Musk’s salute.

People will always find something to be offended by, especially if it fits their agenda.. I'm not a Musk supporter but I find it beyond the pale to accuse him of being a nazi

In blissful ignorance, I hadn’t seen any of this until I saw it just now on GN.

So looked it up on the BBC News site.

To me, it meant his heart going out to everyone, as Oreo and others have said.

Yes, it looked odd, but then he is an odd person.

Maybe why he and Donald seem to be buddies, as he is rather peculiar as well.

petra

pascal30

He put his hand on his heart and then shot out his arm to the right. It was not a nazi salute.. I think he was symbolising the future in his rather odd robotic manner..

If you had a child or grandchild who was on the autistic spectrum would you be offended if someone referred to his/her mannerisms as ^rather odd robotic manner^

I made no connection between his manner and autism.. it was an observation of his way of moving..

Oreo

I’m the last person to cut him any slack if I really thought it was a Nazi salute btw.

I'm of the same opinion.

I truly hope we're not going to be accused of condoning or excusing Fascism though...

What matters to me - in everything - is finding the truth. I have emotional reactions like everyone else, but whipping up emotions based on subjective interpretations is dangerous, from any angle. That is exactly what Trump and Musk do.

As GrannyGravy13 pointed out, Palestinian protestors /supporters were using a similar salute.

Dickens
We have an autistic child in our family. If you gave him your computer he would bust in to it, no problem.
But try making him understand what the toilet bowl is for. 🤷‍♀️

And he thumped his chest and pointed, saying ‘Thank you - my heart goes out to you”.

pascal30

He put his hand on his heart and then shot out his arm to the right. It was not a nazi salute.. I think he was symbolising the future in his rather odd robotic manner..

If you had a child or grandchild who was on the autistic spectrum would you be offended if someone referred to his/her mannerisms as rather odd robotic manner

GrannyGravy13

Just had a quick browse online and found these Palestinian supporters using the same salute/gesture

Are they far right Nazi supporters?

... that's the thing - pumping the air with your right hand (most people are right-handed) is a gesture I've seen in a variety of situations... not all 'political' ones.

A friend was sorting out my OH's computer recently and the problem seemed to evade him - when he finally figured it out, he made a similar gesture to Musk's. He's a middle-aged man with a family and no interest in politics.

And a similar salute in the photo' you've shared...

I'm prepared to believe the worst about Musk, on the other hand, I can't go along with those who say that it definitely was a deliberate Nazi salute, in spite of Musk's endorsement of various ultra-right-wing parties / groups.

He (Musk) may be a brilliant engineer / techie, but if you read some of his comments and observations, it becomes clear that he doesn't understand as much as he seems to think he does outside his own sphere. He talks in immature and inflammatory language /soundbites - that's not the signature of someone who's politically intellectually aware.

I don't understand why his admirers appear to believe that because he's clever as a tech / engineer, he must ergo be clever in everything else. Geniuses have been known to be stunted emotionally - just research Einstein's relationship with his wife...

I’m the last person to cut him any slack if I really thought it was a Nazi salute btw.

That didn’t come out right so: a stiff arm straight forward in front of you and slanted upward.

pascal30

He put his hand on his heart and then shot out his arm to the right. It was not a nazi salute.. I think he was symbolising the future in his rather odd robotic manner..

I agree with you after watching it, I think it was his way of saying onward and upward.
A Nazi salute is a stiff arm straight forward in front of you.

I read online yesterday that a 2024 New York Times profile on Musk reported that he has 12 children from 3 relationships, and has had built a $35million family compound in Texas for all of his children and two of their mothers to live together. I think I read he also has a mansion there so he can see his children all together. Happy to be put right if this is not the case.

Ive also seen an article recently where he says that there aren't enough babies being born...hope he's not intending to remedy that by himself too- seriously scary prospect if so and rather bonkers! Father of a nation would take on a whole new meaning...

I agree he does need reining in before he goes completely over the top, maybe he'll calm down a bit now that election fever and the inauguration are over? Maybe?...

Musk's maternal grandparents were members of the Nazi party in Canada. His parents moved to South Africa because they were in favour of apartheid. Musk supports the far right Afd party in Germany which uses the nazi salute.
As for the "cut him some slack, he's autistic etc." I have known many people who are autistic. None of them felt it necessary to salute in such a way. And the Nazis did salute that way. Google them and see. I don't understand people who are trying to condone an out and out fascist

Dickens

Galaxy

I sort of agree Dickens, but it was bizarre.
I think he is not neurotypical, but obviously am diagnosing a stranger on the internet which is not acceptable!

Oh, I'm quite prepared to accept I'm wrong - as I said, it was a "gut reaction".

If he really is reviving the Nazi salute - deliberately - then he's been watched by millions and it will be interesting and necessary to follow their reactions.

Perhaps he's emboldened by the current fiasco of Trump 'fever' and believes in a 'new dawn' of Politics?

I just don't know. When I looked at the footage, I also thought he looked rather silly - like a teenager high on adrenalin or intoxicated.

I still think he's going to 'come a cropper' at some point, if for example, he appears to be outshining Trump, or, in his unpredictability, steps too far. His behaviour is apparently sometimes bizarre, and I think he's a bit emotionally unstable, but that's purely my subjective view.

Dickens.. Musk has said himself that he has Aspergers Syndrome a form of Autism

Grandma70s

pascal30

He put his hand on his heart and then shot out his arm to the right. It was not a nazi salute.. I think he was symbolising the future in his rather odd robotic manner..

Yes, a Nazi salute would not be to the side, but straight to the front.

You can look on Google images.

It is more or less the same gesture. I was going to post the two side by side but decided not to soil my PC by downloading the images.

pascal30

He put his hand on his heart and then shot out his arm to the right. It was not a nazi salute.. I think he was symbolising the future in his rather odd robotic manner..

Yes, a Nazi salute would not be to the side, but straight to the front.

Several users on X, the social medial platform he owns, have likened the gesture to a Nazi salute.

Musk has since responded, posting on his social media site X: "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."
BBC News

🤔

I posted these images not because I am defending Elon Musk by the way, but to illustrate that other groups have adopted this salute

Just had a quick browse online and found these Palestinian supporters using the same salute/gesture

Are they far right Nazi supporters?

Galaxy

I sort of agree Dickens, but it was bizarre.
I think he is not neurotypical, but obviously am diagnosing a stranger on the internet which is not acceptable!

Oh, I'm quite prepared to accept I'm wrong - as I said, it was a "gut reaction".

If he really is reviving the Nazi salute - deliberately - then he's been watched by millions and it will be interesting and necessary to follow their reactions.

Perhaps he's emboldened by the current fiasco of Trump 'fever' and believes in a 'new dawn' of Politics?

I just don't know. When I looked at the footage, I also thought he looked rather silly - like a teenager high on adrenalin or intoxicated.

I still think he's going to 'come a cropper' at some point, if for example, he appears to be outshining Trump, or, in his unpredictability, steps too far. His behaviour is apparently sometimes bizarre, and I think he's a bit emotionally unstable, but that's purely my subjective view.

He put his hand on his heart and then shot out his arm to the right. It was not a nazi salute.. I think he was symbolising the future in his rather odd robotic manner..

Of course Musk knows. We don't need to go back in history: the AfD in Germany use it and Musk is close to them and he is totally aware of that. Also his liking for Tommy Robinson, some of whose supporters use the Nazi salute. And in the USA.

25Avalon

Now he is aware of the concerns raised by this salute why doesn’t he explain it wasn’t a nazi salute, apologise, and confirm he won’t continue doing it ?

Perhaps it's because it was a Nazi salute and he has every intention of continuing to do it?

I don't think the richest man in the US feels any need to explain or apologise to anyone... 🙄

Now he is aware of the concerns raised by this salute why doesn’t he explain it wasn’t a nazi salute, apologise, and confirm he won’t continue doing it ?

Louella12

Oh dear. I'm finding it hard to believe that anyone would say this was a Nazi salute.

He is indeed, a very unusual character. But please, don't be so predictable. The left do open themselves up to ridicule.

You'd find it hard to believe would you, really? For a start, he's a well known supporter of far right extremist parties in Germany and Austria. Ring any bells?

As for the left opening themselves up to ridicule! His "gesture" has been universally noted and condemned by left, right and centre from all over the world. It has nothing to do the left. I assume you're a Tory in which case I doubt very much that your party would endorse in any way Elon Musk's salute. I'm afraid you're on your own with this one Louella.