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It's a logo that is more strongly associated with one political party than another, being worn by someone who is presumably armed and in a position of authority

It's a logo that is more strongly associated with one political party than another, being worn by someone who is presumably armed and in a position of authority. If you cannot see why this is a problem, I don't think I can explain it any more.

kev009 6y ago
Since it is less incendiary to discuss, what if someone was wearing a Rastafarian style hat in places marijuana bills were on the ballot, is this a conflict?
- CameronNemo 6y ago
  If the colors/hat had become a signalling mechanism by the political movement and were being used to make a political statement, I would say wearing them would be in bad taste. Especially if a member of law enforcement or the military was doing it.
- KittenInABox 6y ago
  More directly, if the Rastafarian style hat was a prominent display in several recent political rallies for a single party, I think it should be absolutely called into equal question.
- kettro 6y ago
  Rastafarianism is a religion. I assume religious attire is not restricted.
  - jpttsn 6y ago
    Is it religious attire if the person wearing it is not religious?
    - takeda 6y ago
      I think argument was that it was worn by an official. If it was a police officer wearing that or a poll worker, that's not acceptable. If it was a voter in act of voting it is fine.
- sjs382 6y ago
  To avoid the religion argument, let's switch it to a shirt with a big marijuana leaf on it. In that case, yes. Unless the person is a voter in the act of voting.
  - weed_lol 6y ago
    That's stupid
  - NoodleIncident 6y ago
    I didn't think voters were allowed to have political clothing either? I've heard of some voters asked to turn masks and shirts inside out while they're at the polls.
    - zjs 6y ago
      The PDF linked from the post clarifies the rule for PA: "Wearing a t-shirt or button supporting a candidate, campaign, or political party (except voters in the act of voting)" (Other jurisdictions may have other rules, of course)
CameronNemo 6y ago
There is a difference between being in bad taste and being illegal.
- hwillis 6y ago
  ??? do you really not get it? If I wear a shirt with MEDICARE FOR ALL, GREEN NEW DEAL (or SUPPORT ACA and REJOIN PARIS ACCORDS) on it, that's clear partisan support. That's illegal. Thin blue line flags and "support our troops" are out of place and it's two-faced to pretend it isn't just a signal of partisan support. These are some of the major party issues. Bad taste has nothing to do with it. If someone wears a SUPPORT THE CURRENT PRESIDENT shirt, that's support of Trump, not endorsement of the concept of government or something nonpartisan.
  - paradox242 6y ago
    I agree that things like 'thin blue line' and 'support our troops' have a political element that would be out of bounds in states with these laws, but its not clear to me that the example cited in the story approaches this level of explicit political meaning. If it is what he says, then it was simply a copy of text that all soldiers swear to when they enlist. The U.S. Army is not a political organization and contains people from all backgrounds. What really seems to have happened here is that the author was able to reasonably infer this police officers political affiliation from his clothing and that is not what is prohibited in these laws.
- barumi 6y ago
  > There is a difference between being in bad taste and being illegal. It's called "letter of the law" vs "spirit of the law", Purposely violating the principle of the law by abusing loopholes, and proceeding to claim that technically violating the spirit of the law is not illegal because you came up with a loophole that you believe is not incompatible with the letter of the law just goes to show the level of dedication that you have to break the law without being punished for your transgression.
no-dr-onboard 6y ago
For some reason I can't imagine many people utilizing that sort of logic with the transgender flag on a hat.
- nitrogen 6y ago
  If you were working as an election official, that would still be a problem.
  - Schiendelman 6y ago
    No, it wouldn't be. The thin blue line flag is a racist dog whistle. The transgender flag is inclusive.
pluto9 6y ago
> It's a logo that is more strongly associated with one political party than another I doubt the regulations around polling places consider that relevant. I'd guess one party wears cowboy hats more often than the other, but that doesn't make them a political statement.
throwaway377383 6y ago
>It's a logo that is more strongly associated with one political party than another As long as you'll admit that BLM falls under this same logic, and should similarly be banned, then you're being consistent. If not, you're being hypocritical.
- Schiendelman 6y ago
  No, he should have just said the thin blue line flag implies racism and bigotry, which is the real problem. It intimidates.
- NoodleIncident 6y ago
  Of course! Unlike the other imaginary hypocrisy in this thread, I actually saw someone on reddit say this exactly. They were just there to vote, and they were asked to turn their BLM mask inside out while they were there.

kev009 6y ago

Since it is less incendiary to discuss, what if someone was wearing a Rastafarian style hat in places marijuana bills were on the ballot, is this a conflict?

CameronNemo 6y ago
If the colors/hat had become a signalling mechanism by the political movement and were being used to make a political statement, I would say wearing them would be in bad taste. Especially if a member of law enforcement or the military was doing it.
KittenInABox 6y ago
More directly, if the Rastafarian style hat was a prominent display in several recent political rallies for a single party, I think it should be absolutely called into equal question.
kettro 6y ago
Rastafarianism is a religion. I assume religious attire is not restricted.
- jpttsn 6y ago
  Is it religious attire if the person wearing it is not religious?
  - takeda 6y ago
    I think argument was that it was worn by an official. If it was a police officer wearing that or a poll worker, that's not acceptable. If it was a voter in act of voting it is fine.
sjs382 6y ago
To avoid the religion argument, let's switch it to a shirt with a big marijuana leaf on it. In that case, yes. Unless the person is a voter in the act of voting.
- weed_lol 6y ago
  That's stupid
- NoodleIncident 6y ago
  I didn't think voters were allowed to have political clothing either? I've heard of some voters asked to turn masks and shirts inside out while they're at the polls.
  - zjs 6y ago
    The PDF linked from the post clarifies the rule for PA: "Wearing a t-shirt or button supporting a candidate, campaign, or political party (except voters in the act of voting)" (Other jurisdictions may have other rules, of course)

CameronNemo 6y ago

There is a difference between being in bad taste and being illegal.

hwillis 6y ago
??? do you really not get it? If I wear a shirt with MEDICARE FOR ALL, GREEN NEW DEAL (or SUPPORT ACA and REJOIN PARIS ACCORDS) on it, that's clear partisan support. That's illegal. Thin blue line flags and "support our troops" are out of place and it's two-faced to pretend it isn't just a signal of partisan support. These are some of the major party issues. Bad taste has nothing to do with it. If someone wears a SUPPORT THE CURRENT PRESIDENT shirt, that's support of Trump, not endorsement of the concept of government or something nonpartisan.
- paradox242 6y ago
  I agree that things like 'thin blue line' and 'support our troops' have a political element that would be out of bounds in states with these laws, but its not clear to me that the example cited in the story approaches this level of explicit political meaning. If it is what he says, then it was simply a copy of text that all soldiers swear to when they enlist. The U.S. Army is not a political organization and contains people from all backgrounds. What really seems to have happened here is that the author was able to reasonably infer this police officers political affiliation from his clothing and that is not what is prohibited in these laws.
barumi 6y ago
> There is a difference between being in bad taste and being illegal. It's called "letter of the law" vs "spirit of the law", Purposely violating the principle of the law by abusing loopholes, and proceeding to claim that technically violating the spirit of the law is not illegal because you came up with a loophole that you believe is not incompatible with the letter of the law just goes to show the level of dedication that you have to break the law without being punished for your transgression.

no-dr-onboard 6y ago

For some reason I can't imagine many people utilizing that sort of logic with the transgender flag on a hat.

nitrogen 6y ago
If you were working as an election official, that would still be a problem.
- Schiendelman 6y ago
  No, it wouldn't be. The thin blue line flag is a racist dog whistle. The transgender flag is inclusive.

pluto9 6y ago

> It's a logo that is more strongly associated with one political party than another I doubt the regulations around polling places consider that relevant. I'd guess one party wears cowboy hats more often than the other, but that doesn't make them a political statement.

throwaway377383 6y ago

>It's a logo that is more strongly associated with one political party than another As long as you'll admit that BLM falls under this same logic, and should similarly be banned, then you're being consistent. If not, you're being hypocritical.

Schiendelman 6y ago
No, he should have just said the thin blue line flag implies racism and bigotry, which is the real problem. It intimidates.
NoodleIncident 6y ago
Of course! Unlike the other imaginary hypocrisy in this thread, I actually saw someone on reddit say this exactly. They were just there to vote, and they were asked to turn their BLM mask inside out while they were there.