We need to reclaim "make America great again."

Shyotl · Oct 11, 2020

Back to before or after I was granted the right to marry? Sodomy laws? Or Don't ask Don't Tell? Protection under hate crime law? Visitation rights? Couple benefits?

Thats like, the last 17 years only, too. It's exponentially worse if you go back even further [We're talking torture. Weaponizing of AIDS, etc]

The list is just as awful for other minorities, so naw. Make America Better.

TheXbox · Oct 11, 2020

The call to reclaim the past is the refrain of ignorant nationalists. The history they imagine is narrow and false, and if they read it they'd know that most societies which try to reverse time are already in permanent decline.

Deleted member 3093 · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
No. That's why I said the hope was there before it got destroyed.

Did you know that before it was destroyed, black people weren't equal citizens by design

StrayDog · Oct 11, 2020

OP romanticizing a time he never lived

Christian · Oct 11, 2020

LMAO, someone bought into the grade school American history lessons.

Shodan14 · Oct 11, 2020

Do we really, though?

Mekanos · Oct 11, 2020

pictured: america being great

1080055234_0:154:2047:1262_1000x541_80_0_0_79235218e930a60809daa72e089e0c7d.jpg

Deleted member 3093 · Oct 11, 2020

Mekanos said:
pictured: america being great

I mean

I suppose 'great' is not necessarily positive lol

farmland · Oct 11, 2020

The USA was never great. You could make it great by shutting down the empire and fixing the internal issue's that afflict the poor, working and non-white people internally.

DanSensei · Oct 11, 2020

StrayDog said:
OP romanticizing a time he never lived

Maybe I am, but I saw my grandfather, who never even went to college, raised four children and gave them good lives and now anyone not named Walton or Bezos can't get anything no matter what degree they have. What's wrong with wanting people to be better off? Of course I detest racism and we need to leave that in the past, and while it may define America's past in many ways, the biggest change in America has been everybody suffering financially.

Red · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
Maybe I am, but I saw my grandfather, who never even went to college, raised four children and gave them good lives and now anyone not named Walton or Bezos can't get anything no matter what degree they have. What's wrong with wanting people to be better off? Of course I detest racism and we need to leave that in the past, and while it may define America's past in many ways, the biggest change in America has been everybody suffering financially.

How old is your grandfather?

Deleted member 3093 · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
Maybe I am, but I saw my grandfather, who never even went to college, raised four children and gave them good lives and now anyone not named Walton or Bezos can't get anything no matter what degree they have. What's wrong with wanting people to be better off? Of course I detest racism and we need to leave that in the past, and while it may define America's past in many ways, the biggest change in America has been everybody suffering financially.

So to you, we should go back to a time where only some people are suffering financially, because of the color of their skin

DanSensei · Oct 11, 2020

Red said:
How old is your grandfather?

He was born in the 20s. WWII vet.

A.By said:
So to you, we should go back to a time where only some people are suffering financially, because of the color of their skin

I stated specifically that we need to leave the racism in the past, and that's the change we have to make from back then in the very quote you used.

Mekanos · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
Maybe I am, but I saw my grandfather, who never even went to college, raised four children and gave them good lives and now anyone not named Walton or Bezos can't get anything no matter what degree they have. What's wrong with wanting people to be better off? Of course I detest racism and we need to leave that in the past, and while it may define America's past in many ways, the biggest change in America has been everybody suffering financially.

Agreed comrade, the working class needs to come together and overthrow the bourgeoisie. Nothing to lose but our chains!

Tbro777 · Oct 11, 2020

Maybe it should be "make america great for everyone like it was great for white people"

Surfinn · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
Maybe I am, but I saw my grandfather, who never even went to college, raised four children and gave them good lives and now anyone not named Walton or Bezos can't get anything no matter what degree they have. What's wrong with wanting people to be better off? Of course I detest racism and we need to leave that in the past, and while it may define America's past in many ways, the biggest change in America has been everybody suffering financially.

So you recognize that America was never great? And that MAGA is inherently bullshit

That's why we shouldn't use it

Brawly Likes to Brawl · Oct 11, 2020

America was never an empathetic country, almost all of the founding fathers owned slaves.

ElectricBlanketFire · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
Maybe I am, but I saw my grandfather, who never even went to college, raised four children and gave them good lives and now anyone not named Walton or Bezos can't get anything no matter what degree they have. What's wrong with wanting people to be better off? Of course I detest racism and we need to leave that in the past, and while it may define America's past in many ways, the biggest change in America has been everybody suffering financially.

My grandpa did the same because he was involved in local government that kept black families out of his neighborhood.

Red · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
He was born in the 20s. WWII vet.

He was alive for 40 years before America passed the civil rights act. And soon after that, an entire generation developed more subtle and pernicious ways to persecute minorities. There is a not insubstantial amount of pain involved with the notion of "great again," when so many people have been excluded from the opportunity of greatness. Surely you recognize this.

The phrase is meant to conjure images of a better time, which existed only for white America. There is a reason it is used by the people it is used by. There is nothing to reclaim here. It is a weaponized idea. It is meant to rally the white bigots of America.

BringBackSonics · Oct 11, 2020

Eriol said:
Nah, maybe if you refer as making the continent great, because for most people on the world except us citizens america is the continent, not the country.

really? Maybe certain parts of the world. When I was in Korea and said I was from America, they knew what I meant.

Deleted member 3093 · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
He was born in the 20s. WWII vet.

I stated specifically that we need to leave the racism in the past, and that's the change we have to make from back then in the very quote you used.

So we need to go back to a fictional America that never existed

DanSensei · Oct 11, 2020

Surfinn said:
So you recognize that America was never great? And that MAGA is inherently bullshit

That's why we shouldn't use it

It was never fully great, and I am no nationalist or racist. The main reason I suggested this, and it doesn't seem to have been made clear, is that if we took back MAGA imagine how it would piss off trump and his supporters.

America had some great elements in its past, and I was hoping we could focus on those of we reclaimed maga.

Shyotl · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
Maybe I am, but I saw my grandfather, who never even went to college, raised four children and gave them good lives and now anyone not named Walton or Bezos can't get anything no matter what degree they have. What's wrong with wanting people to be better off? Of course I detest racism and we need to leave that in the past, and while it may define America's past in many ways, the biggest change in America has been everybody suffering financially.

It's all about dem straight whites, baby. I wouldn't go 'back', but Reagan-ism has definitely seen us down a shitty path.

Red · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
It was never fully great, and I am no nationalist or racist. The main reason I suggested this, and it doesn't seem to have been made clear, is that if we took back MAGA imagine how it would piss off trump and his supporters.

America had some great elements in its past, and I was hoping we could focus on those of we reclaimed maga.

What do you mean by "take back MAGA"? What do you think it meant before Trump adopted it as a campaign slogan?

Tbro777 · Oct 11, 2020

I kinda get the OPs sentiment, back in the new deal era, as long as you were white, you could own a home and make a good living without a college degree. I think what they mean is if we could make it like that again but for everyone.

Deleted member 3093 · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
It was never fully great, and I am no nationalist or racist. The main reason I suggested this, and it doesn't seem to have been made clear, is that if we took back MAGA imagine how it would piss off trump and his supporters.

America had some great elements in its past, and I was hoping we could focus on those of we reclaimed maga.

So embrace nationalism to own the cons

Nepenthe · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
No. That's why I said the hope was there before it got destroyed, but there's a reason why green new deal has new deal in its name. We need to go back to that mentality of helping people, but with eyes more on racial equality.

The only reason these large stimulus bills were passed, the only reason America ever seemed to care for the poor, the only reason we seemed to be at the forefront of general quality of life, is because these benefits were for entirely meant for white people.

In America, bettering the country and caring about non-whites are mutually exclusive concepts.

mbpm · Oct 11, 2020

I didn't agree that you could reclaim proud boys so I don't agree with reclaiming this.

Mekanos · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
It was never fully great, and I am no nationalist or racist. The main reason I suggested this, and it doesn't seem to have been made clear, is that if we took back MAGA imagine how it would piss off trump and his supporters.

America had some great elements in its past, and I was hoping we could focus on those of we reclaimed maga.

stop framing your worldview on how much it will piss off trump and his supporters (which lol they won't care), this is a very unhealthy and politically immature way to view conflict within society

DanSensei · Oct 11, 2020

Tbro777 said:
I kinda get the OPs sentiment, back in the new deal era, as long as you were white, you could own a home and make a good living without a college degree. I think what they mean is if we could make it like that again but for everyone.

Thank you. This is what I meant. I don't discuss politics that much, and wasn't really specific enough. I apologize for that, but this is what I meant.

gazoinks · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
It was never fully great, and I am no nationalist or racist. The main reason I suggested this, and it doesn't seem to have been made clear, is that if we took back MAGA imagine how it would piss off trump and his supporters.

America had some great elements in its past, and I was hoping we could focus on those of we reclaimed maga.

Trump supporters don't give a shit if you try to reclaim their verbiage. If anything it makes them more powerful.

super-famicom · Oct 11, 2020

MAGA is forever trash and there's no need to take it back and turn it against Trump. If we want to upset him and his base, we just need to support Black Lives Matter, defund the police, support transgender citizens, and give women the right to choose. And we need to. Vote. Against. Trump. And. The. GOP.

KtSlime · Oct 11, 2020

I know it has been said in this thread, but for posterities sake, America was never great.

DanSensei · Oct 11, 2020

super-famicom said:
MAGA is forever trash and there's no need to take it back and turn it against Trump. If we want to upset him and his base, we just need to support Black Lives Matter, defund the police, support transgender citizens, and give women the right to choose. And we need to. Vote. Against. Trump. And. The. GOP.

Well, for the record, I do all that and have already voted against him.

99nikniht · Oct 11, 2020

Eriol said:
Nah, maybe if you refer as making the continent great, because for most people on the world except us citizens america is the continent, not the country.

This is not true. When abroad, the moment I utter the phrase, "I'm American," people automatically know I'm talking about the US. I'm saying this from anyone from Europe, the Americas (North, central, and south, Asia, and just about anywhere else.

Tbro777 said:
I kinda get the OPs sentiment, back in the new deal era, as long as you were white, you could own a home and make a good living without a college degree. I think what they mean is if we could make it like that again but for everyone.

I'm sort of onboard with this line of reasoning. Although, I would not choose MAGA as a slogan since it originated from Republicans during the Reagan admin. However, there could be value to hearken back to the middle class expansion of the post-WW2 economy. However, this can only be done with the caveat of understanding and admitting that at the time it was only great for the white working class, but promise to be great for every American no matter the race or sexual orientation.

Surfinn · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
It was never fully great, and I am no nationalist or racist. The main reason I suggested this, and it doesn't seem to have been made clear, is that if we took back MAGA imagine how it would piss off trump and his supporters.

America had some great elements in its past, and I was hoping we could focus on those of we reclaimed maga.

But you're quite literally advocating for a slogan that reads Make America Great Again

Surely you can understand how bad of idea this is and how it's inherently racist.

America was never great and you're either ignorant to its history or knowingly promoting bigotry

Deleted member 10629 · Oct 11, 2020

The United States has never been 'great' lmao

DanSensei · Oct 11, 2020

Surfinn said:
But you're quite literally advocating for a slogan that reads Make America Great Again

Surely you can understand how bad of idea this is and how it's inherently racist.

America was never great and you're either ignorant to its history or knowingly promoting bigotry

I didn't think it through enough in all the ways I should have, and I apologize for that.

Ultimate Bear Cub · Oct 11, 2020

They can keep that trash. Let's make something better and contemporary.

Daniel Westlake · Oct 11, 2020

The term is a repurposed Ronald Reagan bit there ain't a goddamn thing to reclaim

Thequietone · Oct 11, 2020

DanSensei said:
Thank you. This is what I meant. I don't discuss politics that much, and wasn't really specific enough. I apologize for that, but this is what I meant.

The problem with that is you're saying again when it was never like that, so you're saying it should be make America great but at that point it's not retaking the slogan back. Which, again, has always been a conservative slogan, so there is nothing to take back. You might as well say Make America Better. I'm sorry but you really are romanticizing something that not only wasn't great for the majority of people but was downright dire and hopeless for others. We need to go forward and not backwards.

Tbro777 · Oct 11, 2020

99nikniht said:
This is not true. When abroad, the moment I utter the phrase, "I'm American," people automatically know I'm talking about the US. I'm saying this from anyone from Europe, the Americas (North, central, and south, Asia, and just about anywhere else.

I'm sort of onboard with this line of reasoning. Although, I would not choose MAGA as a slogan since it originated from Republicans during the Reagan admin. However, there could be value to hearken back to the middle class expansion of the post-WW2 economy. However, this can only be done with the caveat of understanding and admitting that at the time it was only great for the white working class, but promise to be great for every American no matter the race or sexual orientation.

Yeah, the MAGA slogan was never true and is too toxic, in reality MAGA should be MAGFW(Make America Great For Whites). We could just use Make America Great For Everyone, but MAGFE doesn't roll of the tongue too well.

DanSensei · Oct 11, 2020

Thequietone said:
The problem with that is you're saying again when it was never like that, so you're saying it should be make America great but at that point it's not retaking the slogan back. Which, again, has always been a conservative slogan, so there is nothing to take back. You might as well say Make America Better. I'm sorry but you really are romanticizing something that not only wasn't great for the majority of people but was downright dire and hopeless for others. We need to go forward and not backwards.

True. I was throwing an idea out there that would have hopefully made a few maga people mad enough to say something stupid and turn a few voters away from them. Just wanted to do my part in the election.

99nikniht · Oct 11, 2020

Tbro777 said:
Yeah, the MAGA slogan was never true and is too toxic, in reality MAGA should be MAGFW(Make America Great For Whites). We could just use Make America Great For Everyone, but MAGFE doesn't roll of the tongue too well.

Right MAGFE won't roll off the tongue well lol. I do think a catchy and central slogan that is 2-3 syllables and captures the idea of transforming USA to work for everyone would be great. Though, I'm not sure if a nationlistic slogan would ultimately be a good thing or not.

bionic77 · Oct 11, 2020

We need to fix real problems. Police training, cost of healthcare, cost of education, affordable housing in cities, strengthening of unions.

AndyD · Oct 11, 2020

Why reclaim it? To me it has connotations of regress rather than progress and it's subject to the pitfalls of the times. Want to go back to 50s racism? 60s Vietnam war? 70s cold war? Despite all the positive things that happened in those decades?

I think we should use something far more positive like "Make America the best it's ever been" or "Make America Better" or simply "For a better America" as it is evergreen and it recognizes that while we are great, we can always improve and should never become complacent.

wenis · Oct 11, 2020

To want to reclaim that saying would mean someone actually believed that America was ever great. No such thing.

Deleted member 21709 · Oct 11, 2020

No we don't.

platocplx · Oct 11, 2020

Maga is stupid.
Make America better.

MisterSnrub · Oct 11, 2020

Just phonetically, hearing 'maga' sounds gross and horrible to me now. Like a racist old person baby-talking.

It's beyond salvaging.

We need to reclaim "make America great again."

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