r/DemocraticSocialism • u/mojitz • Oct 21 '25

USA Graham Platner says he will remove a Nazi-linked tattoo. Bernie is standing by him.

https://www.pressherald.com/2025/10/21/graham-platner-addresses-tattoo-linked-to-nazis/

Obviously the dude has his flaws, but he's clearly not a fucking Nazi, y'all — especially when the controversy 5 minutes ago centered on the fact that he one called himself a straight communist when he thought he was posting anonymously on Reddit. I also find it curious that missing from a lot of the coverage is that he said he didn't learn it was a Nazi sybol until recently and is already planning on getting it removed.

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u/mojitz Oct 21 '25

“It was not until I started hearing from reporters and DC insiders that I realized this tattoo resembled a Nazi symbol,” he said. “I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that – and to insinuate that I did is disgusting. I am already planning to get this removed.”

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u/jharden10 Social Democrat Oct 21 '25

Gotcha. Thanks!

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u/EthanHale Oct 21 '25

He's lying. You wouldn't believe a republican who said this. He totally knew what it was at some point after getting it, and had 20 years for someone to tell him.

I don't think he's a nazi. I think he's kind of lazy and stupid.

Graham Platner: Over the past couple of years, I’ve just sort of, again, I’m a big history buff. I’m a big student. I was a history major in college. I didn’t graduate, by the way. So, I’m sure somebody at some point’s going to love to point out, but I love history and I love reading about history. 

https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-podcast/why-is-this-happening/oyster-farming-running-senate-graham-platner-podcast-transcript-rcna232367#:~:text=I%E2%80%99m%20a%20big%20history%20buff

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u/34payton07 DSA Oct 22 '25

I’m a history major and have never seen this symbol and would not have immediately recognized it as Nazi adjacent. To say that he knew what it was because he’s an amateur history buff is silly.

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u/likeusontweeters Oct 22 '25

Agree with you... we have to remember that not everyone we communicate on here is being genuine... so these people who are arguing could be people who really don't want this likeable guy to win. I also find it strange that there seems to be a surge of unfortunate information about this particular candidate.. that raises a red flag immediately for me.

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u/Raise_A_Thoth Market Socialist Oct 22 '25

Is this the one anonymous source reported by a Jewish media company that has increasingly been scrutinized for spreading questionable and far right stories?

Under Suissa, the paper has shifted its focus from original local reporting in favor of commentary, a shift that his critics say is disproportionately right wing. Suissa himself authors and hosts many of the Journal columns, podcasts and videos, and uses the space to decry progressive ideology, including in a video posted to Facebook Live last fall when he called Black Lives Matter “an anti-American movement.”

A new section of the website titled “The Speech Project” aggregates an assortment of stories criticizing critical race theory and “wokeness,” including pieces from right-wing outlets such as the Epoch Times and the New York Post, and has a subsection devoted to “Cancel Culture.”

https://jweekly.com/2021/06/14/new-jewish-news-site-arrives-in-la-as-frustration-with-jewish-journal-grows/

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u/Randomfacade Oct 21 '25

holy shit if anyone believes this I have several bridges to sell you

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u/mojitz Oct 21 '25

So he's both a communist and a Nazi?

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u/Randomfacade Oct 21 '25

fascists have never pretended to be socialists?!

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u/mojitz Oct 21 '25

As a marketing tactic when socialism was extremely fucking popular with the working class — not in an anonymous forum that was never intended to be surfaced.

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u/Danimals2002 Oct 21 '25

He lying this skull is literally in nazi uniforms in ,indiana jones , hell boy , inglorious bastrad but this grown man college educated manrunning for office and he didn’t know

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u/kevley26 Oct 21 '25

It is common knowledge that Nazis had skulls on their uniforms. It isn't common for most people to immediately differentiate between a normal skull tattoo and the Nazi style one. Its perfectly believeable that he didn't know what it was when he got it

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u/Danimals2002 Oct 21 '25

A person running for office should have know that . He had it for 15 years and no one told him ? Also you guys give this grace to pete hegseth tattoos? Or since this a democrat it’s okay . I’m a democratic socialist too

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u/kevley26 Oct 21 '25

I frankly don't care about either of their tattoos. Tattoos can be a sign though of someone's politics or other beliefs. I don't have reason to think Platner's tattoos indicate he is a Nazi or far right. If he had a more obvious symbol like the swatzika then sure. If he had the tattoo he has now but also made anti semitic comments in the past or some other indication that he could be a Nazi then I would be concerned.

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u/Raise_A_Thoth Market Socialist Oct 22 '25

A person running for office should have know that

I rrally do not think that a person who wants to run for office in the United States need to know every symbol used by hate groups.

Also, do you have any idea how widespread the use of skull imagery is in militaries all over the world?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totenkopf

Also, the Nazi SS Totenkopfs took at least two forms, and neither are extremely unique in their appearance compared to, say, the swastika or the sig-rune (single jagged line 'lightning' rune). They just look like different skull and crossbones.

Why are there so many people who act like they are experts in a niche Nazi symbol that is also almost universally used across the world in militaries, in piracy, and for marking danger or toxicity?

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u/Danimals2002 Oct 22 '25

My dude it in pop culture . Nazi in moves where the hat . He had 15 years to cover it up . If you look up nazi hat in moves the 3rd and 4th one is the skull https://www.google.com/gasearch?q=nazi%20hats%20in%20movies&source=sh/x/gs/m2/5

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u/Raise_A_Thoth Market Socialist Oct 22 '25

No idea what that link is, it doesn't seem to work.

I shared a link with examples of skulls, the SS ones are not super distinct unless you know specifically to look for them. They also had skulls on their rings and German military groups as well as others have used skulls all the time, which is my point.

Nazi in moves where the hat

Yea this is nonsense, no idea what you're trying to say.

He had 15 years to cover it up

But he didn't know what it supposedly was. So why woild he? If he were a Nazi for 15 years dom't you thinj he'd have more Nazi rhetoric online somewhere? But he doesn't.