PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — His U.S. Senate campaign under fire, Maine Democrat Graham Platner said Wednesday that a tattoo on his chest has been covered to no longer reflect an image widely recognized as a Nazi symbol.

The first-time political candidate said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007, when he was in his 20s and in the Marine Corps. It happened during a night of drinking while he was on leave in Croatia, he said, adding he was unaware until recently that the image has been associated with Nazi police.

  • PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social
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    15 days ago

    Personally i learned about the totenkopf when i was in basic training (in 2001, he enlisted in ‘03 so same time frame) when they showed us tattoos that you can’t have in the military.

    Fascinating. So presumably, he wasn’t permitted to have this tattoo that you can’t have in the military because it’s a Nazi symbol? He got it in 2007, and then wasn’t permitted to have it in the military when he reenlisted in 2010?

    Tell me more about your personal experience with this particular topic, which enables you to speak with authority on it. What were some of the other symbols they showed you? It’s lucky that we have some military people and some people from Maine showing up here to speak from a place of authority about why Graham Platner is officially bad and we can’t vote for him.

    • teft@piefed.social
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      15 days ago

      When did I say I was an authority or that you couldn’t vote for him?

      Yes people with nazi adjacent tattos exist in the army. The people who do the examinations can be nazi adjacent too and then those type of people fall through the cracks. Also you aren’t really inspected on tattoos after your initial examination (at least when I was in the service). I mean, Hegseth has an iron cross and he’s been in the military for a while too.

      If you’re trying to imply I’m not from Maine or didn’t spend time in the military then you’re mistaken. Not everyone online is a bot or shill.