Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

B.See

(7,097 posts)
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 05:16 AM Sunday

'Moral collapse': 'Larger atrocity' behind MAGA's racist chat unmasked in new analysis

TRUTH TO POWER AND POWER TO TRUTH

'Moral collapse': 'Larger atrocity' behind MAGA's racist chat unmasked in new analysis -Rawstory

Young Republicans' racist, homophobic and anti-semitic leaked text messages — are not surprising — but as a writer warns, "the texts degrade all of us," and signal a "larger atrocity" behind the MAGA movement.

In a piece Friday by The Atlantic's George Packer, the writer identifies just how this language and vitriol have made their way to the leaders of Young Republican groups, saying "I love Hitler" or joking about rape, gas chambers, and "watermelon people."

"To see only the varieties of bigotry with which we’re painfully familiar is to miss the depth of MAGA’s moral collapse.

Professing love for Hitler is more than anti-Semitic—it’s antihuman. It’s a proud refusal to be bound by the most basic standard of goodness, a deliberate expression of contempt for everything decent. The texts degrade all of us," Packer writes.

29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
'Moral collapse': 'Larger atrocity' behind MAGA's racist chat unmasked in new analysis (Original Post) B.See Sunday OP
MAGA is /pol/ JoseBalow Sunday #1
/pol/? nt Shipwack Sunday #2
I think it's a reference to the 4chan forums EdmondDantes_ Sunday #8
The /pol/ "Poilitally Incorrect" forum there, specifically JoseBalow Sunday #22
Oh! Ok, that makes sense. Thanks! nt Shipwack Sunday #24
Parent looking over your shoulder? What? 🤔 If one doesn't elaborate on their... littlemissmartypants Sunday #4
Thanks for the tip JoseBalow Sunday #23
I understood canetoad Sunday #29
Like the Charles Manson followers, these proud racists Buddyzbuddy Sunday #3
I don't know why everyone is so surprised. ... littlemissmartypants Sunday #5
Just look at the rhetoric used to recruit young people. This should not be any surprise. gordianot Sunday #6
The right's "moral collapse" is chilling and sobering. democrank Sunday #7
What's it gonna take to convince folks that the Republican Party is NOT the standard bearer Martin Eden Sunday #9
These MAGA types have to die out. Literally. valleyrogue Sunday #15
Many of them WILL DIE from FAFO Martin Eden Sunday #18
It is an expression of religious (im)morality and nationalist chauvinism. David__77 Sunday #19
You just reminded me of "blood and soil" Martin Eden Sunday #21
Young Republican assholes have been around for a long time Historic NY Sunday #10
+1 dalton99a Sunday #16
"Contempt for everything decent." Biophilic Sunday #11
The tragic tale of the Royal Republican Fascist Power Champp Sunday #12
Vance is part of the collapse; he excuses it by saying they are just "kids". . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Sunday #13
100%, He is their enabler and normalizer dalton99a Sunday #17
This has been inevitable since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, valleyrogue Sunday #14
Indeed. B.See Sunday #27
Oh, but they're just being edgy and it was all joking... haele Sunday #20
Collapse, no, just more fine republican family values. republianmushroom Sunday #25
I haven't posted this in a while, but one thing that cults do is to normalize usonian Sunday #26
Hitler Youth... AntiFascist Sunday #28

EdmondDantes_

(1,027 posts)
8. I think it's a reference to the 4chan forums
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 07:48 AM
Sunday

Suggesting that the Republicans are now just a party of Internet trolls

JoseBalow

(8,763 posts)
22. The /pol/ "Poilitally Incorrect" forum there, specifically
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 03:24 PM
Sunday

But yes, MAGA are literally those same "people."

littlemissmartypants

(30,348 posts)
4. Parent looking over your shoulder? What? 🤔 If one doesn't elaborate on their...
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 06:54 AM
Sunday

Replies it's unlikely everyone or anyone will understand the meaning or connect with the idea that may fail to launch conveying only that which is at best esoteric and at worst confusing.

Unless you don't want others to understand your meaning and want to be esoteric. Which is certainly your right. However, this is a discussion board in the minds of the majority of us here.

Telegraphic posts are more like driving by than contributions.

There are a multitude of reasons for that.

Please, if you indeed do want to connect here, tell us more. Thank you. ❤️

Buddyzbuddy

(1,721 posts)
3. Like the Charles Manson followers, these proud racists
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 06:42 AM
Sunday

should wear the swastika on their foreheads to show the depth of pride and loyalty they have to their leader and strong beliefs. In fact we should insist on it like the Nazi's they hold in such high esteem once did to 6 million of their victims.
NOT
Just a thought.
They are not kids unlike actual children that ICE is victimizing every f*cking day in the name of my Country, under the protection of my Country these thugs are carrying out racist policies. All while the leadership is robbing taxpayer money to buy not 1 but 2 private luxury jets and building ball rooms and using our military forces to assassinate foreign private citizens under the guise of drug enforcement.

All the while, the greatest generation that fought the fascists in WWII and fought for civil rights, voted for some of the most effective politicians that protected and served America are now dying off. That generation is so well represented here on DU and I'm so proud to see our seniors go into the breach once again and not go into that good night without a fight.
BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!

littlemissmartypants

(30,348 posts)
5. I don't know why everyone is so surprised. ...
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 06:59 AM
Sunday

It's nothing new. They have existed for years and years. They were underground for a moment and now they feel empowered.

The going concern, imo, is why are we wasting time on the known threats and not devoting our attention to our plans to fix it.

❤️

gordianot

(15,703 posts)
6. Just look at the rhetoric used to recruit young people. This should not be any surprise.
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 07:13 AM
Sunday

Let’s see, no empathy, Referring to any opposition as communist, Emphasizing white nationalism, bragging about the attack on Paul Pelosi, promoting revisionist history, and just plain misogynist and racist.

I wonder if Saint Charlie would approve.

democrank

(11,859 posts)
7. The right's "moral collapse" is chilling and sobering.
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 07:21 AM
Sunday

Looking back….the Right’s uproar over Americans speaking any language other than English was like child’s play compared to what they are willing to condemn now. They despise anything good, anything that offers a hand-up, anything with common decency at its core. From Due Process to SNAP benefits, from suicide hotlines to Head Start, it’s all a no-go. Intolerance is their guiding principle, cruelty their badge of honor.


Martin Eden

(15,022 posts)
9. What's it gonna take to convince folks that the Republican Party is NOT the standard bearer
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 07:53 AM
Sunday

For Christian morality and American patriotism?

Didn't our "Greatest Generation" fight a world war against the brutal fascism which young Republicans -- following the lead of President Trump -- now embrace?

Unless, of course, today's Republican church-going voters in America's heartland don't need to be convinced because they're already aware of what their Party has become and still support it because they too are filled with dehumanizing hatred for anyone who is not just like them.

valleyrogue

(2,397 posts)
15. These MAGA types have to die out. Literally.
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 10:31 AM
Sunday

There is no hope for them. They have been so brainwashed by their upbringing, their churches, if they belong to an "evangelical" (not really what they are) church especially a "non-denominational" one, and by the propaganda outfit Fox "News," their brains are fried. There is no reasoning with them at all.

Martin Eden

(15,022 posts)
18. Many of them WILL DIE from FAFO
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 10:38 AM
Sunday

When they can no longer afford health insurance and their cost of living goes up due to tariffs and the looming recession.

David__77

(24,487 posts)
19. It is an expression of religious (im)morality and nationalist chauvinism.
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 12:03 PM
Sunday

In this country, religiously morality and “patriotic movements” have a long and soiled history.

Historic NY

(39,369 posts)
10. Young Republican assholes have been around for a long time
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 08:06 AM
Sunday

they are now in the hall of congress and other positions. The kids (not) are just older and grayer.

Biophilic

(6,187 posts)
11. "Contempt for everything decent."
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 08:08 AM
Sunday

That seems, to me, to be a perfect description of current republicans. How very, very sad.

Champp

(2,355 posts)
12. The tragic tale of the Royal Republican Fascist Power
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 08:14 AM
Sunday

Satan is well pleased with the Republicans, no doubt. They are crapping all over every one of Christ's teachings.

valleyrogue

(2,397 posts)
14. This has been inevitable since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 10:28 AM
Sunday

with the Dixiecrats leaving the Democrats and siding up first with the likes of George Wallace, and then with Richard Nixon's cynical "Southern Strategy" following the Wallace movement. At first, more sane people in the GOP--and there were a lot of them back then--kept the nutjobs at bay and on the fringe, but the rise of Paul Weyrich and the religious nutjob "evangelicals" moved the party ever rightward and the extremist, terrorist right still on the fringe. With Trump, however, these people's inner racist was allowed to come to the fore, and we are now stuck with people claiming the likes of people like Charlie Kirk were in any way respectable. He was nothing but a more polished, billionaire-backed David Duke and should have been and should be treated like the scum he was.

haele

(14,757 posts)
20. Oh, but they're just being edgy and it was all joking...
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 12:14 PM
Sunday

"I've got a right to make dark jokes about people I think are stupid and, like, FAFO, right?"
"Everybody does it, you should hear the shit the Loser Libtards say about us, and they don't get in trouble, just us..."
They're all victims from a position of Power
- snowflake children in adult bodies.

usonian

(21,742 posts)
26. I haven't posted this in a while, but one thing that cults do is to normalize
Sun Oct 19, 2025, 05:54 PM
Sunday

some crime or sin that society bans. Like the mafia. "Ordinary people are schmucks. We did whatever we wanted" ... from Goodfellas.

In this case, racism, misogyny, hate and so on.

In return, they lose their honor, reason and individuality. All that distinguishes one from another is how far they can piss.

Always the victim of "them", where being "not them" is all that distinguishes them.

And it's entirely to their disadvantage.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»'Moral collapse': 'Larger...