September 12, 2021

"It’s amusing to see Democrats respond by demanding respect for the office, and the separation of politics and sport. Too late guys. Enjoy the new rules you made."

 Writes Glenn Reynolds, responding to the trend of chanting "Fuck Joe Biden" at football games.

This is precisely what gets my "civility bullshit" tag. Click the tag and explore.

I've been writing under the tag "civility bullshit" for years, documenting the phenomenon. I stated the thesis long ago: Calls for civility are always bullshit. 
Certainly in the area of politics, calls for civility always come out when the incivility is hurting your people. When somebody is deploying incivility effectively for your side, you hold your tongue and enjoy the damage.... Nobody bellyaches about incivility when it's working as a weapon for their side, and the charge of incivility is another political weapon, whipped out when the other side is landing incivility punches on you.

Don't misunderstand me. I love civility. It should be the default for public behavior. Deviate when you have good cause or great satire. That would be my rule. But it needs to be a neutral principle, and it's not, so I call bullshit on calls for civility. 

As for college football games, you've got a bacchanalian atmosphere, so I question whether "Fuck Joe Biden" has much if any political meaning. In my neighborhood football stadium, Camp Randall, the kids have been chanting "Fuck you" and "Eat shit" back and forth from one section to another for many years. I think they're just having fun, being mischievous, and not expressing any actual opinions.

Here's a letter to the student newspaper from 2015: "Letter to the editor: ‘Eat shit, Fuck you’ must go to maintain UW reputation/Thirty-five percent of season ticket holders said it disrupted their experience; chant gives outside community negative impression."

People from the university have tried to talk to us about the chant before, but they’re so out of touch with what it’s like to be a student that they completely miss the point. Of course university officials want the chant to end...  I think it’s fairly self-explanatory that the main reason we participate in the chant is because it’s fun. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that college students enjoy being a little rebellious, especially when most of us are at least four beers over the legal limit. From our perspective, the chant is such a tiny fraction of our daily lives that we don’t think it’s worth getting worked up about.... 

I admit I’ve participated in the chant before, so I’m not saying we should judge those who still do. I’m also not suggesting we need to be some squeaky-clean student body that does exactly what the university wants. Anyone who suggests we stop pregaming on Breese Terrace or stop chanting “Asshole” at the opposing team’s fans when they’re in our student section shouldn’t be taken seriously. 

What I am saying is the costs of the ESFU chant outweigh the benefits. I would argue we have more clever chants. Hell, even the “Shoot him like a horse” chant at least makes sense in the context of the game....

95 comments:

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

You know what else? Fuck joe biden.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, I imagine you’re too young to remember “Hey! Hey! LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?”

rhhardin said...

They insult Biden because it would be too dangerous to insult Rebecca Blank.

gilbar said...

Students (both on and off the field), need to Remember The Purpose of College Football
The Purpose of College Football, is to make MONEY.
Money from alums, Money from Advertising supporters, Money from Television...Money

College Football has NOTHING to do with Students, if it did;
it would have student players, student cheerleaders, student bands, student fans

Sebastian said...

"not expressing any actual opinions"

So, did you hear any "FU Trump" chants back in the day? Like, football fans maintaining cruel neutrality?

Temujin said...

Standards in stadiums (and indoor arenas) have been moving for years, as they mirror our declining standards for civil society. I remember years ago, going to multiple Detroit Lions games when living there (Silverdome days) and hearing the same 'eat shit, fuck you' chants parroted across the stadium. As it turned out, that was just an early indicator of great things to come.

Down the road that chant gave way to mass insults directed at people, families, whoever. Entire sections started getting seriously drunk and fighting. Beers tossed, people fighting and falling over aisles of seats and other people, which started other fights. It got so bad Lions officials created 'family safe sections' which works only in the minds of someone sitting in an office and not actually attending the game. Needless to say, the Lions have sucked so much for so long, people stopped going and stopped caring. Why put your family or yourself through that?

And Detroit was not even the worse. The newer stadium in Detroit (Ford Field) has cleaned things up a bit. But over in Philadelphia, the Standard Bearer for all things bad in stadium behavior, people still get cold-cocked, or group mugged in the stands. The jail at the stadium in Philly is the busiest place in the city on Sundays.

Not saying college stadiums are going to turn into that because people are yelling to Joe Biden to fuck off. But if you think this just stops when Biden goes away, you haven't been paying attention to our society. This is the just the first wave. More 'hijinks' to follow over the years, I'm sure. At some point, someone will go far over the line in a college stadium. We'll see what happens when mass fights break out.

mikee said...

If you want me to respect the presidency, two things are required. First, the presidents must behave as if they respect the office. Second, those complaining must respect the office.

As a former supporter of Ronald McHitler, who I was told had the sole goal in office of causing nuclear war; as a former member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy from the 1990s that caused, for apparently no good reason, good old boy Willie Clinton to be a bit embarrassed publicly; as a former member of the Chimpy Bush McHitler brigades who was told I wanted to kill brown people in the Mideast for no reason; as a former nonsupporter (and therefore a RAAAACIST) of Obama, per Joe Biden "clean and articulate" despite being black; as a supporter of the worse than Hitler and worse than that, a NON-politician, Trump who was impeached twice for things other presidents boast about, all I can say is get stuffed, you whiny hypocritical hacks.

I stopped respecting the office of the presidency as a small child as Johnson made clear the Oval Office was to be used solely for party political gains, not the good of the country. And I would have stopped respecting the presidency sooner, but I was a toddler during JFK's frequent use of his elected office to get his knob polished. Eisenhower might have been OK, I was less than one when he was in office, but I know FDR stayed in office two elections past his expiration date.

wendybar said...

THIS is what a REAL President looks like. https://www.c-span.org/video/?514591-1/president-trump-visits-york-city-police-fire-departments

wendybar said...

The Democrats can suck eggs. After they way they treated Trump and his supporters (and still do) they will never get any respect from anybody ever again. THEY BUILT THIS. Now they want to put us in their gulags for not agreeing with them stealing the election. 1/6 was nothing compared to what may be coming. They keep poking the angry bear...and I don't know how long the angry bear is going to lie down and take it.

Original Mike said...

"Thirty-five percent of season ticket holders said it disrupted their experience; chant gives outside community negative impression."

For the record, it never bothered me.

I was surprised 'Eat shit, Fuck you’ was printed in the paper until I followed your link. More students having more fun.

Tom T. said...

I think we all know there will be a crackdown before too long.

Tom said...

as we're learned from Ted Lasso, in the UK at football games, they chant this change for great play:

He's here,
He's there,
He's every-fucking-where,
*first name* *last name*
*first name* *last name*

It's kinda fun and it's kinda catchy...

So, whenever she makes a great post, we can all chant:

She's here,
She's there,
She's every-fucking-where,
Ann Althouse
Ann Althouse

JAORE said...

"I question whether "Fuck Joe Biden" has much if any political meaning."

I do too.

But, should this continue it can cause great harm to Biden. First of all he's getting prickly about it. He commented of the "F so and so" signs along the highway during his 9/11 parade. Also young people are supposed to be liberal in their views. They are. But they are also really.... uhhhh.... influenced by "influencers". (There's a career I missed out on at my college career day.) If this becomes a thing to do at games then the tide turns just a bit with every chant.

Curious George said...

"As for college football games, you've got a bacchanalian atmosphere, so I question whether "Fuck Joe Biden" has much if any political meaning. In my neighborhood football stadium, Camp Randall, the kids have been chanting "Fuck you" and "Eat shit" back and forth from one section to another for many years. I think they're just having fun, being mischievous, and not expressing any actual opinions."

This is a absurd comparison. The latter point is correct. But how many times have fans said Fuck Donald Trump, or even Obama?

Owen said...

Yes, this is an occasion to savor the meaning of “civility bullshit.” But it’s also a chance to sample a little whiff of Schadenfreude.

Maynard said...

I think they're just having fun, being mischievous, and not expressing any actual opinions.

I think you are correct. The UW Administration has not approved students having those opinions. Otherwise they would be in big trouble.

I have no doubt that "Fuck Trump" shouts are approved.

Mike Petrik said...

I voted for Trump (in 2020), think Biden is a horrible President, and deplore the Biden chant and the general loss of civility. It is not bullshit to me. But Reynolds is right that the Left created this, not the right. Decades before their boorish behavior towards Bush, they routinely used heckler vetoes to de-platform speakers. Most of my liberal friends would never do this, but they also never criticized the uncivil behavior in any meaningful way. I

JAORE said...

My great fear is that Kathy Griffin will be offended.

Iman said...

Kids will be kids and - as we’ve seen - Biden will be Biden.

I bet it beats tar and feathers…

Mike Sylwester said...

If football games are politicized by kneeling during the National Anthem, then football games eventually will be politicized by people yelling vulgar statements about Democrat politicians.

tastid212 said...

At home games at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, the cheerleaders whip up the crowd with a call-and-response chant about the school mascot. One side of the stadium yells "GAME"; the other side shouts "COCKS."

Everyone, especially young kids, loves it.

Ann Althouse said...

"@Althouse, I imagine you’re too young to remember “Hey! Hey! LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?”"

I'm 70.

I remember criticisms that the President was playing golf too much when the President was Eisenhower.

Ann Althouse said...

"They insult Biden because it would be too dangerous to insult Rebecca Blank."

The anti-Rebecca Blank chants we can hear from our house.

"Wake up Becky and move that rock" — that happened in the early morning last month.

Ann Althouse said...

I mean, that happened in August 2020.

In August 2021, they actually moved the rock.

Charlie Eklund said...

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination, where tens of thousands of voters across the country, in numerous venues, chant curses upon their President while simultaneously not expressing their actual opinion. This an area which we call "The Twilight Zone".

tim in vermont said...

As for college football games, you've got a bacchanalian atmosphere, so I question whether "Fuck Joe Biden" has much if any political meaning.

Eventually the kids are gonna side with the counter culture. Right now all of the establishment power is focused on getting us to ignore Biden's obvious unfitness for the job he has been fortified into. Sorry, but the it's the right that now has the Bart Simpson role, and the left are Montgomery Burns.

I never heard of this "Eat shit/Fuck you" chant, but I wish I had invented it. It's kind of a deep critique of the whole college football pseudo warfare, while at the same time recognizing that we are human beings and goddamnit, it's fun.

CapitalistRoader said...

Goose, meet gander:

And when your son looks at you and says, ‘Mama look, you won. Bullies don’t win,’ and I said, ‘Baby, they don’t,’ because we’re gonna go in there and we’re going to impeach the motherfucker.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Jan 2019

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, were you in college in 1965 - 1968? Because that’s where and when the anti-LBJ chants took place. After January 1969 Johnson was no longer President.

rhhardin said...

John McWhorter came out strongly and disparagingly against the rock move in the latest bloggingheads.

Mary Beth said...

Conspiracy theory - the chants were started by false flag operators whose goal is to being in conservatives who are fed up with the NFL. There's a lot of ticket sale money that will need a new home.

I'm only half joking. I don't think it was started intentionally, but I could see it being pushed out into public discussions more to get the attention of those sports fans who are disillusioned with the way the NFL is going.

Howard said...

As heard on nursery school playgrounds everywhere: "They did it first"

Ray - SoCal said...

I was surprised in New Years Day in Pasadena on the traditional Rose Parade route to see a couple of “Fuck Biden” Flags during an impromptu Trump Vehicle Parade. And the parade participants included all races.

What a change from the traditional Republican Voter, like our resident LLR.

The polls that showing Biden popularity are weighted in favor Democrat by plus 10.

The photo of Biden yelling with his mask down, with the look on Obama face is just truth.
Leadership Via Instapundit

Why Trump signs are mushrooming across the US a year after 2020 election

This is an excellent explanation of the LLR Gop mentality.
There’s A Reason DC Democrats Are Always Winning, Even When They Lose

And contrast Trump visiting a Nyc Fire Station and Police Station 9-11, and Trumps 9-11 video. What a contrast to Biden’s response.

mikee said...

Since at least when I was a freshman in '77, oh so long ago, the Fighting Paladins (so un-PC!) of Furman University, a tiny Baptist-leaning liberal arts school in Greenville, SC, have taken the field to student chants of:

F U ONE TIME!
F U TWO TIMES!
F U ALL THE TIME!

As far as I am aware, not one person has ever died from this chant, or even been lightly singed from the hellfire and brimstone it invokes.

Bruce Hayden said...

Yes, these people are not respecting the President. But they have good reason. Biden and the Dems blatantly stole the election. Everyone knows it. The canvas in AZ has already shown 10x Biden’s victory margin in fraud (and 5x for Gabby Gifford’s husband Mark Kelly). I think many expect even larger numbers for the AZ Senate audit. We may be talking a half million stolen votes in that one county. That is way beyond egregious. And what is Biden doing with his stolen Presidency? Totally screwing up our withdrawal from Afghanistan, resulting in needless loss of life and military equipment, and laughter at the country around the world. Domestically, they are requiring that people take an experimental treatment, even if they have much superior natural antibodies from surviving the virus, or lose their jobs. These college kids are very likely more likely to die from alcohol abuse than COVID-19. Why should they respect the puppet that the Democrats installed in the White House through massive cheating? As for the office, the Dems don’t respect the office, so why should anyone else?

I am not the least bit surprised at this sort of thing coming out at college football games, starting in the more conservative portions of the country. Colleges and universities around the country have been captured by the left, and, in particular, by their leftist faculties and administrators. College kids often tend to rebel against the status quo, and for many college kids right now, that means their leftist profs, administrators, and multigendered degenerate wackos. This chanting at football games gives them the anonymity that they wouldn’t have elsewhere on campus. Anonymity they need to keep from being disciplined, if not expelled, by their hard left faculty and esp administrators.

But this is also, I think, a harbinger of the future. The anti-Biden faction around most of the country greatly exceeds his supporters. Just like 1/6, I expect the numbers in opposition to panic the Democrats at the top. I expect them to overreact. And cause bloodshed. Ashli Babbitt is already a martyr for the cause. I fully expect more.

Narr said...

FOOTBALL GAMES? Incivility?

Try the graduation ceremonies at my alma mater and employer--an absurd ritual made more ridiculous by the antics of the spectators, who are far more familiar with football razzing and locker-room raucousness than recognizing academic achievement (such as it exists), and proud of it.

Yet, along with the boilerplate (and utterly ignored) requests for proud families to leave their horns, rattles, and confetti at home, the faculty in attendance (we rotated so nobody did more than one per year) were told NOT to bring books to read during the mass stupidity.
It might give the wrong impression.



Chris Lopes said...

I don't remember any concern for "respecting the office" when Orange the Clown was holding court, nor would I have taken it seriously. Disrespecting the occupant of the White House is a time honored American tradition. Being the butt of jokes is as much a part of the job of President as the nice house and the really cool plane. So to those who don't like "f*ck Biden" I say get over it. He's a politician, not an emperor.

David Begley said...

Nebraska at Wisconsin, November 20.

Narayanan said...

For purposes of hygiene during pandemic [dempanic] I would suggest amended chant >>>

Joe Biden should go fuck himself

Bilwick said...

"He's [Sundown Joe's ] a politician, not an emperor. . . " He's certainly not acting as the president of a constitutional republic, with his imperial ukases.

Lars Porsena said...

Blogger tastid212 said...
At home games at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, the cheerleaders whip up the crowd with a call-and-response chant about the school mascot. One side of the stadium yells "GAME"; the other side shouts "COCKS."

Best bumper sticker ever : University of South Carolina -- Nobody Can Lick Our Cocks.

J Melcher said...

And what did they chant at Madison football games when Scott Walker governed Wisconsin?

"We disagree with conservative policy prescriptions!"

Chuck said...

I need more information on why this matters, or counts as a trend.

Let me show you my “totally unsurpised face” at the notion that one cracker at East Carolina U would hold up a Trump flag. And a handful of crackers sitting in endzone seats for Alabama-Mercer (MERCER!?!) would strike up a chant from their $15 seats. Virginia Tech; Tennessee. You think that I cannot imagine a number of Trump cultists going to those football games?

I’m a season ticket holder at Michigan’s Big House. For more than 20 years, after graduating as an undergrad. Michigan Stadium (about 110,00) is approximately 40 percent alums and parents; 30 percent faculty and staff; more than 15 percent students and less than 15 percent unaffiliated Michigan football fans.

While Michigan went 51-48 for Biden over Trump in 2020, the Michigan Stadium crowd is probably 75% pro-Biden. Washtenaw County, in which Ann Arbor is situated, went 72% for Biden. A football crowd might be slightly more Republican, but also more anti-Trump Republican.

Still, I find it fantastically unsurprising that a few Trump cultists might want to start a chant if given the opportunity. But it takes a small critical mass to get it going. I don’t know where in Michigan Stadium you’d ever find that.

So if Glenn Reynolds thinks that this weird and ugly little fad is somehow representative of something, he should say so directly instead of building a column on nothing but random retweets.

No matter what; is this the self-acknowledged end of the “shy Trump supporters” myth? The rural legend that there were lots and lots of Trump supporters who would not make their support known, for fear of being harassed by the politically correct? It was always bullshit of course. There are Trump flags and yard signs and boat parades and car rallies; you name it. Hats and shirts and anything else that can carry a logo or a slogan. They are some of the loudest, most un-self conscious, most obnoxious, loudmouth, insurrection-minded people in American society.

Tina Trent said...

You know what’s obscene? Your coaches making almost four million dollars a year while your students are piling up student loan debt that will blight their futures, many for stupid and useless degrees, with the loans subsidized by taxpayers from every state and more and more classes taught by poverty-wage adjuncts with no benefits, no healthcare, and no future as the tenured professors don’t make a peep, loving their subsequently reduced teaching loads.

The studies showing that collegiate sports are a net financial benefit to universities are cooked in a wide variety of ways but always fail to explain why any of this qualifies as non-profit.

I’d yell “fuck you” in the stadium too, but it wouldn’t be directed at Biden.

wendybar said...

Who can forget the chants of BUSHITLER we heard for 8 years, not to mention what a dictator Trump was supposed to be, but Joe is doing that job for him.

rcocean said...

I have a dream that one day, we will judge rocks not by the color of their surface, by the content of their character. I have a dream.

I flipped on NPR yesterday and heard them talk about how "the President said this" and "President Biden said that". wow, strange new respect for the oval office. For 4 years, it was Trump this and Trump that. Never, "The President" or "President Trump". And weirdly, all the MSM anonymous sources "Familiar with the situation" who were constantly saying the President was wrong or stupid have disappeared. President Biden is Wonderful per anonymous sources!

Daniel12 said...

Ann, your civility bullshit tag seems to be missing your civility bullshit. Like your posts about mean things people say about Trump, or the time a few weeks ago you took to your blog to complain about a mean meme posted by one of your Facebook friends.

Yancey Ward said...

I am old enough to remember lots of presidents being openly disrespected at sporting events and other venues- it goes with being the president. However, it made my day, week, month and year to see Joe Biden complaining about it yesterday in Pennsylvania. Fuck Joe Biden and fuck all his supporters, too. I am done with civility when it comes to politics- fuck that, too.

J Melcher said...

What did students and fans chant at football games while Scott Walker was governor?

"We strongly disagree with conservative policies and priorities!" ?

Louise B said...

For the first time, I agree with a chant from Alabama of the Crimson Tide fame. Has hell frozen over?

Steph said...

My 11 yo went to the PSU game yesterday and just told me the student section was chanting “F Ball State” (opponent) . I was trying to teach her how awful this is, bad sportsmanship’s, kids behaving badly. But reading this post I see I’m just out of touch. It’s just what everyone does.

rehajm said...

I like the Fuck Joe Biden chants on football games. There aren't many outlets for disobedience against the state at the moment. The woke networks have to scramble to stifle the chants. Imagine if it becomes the new ubiquitous incantation into every open mic.

I'd like to see it...

rehajm said...

All y'all do understand the origins of the 'Eat Shit/Fuck You' thing, right?

rehajm said...

"One side of the stadium yells "GAME"; the other side shouts "COCKS.""

I'm in SC since covid and there's Gamecock flags hanging proudly everywhere. I still have trouble with the kid from a few years ago shown on the ESPN pre-game show. He had 'COCKS!!!' written in large font on his forehead. His parents must be so proud...

Martin said...

I don't know why they limit it to Joe. It should be F Joe Biden. F the Democrats.

cubanbob said...

The Left in it's smugness has been crowing how stupid Reagan was, Bush father and son were and most of all how ignorant and stupid Trump is. Yet of all the candidates they could have run in 2020 they without argument picked the dumbest they could pick, two of them that compared to Trump makes Trump a genius. And with all of the ginned up media propaganda against Trump in 2020 they only won due to vote fraud. The tell there was fraud is how resistant the swamp is to actually do forensic audits.In 2000 the Democrats and the Left argued that Bush didn't win in Florida, yet when ALL of the votes were recounted it was demonstrated that Bush actually won. Among the reasons for F Joe Biden is that he was fraudulently elected and the Democrats know that and that is why they fight vote audits so fiercely. Respect is earned and Biden in nearly fifty years in public service has never earned anyone's respect. Just ask Obama.

Achilles said...

Here we go. What does Joe Biden think about 9/11?

He is pissed about the "Fuck Joe Biden" signs all over Pennsylvania.

Will they throw him out before or after he lashes out?

It will be interesting to watch the uniparty try to cut their losses.

Mary Beth said...

rhhardin said...

John McWhorter came out strongly and disparagingly against the rock move in the latest bloggingheads.

9/12/21, 9:54 AM


Althouse wrote about an opinion piece that McWhorter did about the rock. I remember it mostly because I was hearing the quoted part in McWhorter's voice even before I read who wrote it. I think I've heard him talk about it so many times with Loury that what he was saying was immediately recognizable.

Michael said...

I’ve seen the videos and it seems the chant is coming from a relatively small bit of the student section. When the entire stadiums take it up we will be getting somewhere.

Drago said...

Ray - SoCal: "What a change from the traditional Republican Voter, like our resident LLR."

Important caveat: pro-marxist LLR Chuck cannot ever have been a "traditional republican voter" because no "traditional republican voter" could ever support every far left democratical and democratical policy position as LLR Chuck has. Vehemently. Passionately. Explicitly. Repeatedly.

Without exception.

Completely open borders. Abortion on demand. Shutting down energy production (oh how LLR Chuck laughed and laughed about biden killing Keystone). New Green Deal. And as with his Lincoln Pedophile Project, LLR Chuck calls for democratical political victories at all levels for the next 40 years.

After the Lincoln Pedophile Project called for that specific outcome for the next 40 years, LLR Chuck on this very blog joyously exclaimed that he supported literally everything The Lincoln Project Pedophilers were calling for and doing.

Chuck said...

I need more information on why this matters, or counts as a trend. Or whatever it is that Glenn Reynolds is trying to make of it.

Let me show you my “totally unsurpised face” at the notion that one guy at East Carolina U would hold up a Trump flag for an in-stadium selfie. And a handful of folks sitting in endzone seats for Alabama-Mercer (MERCER!?!) would strike up a chant from their $15 seats. Virginia Tech; Tennessee. You think that I cannot imagine a number of Trump cultists going to those football games? States in which thousands of Trump cultists reside? Gettin’ drunk and watching football?

I’m a season ticket holder at Michigan’s Big House. For more than 20 years, after graduating as an undergrad. Michigan Stadium (about 110,00) is approximately 40 percent alums and parents; 30 percent faculty and staff; more than 15 percent students and less than 15 percent unaffiliated Michigan football fans. Most of the Stadium sells out for season tickets.

While the state of Michigan went 51-48 for Biden over Trump in 2020, the Michigan Stadium crowd is probably 75% pro-Biden. Washtenaw County, in which Ann Arbor is situated, went 72% for Biden. A football crowd might be slightly more Republican, but also more anti-Trump Republican. Chamber of Commerce Republicans.

Again, I find it fantastically unsurprising that a few Trump cultists might want to start a chant if given the opportunity in a favorable place. But it takes a small critical mass to get it going. I don’t know where in Michigan Stadium you’d ever find that.

So if Glenn Reynolds thinks that this weird and ugly little fad is somehow representative of something, he should say so directly instead of building a column on nothing but random retweets.

No matter what; is this the self-acknowledged end of the “shy Trump supporters” myth? The rural legend that there were lots and lots of Trump supporters who would not make their support known, for fear of being harassed by the politically correct? It was always bullshit of course. There are Trump flags and yard signs and boat parades and car rallies; you name it. Hats and shirts and anything else that can carry a logo or a slogan. They are some of the loudest, most un-self conscious, most obnoxious, loudmouth, insurrection-minded people in American society.

Moondawggie said...

Howard said, "As heard on nursery school playgrounds everywhere: "They did it first""

Close but no cigar, bro.

The current progressive whine is more like: "But teacher! They hit us back first!"

Sow the wind; reap the whirlwind. Ain't Karma a bitch?

Baceseras said...

The Letter writer says he searched for citations of the ESFU chant and the earliest he could find was from 2003. In that case a possible source is this movie that came out in 2002:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280486/quotes?item=qt0235973

The movie flopped (and I didn't see it myself), but it's still around on DVD. And it must have some kind of following, I deduce, from the fact it's the top-returner when you search imdb by title, despite a heaping handful of different movies with the same handle.

It also has the trivial distinction of being the last Hollywood feature film to shoot scenes at the WTC (various locations).

MikeD said...

Temujin's comments reminded me of 1950's NFL football at Kezar Stadium in SF. More action in the stands than on the field. As beer bottle's were being thrown willy-nilly, we high schoolers tried to emulate Willie Mays and catch prior to breakage. Of course back then SF was, at heart, strictly a working man's city.

Joe Smith said...

Tastes great! Less Filling!

Gahrie said...

Chuckles, just out of morbid curiosity, what is your rational for defending Biden and the Democrats now that Trump is no longer in power? Did you give up the pretense of being a lifelong Republican and I missed it?

There is no way a lifelong Republican would be defending Biden at this point. Even Kristol has shut up hasn't he?

Thuglawlibrarian said...

Ann wrote: ... so I question whether "Fuck Joe Biden" has much if any political meaning.

Sure, Ann. LOL.

You do realize that Joe Biden is the President of the United States, so shouting "fuck Joe Biden" certainly has some political meaning.


rehajm said...

“Tastes great! Less Filling“

Ah yes- that’s a bingo!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hkM9VdOcjGA

Happened in the bleachers at every Fenway game in the mid- late 80s. I had lots of beer spilled on me when it broke out…

Tacitus said...

I don't care for vulgarity in private or public speech. And as a political statement, well the "F word" has been so overused as to be merely a generic statement of mild disapproval.

What the current chanting has going for it that there is a rhythmic 1-2-3-4 cadence to it. Easy for everyone, even the tipsy.

But we can do better. I suggest a 6 beat chant that would anger the Ice Cream Eater a great deal more. To the tune of "Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah, Boo-Boo" just chant:

"Twenty Fifth Amendment".

Shows your disapproval and your grounding in basic civics. And Civility to boot!

T

RMc said...

In every Althouse comment section, I hit CTRL-F "Chuck", identifying every Chuck post and every reaction to every Chuck post. And then I skip over them.

Howard said...

"Reap the whirlwind"

Good one.

Chuck said...

Gahrie said...
Chuckles, just out of morbid curiosity, what is your rational for defending Biden and the Democrats now that Trump is no longer in power? Did you give up the pretense of being a lifelong Republican and I missed it?

There is no way a lifelong Republican would be defending Biden at this point. Even Kristol has shut up hasn't he?


Name a particular, where I am “defending” Biden and the Democrats. And before you start, I will give you one; the House Select Committee on the January 6 insurrection. So I am just like Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger and others in that regard.

I opposed Biden’s Afghanistan pullout; it was insane for Trump to commit to it and stupid for Biden to follow through on it.

I oppose the 3-trillion spending bill.

I accept Biden’s COVID handling, But unenthusiastically. It’s okay policy, conducted in a remarkably uninspired way.

Not much of a defense, is it?

I never liked Biden politically. I regarded all the Democrats on the Biden-era Senate Judiciary Committee as mortal enemies. I never once voted for an Obama-Biden ticket, and actively supported nominees McCain and Romney.

All that I like about Joe Biden is that he was a good guy to beat Trump.

Drago said...

Gahrie: "Chuckles, just out of morbid curiosity, what is your rational for defending Biden and the Democrats now that Trump is no longer in power? Did you give up the pretense of being a lifelong Republican and I missed it?"

LLR Chuck long ago exposed himself as a far left democratical and he has been adding to that mountain of proof for over 5 years.

Recall Chuck studiously refused to criticize Hillary for any reason, was positively homicidal in 2016 when republicans won the House/Senate/WH, was jubilant when dems took the House and Senate in 2018, and he loudly and proudly endorsed the openly marxist Warnock in GA.

Ray - SoCal said...

I’m a shy Trump voter.

I saw the picture of the lady after the Trump San Jose rally with an egg on her face. The police did nothing and funneled them through protesters. Went to court, and San Jose city was forced to apologize.

Orange County Trump rally, cars jumped on,

Old guy in Venice Beach with a Trump hat was cold cocked.

And look what happened to Nick Sandmann for wearing a Trump Hat.

When the left equates Trump supporters with White Supremacists, you can only safely show Trump support in Red Areas. In Blue Areas you are only asking for problems.

This is the hatred the Left, or “resistance” created in opposition to Trump, and it’s terrifying.

I’m glad there is a little verbal push back.

The reaction to the capital protests, vs blm, as reported by real clear politics shows a double standard in prosecutions.

Drago said...

I cant imagine a more horrific moment for pro-marxist LLR Chuck than having the MI football team run on the field with American flags.

I imagine he will be complaining about that incessantly, in between gin and tonics, next week at the Whitmer reelection headquarters party.

rehajm said...

On Fuck Joe Biden Ann lacks vision. It could be huuuuuge…

Drago said...

You might think that being caught in another of his endless lefty lies that LLR Chuck would at least try and not be too obvious about it but yesterday set a new "low" for our resident pro-marxist LLR when he claimed that Trump meeting with NY Fire and Police personnel did NOT count as a "real" 9-11 commemoration event.

Thats probably driven by LLR Chuck's knowledge that large majorities of those guys voted for Trump which explains LLR Chucks utter disdain for them.

Michael K said...

Poor Chuck. Trump is still living in his head 8 months after he left the White House. Don't you know a good neurosurgeon who can do a quick burr hole and let him out ? Maybe as a plaintiff lawyer you don't know any good neurosurgeons.

Tim said...

I do not know, but I suspect, that the combination of maskless students and the chant do carry a meaning. No one is fooled anymore. They are pushing the vaccine toward young people that in my opinion are in more danger from the vaccine than from the disease. The vaccine is great for me. I am a 63 year old heart patient and I took the vaccine as soon as my category opened up back in March. But I also told my 16 year old grandchildren that if I were them, I would NOT have taken it. And since absolutely no one trusts the damned government anymore (which is for sure a self-inflicted wound), then I suspect that just maybe, it is political.

Valentine Smith said...

If nothing else the chants have gotten into Killer Joe's head. Big time. He won't let go and he will bite himself on the ass repeatedly, Just watch.

Drago said...

Pro-marxist LLR Chuck: "I never liked Biden politically. I regarded all the Democrats on the Biden-era Senate Judiciary Committee as mortal enemies."

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Thr biggest Durbin/Blumenthal/Lawfare Blog/ Lawrence Tribe / Avenatti /Adam Schiff FanBoy Evah(!) wants you to believe he is TOTALLY a true blue conservative!

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Sorry Chuckles. You might have been able to pull that off a brazen lie like that
5 years ago, but not anymore.
The good news?

There is still possibly 3% of elected democraticals who are to the left of you....

....but that number is shrinking daily.

Valentine Smith said...

If nothing else the chants have gotten into Killer Joe's head. Big time. He won't let go and he will bite himself on the ass repeatedly, Just watch.

Valentine Smith said...

The chants have already gotten into Killer Joe's head. He'll never let it go and it will come back thru his mouth and bite him in the ass.

Mary Beth said...

And a handful of folks sitting in endzone seats for Alabama-Mercer (MERCER!?!) would strike up a chant from their $15 seats.

Isn't it amusing that the poors in their cheap seats think that they should be allowed to chant anything? Really, so gauche.

Jimmy said...

"RMc said.. every Althouse comment section, I hit CTRL-F "Chuck", identifying every Chuck post and every reaction to every Chuck post. And then I skip over them."
Ditto.

Zev said...

Why would they drag Biden into this absent political meaning? Of course it's a political opinion. Yeah, it's mischievous, but also political.

MartieD said...

Only a libshit like Chuck would sneer at the audacity of the “cheap seat” spectators to have an opinion. There’s the tell, everyone. Libshits always punching down as they kiss the asses of the so-called elites.

Big Mike said...

Has any (self-described) comedian done a routine where he or she holds up a paper mache severed head of Joe Biden? Until then Democrats have nothing to complain about.

Ray - SoCal said...

Powerlineblog is a true LLR Blog,

The bloggers are older lawyer types, and full of decorum and very proper.

And when John Hindraker of Minnesota posts this:
F*** RAMBLING JOE?

That signals an inflection point in Gop Culture.

And in the post is a Tick-Toc of Biden at the 9-11 NYC Ceremony that was eye opening.

Seamus said...

"@Althouse, I imagine you’re too young to remember 'Hey! Hey! LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?'"

Prof. Althouse is older that I am, and I remember those shouts clearly (along with "One two three four, we don't want your fucking war. Five six seven eight, organize to smash the state. The only solution is revolution; the only direction is insurrection"--ah, good times!).

Chuck said...

MartieD said...
Only a libshit like Chuck would sneer at the audacity of the “cheap seat” spectators to have an opinion. There’s the tell, everyone. Libshits always punching down as they kiss the asses of the so-called elites.


You missed the point, and I don't think it is my fault. The "cheap seats" good ole boys in Bryant-Denny Stadium aren't the people who run the University of Alabama. They can yell all they want, but they won't be policy makers or representatives of the university. Their only connection will be their ticket purchases. They will be representative of the University of Alabama the same way that some guy from South Philly who bought a single game ticket is a representative of the Philadelphia Eagles' owners; which is to say, "Not."

I made that point to hammer Glenn Reynolds apparently gleeful attempt to claim that "college football" is now anti-Biden.

I'll tell you something further; it's a really lousy development for college football to get into this shit. If somebody in Michigan Stadium near me starts yelling "Fuck Joe Biden," (something I already told you is very unlikely to happen), I'll start yelling back. It will not be pleasant for anybody who came to enjoy some nice fall weather and a football game.

Lurker21 said...

Cursing Biden (or Carter before him) is hardly apolitical, but it's not "political" in the sense that it will lead to political action. When students yelled about Johnson or Nixon it was because he could draft them and send them to Vietnam. When they yelled at Bush, it was because he started an unnecessary war. If there's a mass movement against Biden, it won't come out of the universities. They are more insulated from the effects of his failures than others in the population.

Moondawggie said...

Chuck says: "it's a really lousy development for college football to get into this shit."

Kind of like a team refusing to come out for the national anthem, or taking a knee before the game starts, or putting a political slogan on the back of your helmet.

Dude, "this shit" is a reaction to the progressives' prior decision to make spectator sports a forum for political theater.

You reap what you sow. Embrace the suck, comrade.

Yancey Ward said...

Chuck doesn't limit himself to kissing the asses of the elites- he prefers tossing their salads and sucking their cocks.

Chuck said...

Moondawggie said...
Chuck says: "it's a really lousy development for college football to get into this shit."

Kind of like a team refusing to come out for the national anthem, or taking a knee before the game starts, or putting a political slogan on the back of your helmet.

Dude, "this shit" is a reaction to the progressives' prior decision to make spectator sports a forum for political theater.

You reap what you sow. Embrace the suck, comrade.


Not once, not ever, did I promote any of that BLM sloganeering. I oppose it. So don't pull that one on me. And don't think that I am so gullible as to expect that any of the mouth-breathers in Bryant-Denny or Neyland had the mental capacity to make that kind of calculation.

gahrie said...

I made that point to hammer Glenn Reynolds apparently gleeful attempt to claim that "college football" is now anti-Biden.

One would think that a lifelong Republican would be happy that college stadiums were chanting Fuck Joe Biden instead of trying to deny that it was happening, and attacking those doing it.