- cross-posted to:
- news
- cross-posted to:
- news
Elon Musk made a surprise appearance during Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) election campaign event in Halle in eastern Germany on Saturday, speaking publicly in support of the far-right party for the second time in as many weeks.
"It’s good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything,” Musk said.
Note that Musk’s citizenship include South Africa, Canada (from 1989) and United States (from 2002)
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Whaaaat ? No pelting ?
If a billionaire meddles with anything related to politics, it’s lobbying. And if that lobbying is public, hateful and divides people, you know it’s nefarious and should be stopped as soon as possible.
The man has everything he needs. The only thing he doesn’t have? Actual power. And he’s going for it.
The man has everything he needs. The only thing he doesn’t have? Actual power. And he’s going for it.<
I get what you’re trying to say. But words can change stories, so here is a slightly different take:
He has everything he needs and too much of it . Including power, that’s why he gets more and more, and way more than one can ever need in hundreds of generations.
That’s also why he can do and say all kinds of shit, and get away with it. And that’s the problem. Our world shouldn’t facilitate that kind of power and power abuse, without accountability. But it has, and that’s why he’s a problem.
Yet, he has been crossing some lines. And so, his public support and political clout is slowly diminishing. Seemingly, more financial institutions are starting to lose confidence in him, and dropping supporting him.
If it sounds like nazi, walks like a nazi, and talks like a nazi, it’s just Elon Musk, the nazi.
It got a bit out of hand, because the only ones wanting him there were the Nazis.
Well, I was downvoted hundreds of times and being told by someone I had the “most moronic opinion” they had ever seen, just because I pointed out there are people in Germany who will celebrate Elon Musk doing the Nazi salute.
Do you believe me now? I am so tired of this shit. Our world is going up in flames and somehow I still need to be ridiculed by someone who I share most of my political beliefs with. Come on, we are on the same side.
And you were downvoted AGAIN.
Listen up people. Elon Musk is a Nazi. This country used to kill Nazis. We cannot accept him in our government. I don’t care what personal hangups about this you have for some reason. Vote this shitstain out the next chance you get.
How do we vote someone out that was never voted in?
(this isn’t to be contrarian, I agree with everything in your comment)
If it’s not obvious, you vote out those who brought him in.
He’s just going to buy the next election/president too.
Tesla has some cult like Followers which are doing Olympic Level Mental Gymnastics.
Just like Church of Apple Members
I believe they are dwindling, at least for me it’s getting more rare to find them, although I’m not in twitter.
I remember going to electrec.co and everybody there was a Musksteer, but now it’s the completely opposite. Even in teslarati there are way more dissidents than before
America* FTFY
of course not all Americans, but maga, all of silicone valley, whoever works for Elon…
"Do you think there are no Nazi sympathizers in Germany? Don’t you see AfD on the rise there?
Most of the people seeing this isn’t going to know the context (i.e. this is a protest). If you strip away the context, this is just a blatant public display of the fascist salute, which many there have wanted to do for so long but couldn’t because they feared the consequences. This could very well embolden them.
Like, if you just look at the photo, it even straight out says “heil Tesla”, for crying out loud. If this is a protest, they did a piss poor job of it. At least put a clown makeup on Elon’s face, what are they even doing.
Edit: some people can’t even read it seems."
https://lemmy.world/comment/14629315
Lol, no, that’s not why you got downvoted. You got downvoted for saying people don’t understand the context. Which is just a really bad take.
Like, if you just look at the photo, it even straight out says “heil Tesla”, for crying out loud. If this is a protest, they did a piss poor job of it. At least put a clown makeup on Elon’s face, what are they even doing.
You might want to put that into a quote block.
And, no, the people from the centre of political beauty are definitely not Nazis, and neither are they amateurs. They’re professionals. Their list of exploits is long, and artistic, including building a replica of the Berlin holocaust memorial next to the house of Germany’s highest-ranking Nazi.
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This is in a quote block
This isn’t.
This again is in a quote block
This again isn’t.
Respectfully, learn to post on lemmy.
do you do that with greater-than symbols?
…ah, looks like you do; good to know…
When composing a comment the web ui has a couple of buttons including a question mark one sending you to, ultimately, a tutorial, and there’s a “view source” button under each comment.
That may or may not be the case for mobile apps. If it isn’t, you can do your part by reporting it as a bug.
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Sigh, here we go again. Many people didn’t try to understand what I meant by context. No I wasn’t talking about the context of Elon doing a fucking Nazi salute on inauguration. Every one saw that on the news. I was talking about the context of seeing the photo of Elon Musk’s Nazi salute being projected onto the side of a building.
That’s what was shared here, not the news article about it being a protest, not the video released later by the protesters (which is worth watching btw). So yeah, I stand by the claim that that photo itself can be taken out of context and be made to look bad. And in fact it is, I’ve seen far right assholes calling it based, and Germany is currently investigating it for its use of Nazi symbolisms.
Is that enough? That’s not even the main thing my comment was about. What’s even the point? Neo-nazi is on the rise in Germany, and broadcasting Elon doing this shit will embolden them, and you want to talk about context.
So fine, downvote me. I’m depressed to see people on my side can’t even muster two brain cells to think.
I was talking about the context of seeing the photo of Elon Musk’s Nazi salute being projected onto the side of a building.
And everyone in Germany understood it as branding Tesla as Nazi. A big “Don’t buy cars from Nazis” sign. The cultural implication is “Own a Tesla? Better get a sticker distancing yourself or a packet of charcoal starters might find itself located on one of those tyres”.
Nazis cheering for Musk is a different phenomenon.
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Musk spoke live via video link
For those wondering.
I guess he is afraid to get arrested in Germany given his apparent lack of self-control Heil Hitlering crowds in person. /s
Heil Hitlering
In Germany, we call that “abhitlern” (to hitler off).
Death, taxes, German having a word for it, whatever it may be.
I would hope that the anti-Nazi countries would refuse to allow entry. Unless they decide to let him in just so they can arrest him. Hopefully there are still countries that will hold billionaires accountable.
Heil Hitlering
I feel bad for laughing at that.
If you find that funny you just have to watch Jojo rabbit.
It’s where this term comes from. Quite funny. Heartbreaking also. Great movie.
Is this guy wearing 3 pairs of glasses wtf
Wait, you’re telling me his jet – which is being actively tracked on mastodon – just made a journey across the Atlantic, and it was not targeted by a bunch of drones?
How is this possible?
Edit: ahh, he spoke remotely. That makes more sense
The biggest news / media company in Germany (anf maybe europe?), *Axel Springer, *also invited this nazi and his nazi friends from the AfD to their yearly economic event in Berljn next week: https://www.axelspringer.com/de/ax-press-release/vor-der-bundestagswahl-politiker-und-wirtschafts-lenker-treffen-sich-zum-dialog-beim-16-welt-wirtschaftsgipfel
wouldn’t it be amazing when he would be put under arrest once he landed?
He most likely will only join via video call.
Also its very unlikely for him to get arrested in Germany
Musk’s words remind me of a prominent German leader who once also sought to keep Germany pure and prevent “the sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.” I’m having trouble placing the guy’s name though…
You’re probably thinking of von Hindenburg.
Waaaah? But he was… Wait! I mean because of him… It can’t be… It’s because of him that… 😦
Oh no.
What the FUCK
Most ironic thing is that an elite, globalist is an inspiration of anti elite anti globalists.
It’s almost like they use elite globalist to mean something that if they said out loud would end up with them in jail for hate speech. /S
Gross. The coward was only willing to ‘make an appearance’ via video.
No need to ruin the entire day with a trip if the right-wing asshats will fawn over you all the same. Ultimately, influencing German politics is only another part-time effort for Elmo. Which can be seen in other ways too, such as mispelling Weidel as “Wiedel” in the announcement of his ralk with her or behaving condescendingly toward her.
“Surprise”
In all seriousness, how great of a threat is the AfD within Germany?
A very big one. They are polling above 20% currently, and instead of countering them, the established parties are trying to fish for votes by copying their talking points. As one AfD politician already publically stated, they don’t need to hold any office in order to shape policy.
The “conservative” CDU is already openly considering cooperating with them, after the election, they certainly will enter a coalition with them if that’s the path to office.
The whole state of affairs in Germany is horrifyingly reminiscent of the situation in the late stages of the Weimar Republic.
Given the choice between far-right and far-left, parties like the CDU will always go with the fascists
The thing is that there isn’t even any noteworthy far left party left in the German political spectrum. Everything has shifted so far towards the right in the rat race of competing with the Nazis for Nazi voters, that even the self proclaimed “Left” party (“die Linke”, not the SPD, those haven’t been remotely left since Schröder’s chancellorship) is at best mildly social democrat these days.
Off I’ve gone reading and now I’ve started to understand… 😖
Enough of a threat that 200 lawyers recently published an open letter calling for a ban, another 17 constitutional lawyers seeing a strong case for a ban etc.
The last try banning an extremist right wing party (then NPD) failed due to the constitutional court seeing no chance that party could implement their policies. Nobody thinks that would be the case with the AfD.
Also, the candidate for chancellor of the largest party, Friedrich Merz (CDU) just stated they’d work with the AfD on some laws (immigration and refugee issues namely).
Basically, shit’s hitting the fan right now.
Also the other right wing populists in the European Parliament kicked them out because the don’t like to be associated with Nazis like the afd. That should tell you everything
Although that might be a move to appear less extremist to their own voters.
Even the Joker refused to work with the Red Skull once he discovered his political affiliations
The last try banning an extremist right wing party (then NPD) failed due to the constitutional court seeing no chance that party could implement their policies
Why should this prevent a ban?
Why should this prevent a ban?
It makes no sense at all and this ruling of our supreme court enabled the Nazis to get where they are today.
First they where too small to be banned. Now they are too big to be banned because politicians fear their voters. All the while they get subsidized from our taxes and get ample time on TV and in the press because they are a legal party and they are not banned. It’s crazy yet here we are.
The AfD is not too big to be banned, some politicians are just cowards or secretly sympathetic to the AfD.
I’m talking legal requirements for a party ban, not why members of parliament don’t want to start the process.
Because it’s not necessary to ban a party that is irrelevant and has no chance to get to any kind of legislative power. The few times the NPD won a seat in a regional parliament, they were ridiculed and no one considered working together with them.
And that’s exactly the Problem with the AfD. Other parties, especially the so-called “conservatives” of the CDU, are more than happy to cooperate with the Nazi scum if that gets them what they want.
Because banning a party is a delicate thing. It is a dangerous tool, the last possible defence against extremist parties. Therefore it must not be used lightly, and the realistic chance to actually gain legislative power to implement extremist policies is a requirement for a party ban.
Currently it’s the biggest threat to our democracy.
😖
Around 20% of the votes for the general election next month will be cast for the AfD
What would be the impact? In German politics, is that particularly bad?
For one: Them getting more than 20% is scary and shows we have a big problem in our country. Also them being the second-largest party in Germany is insane to me. But by itself that is not enough to get into the government, it still needs some other party to work with them.
Unfortunately the rhetoric of the CDU, which is the “just conservative” party is in my eyes pretty similar to the Afd at the moment and they are currently polling at around 30%. CDU decided on a ban working together with the Afd at all some years ago, but it never seemed more likely they would just drop that and then a potential coalition of CDU + Afd would have around 50% of the vote. Certainly enough to form a government. I’m still somewhat positive they would not actually decide to do that, but you know, by now I also would not be surprised anymore😔
As a last resort I’m banking on our “supreme court” (Bundesverfassungsgericht ) to strike down the worst things, since it still seems to be intact, unlike in the US. But courts are slow and you can do a lot of damage even with stuff that is not clearly unconstitutional…
Damn. I appreciate this insight. I’ve been doing some reading and I can see how and why Germans are worried. 😖
They have some form of proportional representation so at least some of these Nazis are getting into their government
They have some form of proportional representation so at least some of these Nazis are getting into their government
No. They are not getting into government unless the conservatives (CDU) build a coalition government together with these Nazis. They are getting into parliament.
Is parliament not part of government?
No:
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The parliament includes all parliamentary groups that were elected by the people and garnered 5% or more of the vote or have won 3 or more direct mandates.
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The government consists of only the governing coalition parliamentary groups + chancellor + ministers; the chancellor is elected by parliament but need not be a member of parliament; the ministers are selected by the chancellor and likewise need not be members of parliament
In a stable majority government, the opposition parliamentary groups don’t have much say over new laws. However, they can come up with own bills (which usually fail due to the majority belonging to other groups), query the government/administration, or install enquiry committees.
However, right now, Germany has a minority government which means all new laws need some support of opposition parliamentary groups.
I guess what you mean is that the Afd has influence in parliament. And they definitely do: They hold speeches, they obstruct the government with worthless and repetitive queries, they draft (eventually-failing) bills, etc. However, to a large degree, their power also comes from being invited to political talk shows by public broadcasters and spreading their message on the interwebs.
Yeah that is what I meant, I would consider that “in the government” but I guess other countries might have a stricter definition of “government” than I realized. Thanks for the info!
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