Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer who launched his Democratic primary campaign in August in hopes of ultimately challenging Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) for her seat in 2026, answered that he firmly believes "that every single American has the right to live the life they want to live in their own body as they see fit," and emphasized what he views as his "responsibility" as a straight, white, cisgender male, to defend the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
"I get to put myself out there in ways that other people don’t," said Platner. "I'm doing this because I know that I can say things, I know that I can have conversations, I know that I can knock on doors in places that a lot of other people can't have access to, that a lot of other people won't feel safe in."
"Yes, I will absolutely stand next to you, and if we ever have to go knock doors together, I'm happy to stand by your side," he added.
Wow, people are really pulling the last bit out of context and assuming the worst implications. His "stand by you" and "knocking on doors" thing is him acknowledging his white male privilege to feel safe doing things like going door to door in most neighborhoods, and being happy to extend that safety to others by standing beside them while they do it.
I get the concern about having a Nazi tattoo for over a decade, and concern that everything he is doing is performative based on his past. But what he said was pretty unequivically that he will support LGBTQ+ people, including in action. Whether anyone believes him or not is up to them. But what he said was not mealy-mouthed, it was direct.
The purity test mentality so many of the commenters here have is the exact kind of nonsense that will keep the US divided politically. People are capable of making honest mistakes. People can change. There needs to be room for some gray areas. I generally think such a mindset reeks of being chronically online and being immersed into an echo chamber.
I don’t know much about the candidate other than a few recent headlines but I admire the ability of a person to change their mind. This is especially true for someone in politics. Idk if he is a dickhead or if he really changed, but its good to own up to our mistakes.
A few years ago I remember seeing folks online who were ranting about Elizabeth Warren having been a republican so I looked it up. After watching her speak on the matter I sort of turned into a big Warren supporter, because she was able to admit she was wrong after seeming the data. That’s what I want in a representative. I don’t want someone who ignore data or twist it into something else.
I want someone who says “oh shit. Let’s fix this.”
He keeps saying all the right things.
Hopefully he isn't a lying Nazi
Eh, having read some of the reddit posts from the old account etc, if I were in that area voting, I'd likely give him the benefit of the doubt. Especially compared to alternatives. There were quite a few posts that seemed like he genuinely thought the symbols extended beyond 'just' Nazism, often arguing in his posts that it was common to see that sort of imagery on ppl in the military.
Shit, that’s a breath of fresh air!
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