Elon Musk is under fire after publicly backing a far-right political party in Germany, suggesting the current government should not be re-elected over its position on the current migrant crisis in Europe.
If you’re asking because you don’t know how truly awful and scary AfD is: AfD is truly awful and the prospect of them gaining control is very scary. One of the world’s richest people can make things happen in politics.
If you’re asking because Musk supporting right wing politics is well known: yeah but see above. AfD is scary shit.
They are remarkably close to being able to push the “ethnic cleansing” button. They have stated their motive, they are close to achieving the means (their popularity is not far behind what Nazis were when they took power).
A personal anecdote: in 2020 entertained a German visitor (who never offered up a party affiliation, but it can be inferred) for a few hours at a bar. They managed to convey all sorts of political views supporting suppression of others but stopped short of directly calling for genocide. However any reasonable conversationalist would understand what they meant. The closest thing I can think of for this in English is “dogwhistling”, however I am convinced there is a better German word for it.
Imagine being so privileged (and bigoted) that you can pretend to “not understand” why the richest and potentially most powerful man on the planet is openly supporting Nazis counts as news…
Why is this news?
If you’re asking because you don’t know how truly awful and scary AfD is: AfD is truly awful and the prospect of them gaining control is very scary. One of the world’s richest people can make things happen in politics.
If you’re asking because Musk supporting right wing politics is well known: yeah but see above. AfD is scary shit.
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They are remarkably close to being able to push the “ethnic cleansing” button. They have stated their motive, they are close to achieving the means (their popularity is not far behind what Nazis were when they took power).
https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-far-right-afd-marks-10-years-since-its-founding/a-64607308
https://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/2018-04/germany-talks-experience-report-meeting/seite-2
A personal anecdote: in 2020 entertained a German visitor (who never offered up a party affiliation, but it can be inferred) for a few hours at a bar. They managed to convey all sorts of political views supporting suppression of others but stopped short of directly calling for genocide. However any reasonable conversationalist would understand what they meant. The closest thing I can think of for this in English is “dogwhistling”, however I am convinced there is a better German word for it.
Imagine being so privileged (and bigoted) that you can pretend to “not understand” why the richest and potentially most powerful man on the planet is openly supporting Nazis counts as news…