symbol.

The first-time political candidate said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007, when he was in his 20s and in the Marine Corps. It happened during a night of drinking while he was on leave in Croatia, he said, adding he was unaware until recently that the image has been associated with Nazi police.

  • Verdant Banana@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    just like Biden Platner being in the Democrat party makes this acceptable

    if Platner would have been a Republican headline would be all about his racist past

    • meco03211@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      If he were republican he’d either openly admit to it and boast about it or he’d deflect and deny it. Elon did exactly that with his Nazi salute. He still hasn’t admitted that was shitty. What you see from Platner is what so many right wing bigots couldn’t bring themselves to do and likely drives them further into their ignorant hateful positions. He admitted it was a mistake and he took actions to rectify it. Everyone does dumb shit when they’re younger. Owning the mistake and growing from it makes you a better person. Doubling down on it and denying it makes you shitty. Don’t be shitty.

      • FridaySteve@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Everyone does dumb shit when they’re younger.

        Sure, and you can’t come back from some of it.

      • DaMummy@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        That’s great and all, but you shouldn’t elect Hitler shortly after he killed Hitler. It’s a great first step, but treat it as such.

          • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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            2 days ago

            purity tests

            How common are SS tattoos in the USA that this is considered a purity test? I knew things are bad down there, but JFC

            • JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca
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              2 days ago

              Observe our military, large parts of the south, northwest, and isolated rural corners of New England

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                2 days ago

                No wonder the country is so fucked if you’re at the “we can’t judge, because who among us hasn’t had a Nazi tattoo at one point?” stage.

      • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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        2 days ago

        He admitted it was a mistake and he took actions to rectify it. Everyone does dumb shit when they’re younger.

        He had this tattoo for SEVENTEEN YEARS. How do you go that long without realizing it’s a totenkopf?

          • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            2 days ago

            Hes a veteran who made lists of obscure battles for fun, if you believe he had no idea the meaning of it you’re dillusional or a bot. He has in the past refered to it by the german name the Nazis gave it. And since Trumps first terms many many people have looked more into that imagery since it’s becoming more common, so that’s not even a strong claim, they do discuss it now more than any time since the war itself.

          • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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            2 days ago

            You’re telling me this Marine never watched a WW2 documentary?

    • ImADifferentBird@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      2 days ago

      Sure. That’s why Pete Hegseth was chased out of public life in shame as soon as everyone found out about his Deus Vult tattoos.

      Mainstream media isn’t soft pedaling this because they like Democrats, they’re doing it because they like Nazis. Nazis have already coopted the Republicans, and our billionaire overlords would like nothing more than to see them coopt the Democrats too.

    • ThePantser@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      Well maybe the Repubelicans shouldn’t be doing Nazi things then if they don’t want to be called Nazis.

      Mama always says Nazi is as Nazi does.