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Apolitical

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Clarissa

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Rammstein’s lead singer Till Lindemann has made a career of saying how apolitical he is. His Putinoid fans decided that since the singer is so reluctant to voice an opinion, they’d voice one for him. They created fake images of Lindemann wearing a T-shirt with Putin’s face and made up posters of fake quotes where Lindemann slavishly praises Putin.

So now Lindemann is braying like a wounded mule, explaining how he is not a Putin supporter.

Moral of the story: if you refuse to have a voice, others will speak in your name and you might not like what they have to say.

6 responses to “Apolitical”

  1. David Gendron Avatar
    David Gendron

    Next: a photo of Trump’s face with an USSR flag in the background.

    Trump 2016: Make USSR great again!

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      That would not surprise me at all.

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  2. Shakti Avatar
    Shakti

    Many singers/actors/entertainers don’t voice opinions or are “apolitical” in public because they don’t want to lose fans by voicing political opinions or don’t want to be trapped into becoming mascots for causes.

    Honestly, if you don’t have some sort of specific protection (like not being at-will or having tenure) or you make a living by voicing your political opinions, voicing them is not a wonderful idea even if you technically have 1st-amendment-or-the-like rights.

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      Tenure has nothing to do with it. More terrified and mousy people than tenured professors the world has never known.

      There is a million rationalizations in favor of mousiness. “If only I had tenure, if only I was my own boss, if only I had money, then I would finally speak my mind.” But none of it is true. I have spent my entire life voicing my opinions loudly, repetitively and insistently. And I’m perfectly fine.

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      1. Shakti Avatar
        Shakti

        Workplace protections do not alter inherent mousiness. But I’m speaking of standard advice which people are given as a matter of course and that they follow. I have a book on my shelf which advises “First amendment protections do not exist when you go to work. You will never be fired directly for your opinions, but rest assured if your boss doesn’t like it, they will find a pretext to fire you for cause”.

        I remember my parents would be terrified for me whenever I’d express a political opinion under their roof as if the walls were being tapped. I would attribute this to 9/11, but they’ve never liked it when I’ve expressed strong opinions of any kind that clashed with others.

        Loudly and insistently declaring that you are apolitical is a stance in and of itself. It feels like protesting too much.

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      2. David P. Bellamy Avatar
        David P. Bellamy

        I have spent my entire life voicing my opinions loudly, repetitively and insistently. And I’m perfectly fine.

        So have I, but I have always recognized that it was risky. It does seem less risky now that I am tenured.

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A conservative literary critic and college professor

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