Slop.

The problem is that Americans (including here) will take literally anything as repentance. Platner has never to my knowledge expressed actual regret for the imperialist violence he did. In fact he's talked about how fun it is to fight in "little wars" and given a list of the ones he wishes he "got to" fight in. He also thinks he should receive more recognition and pay for the violence he did do, and wants to expand the armed forces! Yet people are backing him as the "lesser of two evils" and such.

I will be frank: I have seen the people - mostly kids, who are especially vulnerable to uxo - who are injured, maimed or killed in his "fun" little wars that he wishes he "got to" fight in. I have met those who have had every member of their immediate family murdered by men just like Platner. That's what he wishes he got to engage in more of. He is literally an unapologetic, racist mass murderer, and the fact he only did it for the money does not make him better. He is unironically worse than the majority of IDF genocidaires, who at least don't sign up for multiple tours with the IDF then go back as a mercenary when the IDF says they won't send them in to do more murder.

There is no possible explanation for being okay with granting this man political power, no matter who his opponent is, that doesn't hinge on regarding his victims as less than human. It is raw, unadulterated, American exceptionalist racism. And while that's going to be a problem on any site with a large number of Americans it's fucking depressing to see it here.