UPDATE – Since we published this piece Rep. Norrell deleted all of her tweets regarding the Army cadets and the accusations of flashing a ”white power symbol”.
Mandy Powers Norell is a state representative for South Carolina. Late last night, in responding to a random tweet, she joined in on the digital mob accusing the cadets who were seen on camera flashing the ”OK” sign during the pregame of the Amy-Navy contest.
Three separate cadets making the white power symbol on television. Wonder what the culture is like for the cadet in the front. There’s no excuse and he and other minorities there shouldn’t have to deal with such a cruel and disrespectful environment. https://t.co/nSn1WTVpm0
— SC Representative Mandy Powers Norrell (@MPowersNorrell) December 15, 2019
By this morning she was joining the chorus of those calling for the military authorities to go after the caadets seen during the broadcast.
Update. As of this morning, Westpoint has issued a statement saying it “doesn’t know the intention” of these cadets. I hope they figure it out soon.
— SC Representative Mandy Powers Norrell (@MPowersNorrell) December 15, 2019
Then she began to hear from most sane individuals explaining to her she was not seeing what she wanted to be seeing. That reality did little to quell her emotional reaction.
The explanation given by many on twitter today is that these cadets are either saying things are “okay” or playing “the circle game” where they can punch someone who looks at their upside down okay symbol. How’s it a game if they’re on TV and can’t see who looks? Context.
— SC Representative Mandy Powers Norrell (@MPowersNorrell) December 15, 2019
How about this for context — the pictures you reference Rep. Norrell have the cadets holding their hand with the fingers downward. That alone indicates they were playing the game, as anyone familiar with the supposed supremacist hoax is aware the fingers need to be upright, to replicate the ”W” for ”White Power”.
Then, a few hours later Rep. Norrell posts another ”explainer”, which essentially disproves her entire premise.
More context: “4chan hoaxers hoped media would overreact by condemning a common image as white supremacist….By 2019, at least some white supremacists seem to have abandoned the ironic intent and use the symbol as a sincere expression of white supremacy” https://t.co/eZOygkGoFM
— SC Representative Mandy Powers Norrell (@MPowersNorrell) December 15, 2019
So…you essentially admit the intention of the white power claim was to cause an overreaction – by posting this explainer – but you still stand behind the claim?
This means one of two things:
- You are naive about the hoax but willing to jump to the worst conclusion about anonymous cadets on TV.
- You are aware of the intent to reinterpret a common symbol and now strive to weaponize the accusation.
Either being the case, the breakdown in logic here rests with Rep. Norrell. Also, with some of her supporters.
We are waiting. If I were in charge they would all be removed. This should not be tolerated.
— WatchYourRepsSC ? (@WatchYourRepsSC) December 15, 2019
Waiting on @realDonaldTrump @PeteHegseth Tammy Lahren and the rest of the gang who went off on the NFL players who knelt in protest…
That went on for about a year…
Where is @seanhannity ??
Will he comment?— Andrew Roslak (@beavis617) December 15, 2019
This is willful ignorance and the attempt to wield their cancel-culture based on nothing but hysterics. As of now, there has been no retraction from Rep. Norrell, so the assumption stands she wants these soldiers in training punished.
Because this should be the focus of a state Representative.
Ma'am there's work to be done in SC. ????? at a football game isn't one of them.
— Shannon K (@shannyk36) December 15, 2019
