The day after the infamous mug shot seen around the world of former President Donald Trump began circulating, a new narrative began manifesting on social media out of the mouths (and keyboards) of pundits on the political right about how the “black voting bloc” would suddenly be captured by Republicans in 2024 because of this mug shot.
You can't fix stupid. OF COURSE it's insulting. That its insulting is plain and obvious and anyone who can't see that is just a complete imbecile. It groups people into a pack and completely ignores individuals. Shame on the intellect that does that. On the right we are supposed to pride ourselves in treating people as individuals and not as the pack creatures who are all in lock step and vote the same that the democrats do with their incessant group politics. Sheesh. And its also so tone deaf as to be...well, beyond ignorant. It's so depressing when you read things like that. I respect Jordan Peterson but I'm really not following him on this one. I'd like to see a more comprehensive explanation of why he disagrees with you.
To say I was shocked that Jordan Peterson couldn't comprehend what I was saying would be an understatement. He wasn't inquisitive but sometimes I think people believe my criticisms mean I'm a leftist or liberal, which I'm not. They're not used to be critiqued from the right, and so they have no intention of asking questions about what I'm saying.
I completely respect your position. It is insulting to attribute that some young guys find it 'relatable' and post on social media to be an opinion by an entire class of people. That is like saying the opinions of Kim Kardashian and company, represent my views. Since Jordan Peterson follows your work, hopefully, you two can sit and discuss. I do like his work but I can tell the constant criticism he receives can wear him down and he sometimes says things that seem without deep thought. The eccentric dedicated professor presented in his old lectures is not the same who presents himself today.
Sep 1, 2023·edited Sep 1, 2023Liked by Adam B. Coleman
He obviously follows your work which is wonderful. Hopefully, an interview between you two will follow.
I have thought about your column more. The problem we all face is the media paints a picture of a group, slaps on their appointed spokesperson and then we all fall for it. People who go to work as accountants, nurses, or restaurant managers are boring so their opinions don't count. But I do think the young men holding the photo are important for breaking a stronghold by the Dem party. Unlike the Marxists', I believe culture often trickles up. I saw a YT short of a punker with the requisite tattoos all over his head, who concluded you can't be a punker and a liberal because liberalism aligns with authoritarianism. That prompted me to discuss with a drugstore clerk, with tattoos all over his face, how difficult it is that now even deodorant must be behind the counter. We had a great discussion and connected much more than the silly liberal woman next to me.
Well, I believe in honesty and truth. You made a fair criticism and instead of labeling you and making assumptions what he needed to do is make an assessment of what you wrote on it's merits. It doesn't look like he did. Even if you were on the left that's no excuse. People on the left can be correct about things too. It's not often that I find them to be, but they can be and truth and honesty demand that all ideas are subjected to the same intellectual rigor on their own merits. There is merit to what you wrote and I hope Dr. Peterson takes a second look. I don't like labels. Labels prevent one from really knowing someone because they cause assumptions to be made. I don't relate to groups, I relate to individuals. Of course making assumptions is a natural human self-defense mechanism and useful for our survival the same way uniforms tell the military who the enemy is, but this is hardly such a situation. I'd be interested in the result if you ever reach out to him and seek the opportunity for a real exchange. This is an important topic and conservatives/republicans should pay attention. Our policies will work better for black Americans. We need to convince them that they should listen to us because we want things to improve for all Americans, not just those already on our team. We are all Americans. Together.
I only just heard this “thought” that Trump’s mug shot somehow resonated with black people this evening, and I run in a conservative circle within a liberal city. I read the theory online - not anywhere else. My first thought was why? It wasn’t mentioned by a single Republican I actually know.
For what it’s worth, I just thought Trump’s mug shot was funny, and aside from giving Trump credit for having a sense of humor in a situation most people would crumble, I never went seeking some “deeper meaning” or political ploy. I don’t know anyone who did either. I think political pundits want their to be deeper meaning. I think Trump was just giving the middle finger to the most recent attacks. It was funny memes and sadness we have turned towards banana republic. The online world goes down rabbit holes of insinuation and impact most humans otherwise wouldn’t because it’s really nothing more than a funny mug shot and a dude whose been attacked for 8 years refusing to give in.
I appreciate the perspective. As a moderate conservative white dude, I would never have believed this crap about black folks somehow identifying with Trump because of a mug shot. You've got every right to be offended by such a stupid statement. That being said, I'm probably about as far away from being a card-carrying Republican as you currently are from being a card-carrying Democrat, and most of that distance, at least on my part, is because of stupid stuff said by the Republican hoi polloi.
There's a strong anti-intellectual bent in American politics, and it has infected both sides. This is where all of the stupid s#it comes from.
I agree with you. I will say, the right mostly pretends to hate intellectuals until an intellectual says something they agree with, then they're a genius.
Laura Loomer? More like Laura Looney. She’s so in the tank for Trump that it’s nauseating. The nonsense she spouts on social media makes me wonder if she’s some sort of MAGA bot and this is coming from someone who voted for DJT twice. God forbid someone black would vote for Trump because they believe in his vision for America and not because of a stupid mugshot. This election is making us all dumber, I swear.
Thanks for explaining it to me. I also didn't understand the meme. I thought that it was based on something like this: Trump is now a certified outcast, as black Americans are, so we now have something in common. Which is stupid. All my black acquaintances/friends are far more politically savvy than that and don't necessarily think of themselves as outcasts, far as I can tell. But that's what I thought.
Now that you've cleared the meme up, it's insulting AND stupid.
"I’m going to say this in a blunt manner and I believe people will understand what I mean by this: the right is sharing videos of mostly niggas and niggas aren’t known for voting."
Those are my exact thoughts as well. Anytime the MSM, on the right or left show blacks who "support them", it's never middle or upper middle class blacks. The images of who we are continue to be stereotypical. They celebrate "blacks in the hood" for Trump, or whomever they are propping up. I don't know anything about being in prison, being arrested, or being falsely arrested. To some that may imply I'm not black, but I assure you I'm as black as the ace of spades. Black Americans must stop being the political pawns or both parties.
I wanted to respond to your article but I couldn't find any way of expressing it without running the risk of sounding condescending or somehow not expressing it clearly. So instead, let me just say that I really appreciate your writing. I got your book and am looking forward to reading it: you've been through a lot and you've come out on top. I hope that some day, when this mess is behind us, we're all able to come back together; as brothers, or something. Life is hard enough as it is.
I can't believe Jordan Peterson didn't get where you were coming from and why you would find this insulting. I thought he was better than that. Also he misspelled "there" and it's driving me bananas.
Love you, my brother. Have your book, "Black Victim to Black Victor," and love your message. Everyone needs to hear it, but don't forget why you wrote it! You wrote it to correct a false narrative.
The perception has been promoted over and over by the leftist media that blacks are being hunted down and killed or jailed on false charges by "the man." The victim drum-beat never stops. The left plays it over and over: "you're a victim of the system, you're a victim of the system, you're a victim of the system." There are best sellers written by blacks who promote that message. The same people have a passionate hatred of Trump and conservatives.
Proverbs 26:27 says it well: "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling." The drum beat is now being applied to Trump! He is now being seen as "a victim of the system." A lot of the blacks who hated Trump with a passion and who were fully captured by the lies and deceit spread about him, are beginning to see what is really going on. Videos of him denouncing racists and the Klan are appearing all over the place. People are seeing what has been going on and many who think they are victims may begin to pull out of the mentality.
You're correct and oddly enough, this very messaging from conservatives actually co-signs the victim narrative. They spent 3 years saying there is no criminal justice oppression to suddenly acknowledging criminal justice oppression to invoke a belief that it will get them votes for Trump. It's inconsistent and strange.
Laura Boomer is just not a very intelligent human. Jordan would never use their where it should be there so I believe his daughter made that tweet. She does a lot of his tweets which is dangerous as there is a huge chasm in their intellectual levels.
We would all have been so much better off if there had never been such a thing as Twitter. It’s an algorithm that takes in human language and spits out garbage.
Adam, I'm seeing the random videos you speak of, but I'm not seeing this idea being promoted by white Republicans. Maybe I've missed that.
I'm going to take a stab at rebutting you here, and hopefully not be insulting about it, so bear with me.
I think - me, just me - I think that a lot of the black people you speak of, people like you with zero acquaintanceship with the criminal justice system, are still quite aware of the problems many blacks do have with it, such as with things like "driving while black". In other words, they see the unfairness of what's happened to other black people, and they can empathize with the unfairness of how Trump is being treated by the criminal justice system.
That's almost guaranteed to create some sympathy for the man, and not just in the types you spoke of, rappers and niggas - I'm presuming your permission to use the word here - but in people who have seen others suffer unfair prosecution. If nothing else, Americans are big on cheering for the underdog, and right now, Trump is clearly an underdog where the DoJ is concerned. It may well be that attitude is being amplified in the black community, particularly with younger black males.
It will be interesting to see what polling turns up.
Having empathy for people is not specific to race or group of people. Most of the people marching during 2020 for BLM don't look like me. Humans can empathize with other humans if they believe something is unjust. But in order to empathize with Trump, you'd actually have to believe that he is innocent. If most black people are Democrats, why would they think this?
I've found paying attention to "cheerleaders" of either side is generally a waste of time, unless you're into dark humor. What republicans, or perhaps just people on the right, are hoping to see is those who historcally vote Democrat will see how far the leadership of that party have strayed from caring about others. Votes appear to be just a means to power. This argumwnt can be applied to the Republicans, but it seems to be much, much worse on the Left.
You can't fix stupid. OF COURSE it's insulting. That its insulting is plain and obvious and anyone who can't see that is just a complete imbecile. It groups people into a pack and completely ignores individuals. Shame on the intellect that does that. On the right we are supposed to pride ourselves in treating people as individuals and not as the pack creatures who are all in lock step and vote the same that the democrats do with their incessant group politics. Sheesh. And its also so tone deaf as to be...well, beyond ignorant. It's so depressing when you read things like that. I respect Jordan Peterson but I'm really not following him on this one. I'd like to see a more comprehensive explanation of why he disagrees with you.
To say I was shocked that Jordan Peterson couldn't comprehend what I was saying would be an understatement. He wasn't inquisitive but sometimes I think people believe my criticisms mean I'm a leftist or liberal, which I'm not. They're not used to be critiqued from the right, and so they have no intention of asking questions about what I'm saying.
I completely respect your position. It is insulting to attribute that some young guys find it 'relatable' and post on social media to be an opinion by an entire class of people. That is like saying the opinions of Kim Kardashian and company, represent my views. Since Jordan Peterson follows your work, hopefully, you two can sit and discuss. I do like his work but I can tell the constant criticism he receives can wear him down and he sometimes says things that seem without deep thought. The eccentric dedicated professor presented in his old lectures is not the same who presents himself today.
I might actually meet him in a few months when I go to his organization's event.
He obviously follows your work which is wonderful. Hopefully, an interview between you two will follow.
I have thought about your column more. The problem we all face is the media paints a picture of a group, slaps on their appointed spokesperson and then we all fall for it. People who go to work as accountants, nurses, or restaurant managers are boring so their opinions don't count. But I do think the young men holding the photo are important for breaking a stronghold by the Dem party. Unlike the Marxists', I believe culture often trickles up. I saw a YT short of a punker with the requisite tattoos all over his head, who concluded you can't be a punker and a liberal because liberalism aligns with authoritarianism. That prompted me to discuss with a drugstore clerk, with tattoos all over his face, how difficult it is that now even deodorant must be behind the counter. We had a great discussion and connected much more than the silly liberal woman next to me.
Well, I believe in honesty and truth. You made a fair criticism and instead of labeling you and making assumptions what he needed to do is make an assessment of what you wrote on it's merits. It doesn't look like he did. Even if you were on the left that's no excuse. People on the left can be correct about things too. It's not often that I find them to be, but they can be and truth and honesty demand that all ideas are subjected to the same intellectual rigor on their own merits. There is merit to what you wrote and I hope Dr. Peterson takes a second look. I don't like labels. Labels prevent one from really knowing someone because they cause assumptions to be made. I don't relate to groups, I relate to individuals. Of course making assumptions is a natural human self-defense mechanism and useful for our survival the same way uniforms tell the military who the enemy is, but this is hardly such a situation. I'd be interested in the result if you ever reach out to him and seek the opportunity for a real exchange. This is an important topic and conservatives/republicans should pay attention. Our policies will work better for black Americans. We need to convince them that they should listen to us because we want things to improve for all Americans, not just those already on our team. We are all Americans. Together.
I only just heard this “thought” that Trump’s mug shot somehow resonated with black people this evening, and I run in a conservative circle within a liberal city. I read the theory online - not anywhere else. My first thought was why? It wasn’t mentioned by a single Republican I actually know.
For what it’s worth, I just thought Trump’s mug shot was funny, and aside from giving Trump credit for having a sense of humor in a situation most people would crumble, I never went seeking some “deeper meaning” or political ploy. I don’t know anyone who did either. I think political pundits want their to be deeper meaning. I think Trump was just giving the middle finger to the most recent attacks. It was funny memes and sadness we have turned towards banana republic. The online world goes down rabbit holes of insinuation and impact most humans otherwise wouldn’t because it’s really nothing more than a funny mug shot and a dude whose been attacked for 8 years refusing to give in.
I appreciate the perspective. As a moderate conservative white dude, I would never have believed this crap about black folks somehow identifying with Trump because of a mug shot. You've got every right to be offended by such a stupid statement. That being said, I'm probably about as far away from being a card-carrying Republican as you currently are from being a card-carrying Democrat, and most of that distance, at least on my part, is because of stupid stuff said by the Republican hoi polloi.
There's a strong anti-intellectual bent in American politics, and it has infected both sides. This is where all of the stupid s#it comes from.
I agree with you. I will say, the right mostly pretends to hate intellectuals until an intellectual says something they agree with, then they're a genius.
Adam, if the right hates intellectuals, then explain the reverence for people such as Thomas Sowell and others :)
That's why I was saying they don't really hate them. They only hate intellectuals when they disagree with them.
Thank you, I thought I was the only one that noticed that. 👍💯
Laura Loomer? More like Laura Looney. She’s so in the tank for Trump that it’s nauseating. The nonsense she spouts on social media makes me wonder if she’s some sort of MAGA bot and this is coming from someone who voted for DJT twice. God forbid someone black would vote for Trump because they believe in his vision for America and not because of a stupid mugshot. This election is making us all dumber, I swear.
Thanks for explaining it to me. I also didn't understand the meme. I thought that it was based on something like this: Trump is now a certified outcast, as black Americans are, so we now have something in common. Which is stupid. All my black acquaintances/friends are far more politically savvy than that and don't necessarily think of themselves as outcasts, far as I can tell. But that's what I thought.
Now that you've cleared the meme up, it's insulting AND stupid.
I yield to your knowledge and commitment.
Hope to sit and have a steak with you someday.
"I’m going to say this in a blunt manner and I believe people will understand what I mean by this: the right is sharing videos of mostly niggas and niggas aren’t known for voting."
Those are my exact thoughts as well. Anytime the MSM, on the right or left show blacks who "support them", it's never middle or upper middle class blacks. The images of who we are continue to be stereotypical. They celebrate "blacks in the hood" for Trump, or whomever they are propping up. I don't know anything about being in prison, being arrested, or being falsely arrested. To some that may imply I'm not black, but I assure you I'm as black as the ace of spades. Black Americans must stop being the political pawns or both parties.
1000 percent what you just said.
Very well said.
Hi, Adam--
I wanted to respond to your article but I couldn't find any way of expressing it without running the risk of sounding condescending or somehow not expressing it clearly. So instead, let me just say that I really appreciate your writing. I got your book and am looking forward to reading it: you've been through a lot and you've come out on top. I hope that some day, when this mess is behind us, we're all able to come back together; as brothers, or something. Life is hard enough as it is.
Peace :-)
Note to Jordan Peterson: It’s there not their
I can't believe Jordan Peterson didn't get where you were coming from and why you would find this insulting. I thought he was better than that. Also he misspelled "there" and it's driving me bananas.
Love you, my brother. Have your book, "Black Victim to Black Victor," and love your message. Everyone needs to hear it, but don't forget why you wrote it! You wrote it to correct a false narrative.
The perception has been promoted over and over by the leftist media that blacks are being hunted down and killed or jailed on false charges by "the man." The victim drum-beat never stops. The left plays it over and over: "you're a victim of the system, you're a victim of the system, you're a victim of the system." There are best sellers written by blacks who promote that message. The same people have a passionate hatred of Trump and conservatives.
Proverbs 26:27 says it well: "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling." The drum beat is now being applied to Trump! He is now being seen as "a victim of the system." A lot of the blacks who hated Trump with a passion and who were fully captured by the lies and deceit spread about him, are beginning to see what is really going on. Videos of him denouncing racists and the Klan are appearing all over the place. People are seeing what has been going on and many who think they are victims may begin to pull out of the mentality.
You're correct and oddly enough, this very messaging from conservatives actually co-signs the victim narrative. They spent 3 years saying there is no criminal justice oppression to suddenly acknowledging criminal justice oppression to invoke a belief that it will get them votes for Trump. It's inconsistent and strange.
INO criminals don’t vote. But you’re right it’s racist. And I’m sure you know LL is wacko.
She's absolutely nuts. However, the problem isn't necessarily her but that people agree with her.
Dinesh D'Souza said the same thing Loomer did and D'Souza isn't fringe.
Laura Boomer is just not a very intelligent human. Jordan would never use their where it should be there so I believe his daughter made that tweet. She does a lot of his tweets which is dangerous as there is a huge chasm in their intellectual levels.
Interesting. I never thought about if his daughter wrote it or not.
I immediately thought the spelling error was highly, highly suspicious...(although I agree with Adam on this point, for sure!).
*Loomer
Interesting speculation, for sure ...
https://twitter.com/danielfloydtx/status/1681409146850033675
(IDK how reliable Rollo Tomasi might be here, or what motivations he might have vis a vis Peterson.)
We would all have been so much better off if there had never been such a thing as Twitter. It’s an algorithm that takes in human language and spits out garbage.
Adam, I'm seeing the random videos you speak of, but I'm not seeing this idea being promoted by white Republicans. Maybe I've missed that.
I'm going to take a stab at rebutting you here, and hopefully not be insulting about it, so bear with me.
I think - me, just me - I think that a lot of the black people you speak of, people like you with zero acquaintanceship with the criminal justice system, are still quite aware of the problems many blacks do have with it, such as with things like "driving while black". In other words, they see the unfairness of what's happened to other black people, and they can empathize with the unfairness of how Trump is being treated by the criminal justice system.
That's almost guaranteed to create some sympathy for the man, and not just in the types you spoke of, rappers and niggas - I'm presuming your permission to use the word here - but in people who have seen others suffer unfair prosecution. If nothing else, Americans are big on cheering for the underdog, and right now, Trump is clearly an underdog where the DoJ is concerned. It may well be that attitude is being amplified in the black community, particularly with younger black males.
It will be interesting to see what polling turns up.
As always, thanks for a thought provoking piece.
Having empathy for people is not specific to race or group of people. Most of the people marching during 2020 for BLM don't look like me. Humans can empathize with other humans if they believe something is unjust. But in order to empathize with Trump, you'd actually have to believe that he is innocent. If most black people are Democrats, why would they think this?
I agree.... “If any Republican wants my vote, they’re going to do more than just being photographed.”
I've found paying attention to "cheerleaders" of either side is generally a waste of time, unless you're into dark humor. What republicans, or perhaps just people on the right, are hoping to see is those who historcally vote Democrat will see how far the leadership of that party have strayed from caring about others. Votes appear to be just a means to power. This argumwnt can be applied to the Republicans, but it seems to be much, much worse on the Left.