pillbinge t1_iswd27f wrote on October 19, 2022 at 4:28 AM

Reply to comment by NoButThanks in Restoring ‘our Christian foundational values’ is the pitch from Mass. GOP gubernatorial nominee by lurker_registered

Diehl is a tool and won't win, thankfully, but what is a politician realistically supposed to do? Vet everyone before taking a photo using a team of experts working at lightning speed? I had a Facebook feed of some of the most insufferable people I know who epitomized bitter, toxic culture about 7 years ago taking pictures with Bernie and Clinton. Plenty of unliked celebrities - usually minor - came out for Sanders too. What's supposed to happen? My neighbor has casually dropped the n-word before but she had a Healey sign. How does that reflect on Healey?

And it isn't a rhetorical question. What are you real expectations there?

NoButThanks t1_isxdkmw wrote on October 19, 2022 at 12:11 PM

Also, just to add on while thinking about it more: we know Healey's stance on white supremacy because of the office she currently holds and boy does she hate it. Diehl on the other hand: https://mypraiseatl.com/2325832/republican-candidate-geoff-diehl-caught-lying-about-daughter-signing-white-privilege-pledge-at-school/ (there is a Boston Globe article about this, but it's paywalled). 100% the next governor of Massachusetts is going to have to deal with white supremacists. I think under Diehl they will fly their Nazi flags openly and feel emboldened to be more in the open too, so his campaign should step up more on it. It would be a good debate question. Just some added small flavor on the issue: https://www.salemnews.com/opinion/column-diehl-with-the-devil/article_bea64a16-091a-11ed-a4cf-83e91d7a9fca.html

NoButThanks t1_isx8k4i wrote on October 19, 2022 at 11:20 AM

Reflects poorly on your neighbor. If Healey was buddies with your neighbor and knew about the n word stuff and continued to hang out, it would reflect poorly on her. Yeah, it's a one off unknown interaction for Diehl. Diehl could just address it but chooses not to. In this particular case, because of Diehl's political views and that Diehl doesn't address it or condemn it, it's almost silent support.

pillbinge t1_isz6u77 wrote on October 19, 2022 at 7:42 PM

We all know it reflects poorly on my neighbor. I don't think anyone questioned that. The problem is one of lines. Does it reflect poorly on her husband, whom I haven't witnessed do that - and can't imagine, because he's very sweet? Does it reflect poorly on her kids who talk gruff like her, but whom I still haven't heard say anything like that? Does it reflect on the politician?

Now, if that politician takes a photo with my neighbor, do I call the politician a racist? I think we all know it doesn't transmit like COVID.

>If Healey was buddies

For one, friendship is a lot broader than that, and runs a lot deeper. I don't stop being friends with someone just because of a handful of, granted, major flaws. If anything, they're my responsibility.

Two, I'm not talking buddies though, am I? I'm talking photos with random supporters who come up to you and ask for one.

>it's almost silent support.

Why is it on Diehl to address it? Because it would please you? That's a great point to make if you run PR and it's your job to obsess about these things, but we're talking about normal, rational people. Not people who use conspiracy-adjacent lines of thinking.