@MSNBC, the MSNBC Twitter account,
recently posted a tweet stating: “Pandemic fitness trends have gone
extreme—literally. White supremacists’ latest scheme to valorize violence and
hypermasculinity has gone digital.” And, “Physical fitness and violent hypermasculinity have always
been central to the far right.” Um, sure. Anyone who values being physically
fit is likely a Nazi. Or at least “hypermasculine.” Like, say, Venus Williams
or Megan Rapinoe. Okay, they are a little bit masculine, but I’m pretty
sure neither would identify as a Nazi…or even “far right.”
The
far-left media organization’s tweet
included a link to an opinion article titled, “Why the far-right is really
into home fitness.” Take care of your body? Have a Peloton in your home? The
geniuses at MSNBC think you are a right-wing extremist, II Duce.
The author of the tweet, Cynthia Miller-Idriss, then astutely
noted, “It appears the far right has taken advantage of pandemic at-home
fitness trends to expand its decade-plus radicalization of physical mixed
martial arts (MMA) and combat sports spaces.” Those clever far-righters,
pouncing on the left’s mandate that we be locked down in our homes, and using
it to stay in shape—or get in shape. Although this assertion doesn’t much jibe
with the fact that about 4-in-10 Americans gained weight during
the pandemic, some dramatically so. Must’ve been salt of the earth Biden voters
who embrace “our democracy.” Miller-Idriss actually referenced Mein
Kampf as evidence to support her thesis. Moreover, she disparaged
physical fitness and martial arts as tools used-- primarily by racists-- in
order to impose their racism on innocent people around the world.
Miller-Idriss also declared: “The intersection of extremism
and fitness leans into a shared obsession with the male body, training,
masculinity, testosterone, strength and competition. Physical fitness training,
especially in combat sports, appeals to the far right for many reasons:
fighters are trained to accept significant physical pain, to be ‘warriors,’ and
to embrace messaging around solidarity, heroism, and brotherhood.”
Oddly, this bizarre article was originally written and
published in March of 2022. For some reason, those who oversee MSNBC’s Twitter
account felt it necessary to repost it 15 months later.
Averring
that only Nazis are obsessed with physical fitness fails to explain those like Herman
Göring. And implies that proud non-fascists are less concerned with
their health and well-being.
Funny, I
thought coastal leftists were more likely to be vegans, keep up a
jogging regimen, drink decaf, make Kale a significant part of their diet,
eschew smoking cigarettes, and dispense with the ingestion of red meats.
Anyway,
it’s time for me to get on my exercise bike. And reread Mein Kampf.
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