As Twitchy reported earlier, Salon published a piece on Christmas in which Amanda Marcotte argued that Hallmark Christmas movies were fascist propaganda — forget “Triumph of the Will.”
Hallmark movies are fascist propaganda https://t.co/zG0tq6XHsD
— Salon (@Salon) December 25, 2019
None of this should be a surprise, because Hallmark movies, as cloying and saccharine as they are, constitute the platonic ideal of fascist propaganda.
…
Hallmark movies, with their emphasis on returning home and the pleasures of the small, domestic life, also send a not-at-all subtle signal of disdain for cosmopolitanism and curiosity about the larger world, which is exactly the sort of attitude that helps breed the kind of defensive white nationalism that we see growing in strength in the Donald Trump era.
Marcotte tweeted later that she enjoyed spending her Christmas laughing at right-wingers who responded to her piece. Funny, though: Hallmark movies went from “the platonic ideal of fascist propaganda” to “dumb” in the space of a tweet.
Laughing at the right wingers calling me “joyless” because I think Hallmark movies are dumb. I think someone’s life is joyless if their only source of entertainment is such empty schmaltz. What a depressing life, free of real, satisfying entertainments and hobbies.
— Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) December 26, 2019
"Alexa, what is the definition of 'backpedal'?"
— BABY YODA SHOT FIRST (@jontheharris) December 26, 2019
It’s a fairly big leap from dumb (which of course is correct) to fascist (which of course is lunacy) don’t ya think?
— The Institution (@PodyChris) December 26, 2019
Recommended
you didn't say "dumb," you said "fascist propaganda."
"only source of entertainment" is an interesting way of saying "like," or "enjoy."this kind of duplicity makes you rather unlikable and untrustworthy, Mandy.
— Anita Sia Perpwalk (@NewYearsDani) December 26, 2019
You called them fascist propaganda. Not dumb. #AmamdaMarcotteIsTrash
— Old Boy (@GraydenThompson) December 26, 2019
Laughing at you re-framing your article as arguing that Hallmark movies are "dumb." Instead it argued that they're "fascist propaganda" which actually is incredibly dumb.
Also, you sad, tedious woman, to see everything you dislike as an agent of evil is what sounds depressing.— Joanne Mason (@JoanneMason11) December 27, 2019
You didn't say Hallmark movies are dumb, you said they are "fascist".
This caused many people to laugh out loud.
So, you unwittingly brought a brief bit of comedic joy to Christmas for many.
Thanks!— James (@liberty_james1) December 26, 2019
You didn't say they were dumb, you said they were, and I quote "fascist propaganda".
There's a massive difference.— Meth Gator Trainer (@Agnosisparadig1) December 26, 2019
I’m pretty sure your taking heat for saying they were fascist propaganda not that they make dumb movies, a lot of people would agree with that.
— A Corrupt Human Tornado (@_TriggeredUhOh) December 26, 2019
That's the thing. You've ruined language and can only speak in hysterical terns now. This juvenile article isn't worth writing and it would have been clear if you said hallmark movies are dumb. But you said it's fascist propaganda which makes you look absolutely ridiculous.
— PelikanNutz (@PelikanNutz1) December 26, 2019
You said they were fascist, and no one was annoyed. They were laughing at you.
— Malarky O'Hohoho ??????? (@GodfreyBouillon) December 26, 2019
Fascist and dumb are not synonymous. I agree on the latter.
— Consul & Senator Marcus T. Cicero (@cedantarmatog1) December 26, 2019
Referring to Hallmark movies as fascist propaganda, is quite different, than saying they're dumb.
— Matthew Gallagher (@MattGall5) December 26, 2019
That’s not why we’re laughing at you. We’re laughing at you for being the kind of imbecile who believes that fascism = stuff you don’t like.
We actually feel sadness at your joyless existence.
— Ming the Merciless Siamese Cat (@CGweilo) December 26, 2019
here’s the thing- there are plenty of families out there that actually lived through fascist dictators. These flippant comparisons are gross and offensive to anyone with a number tattoo’d on their arm. Tell them again about your brave struggle against Hallmark movies.
— Jeff Leonard (@JLeonard530) December 26, 2019
nothing wrong with saying they're dumb. they are dumb. calling them 'fascist propaganda' is where you stumble into that territory.
— JMA ?? ?? (@tobasoft) December 26, 2019
You didn't say they were dumb.
That's fine – and probably true.
You said they were "fascist", and claimed they were worse than Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will – an ACTUAL Nazi propaganda film.
Stop pretending you don't know why people are angry.
— Billy Swagspeare (@bswagspeare) December 26, 2019
Kind of you to admit that you wokescold weirdos really do just call anything you dislike for any reason "fascist."
— Matt (@CalmCacophony) December 27, 2019
You didn't just call them dumb
You claim they are 'fascist propaganda'
This is palpably ludicrous and absurd
But keep pumping this nonsense out: it is gold for ordinary thinking people to laugh at— Mark Jardine (@markbjardine) December 26, 2019
You didn’t call them dumb. You called them fascism because they portray white Christians in a positive light which you have a big issue with.
— Sam Jones (@baitthesquirrel) December 26, 2019
You called them “fascist,” like an insane person, though.
— L Peezy (@WHLPJr) December 26, 2019
Wait, are they “dumb” or are they fascist propaganda? Did you literally abandon your failed thesis the second it went to print? Fascist propaganda isn’t “dumb”, it ends with children being murdered in the street by fascist mobs. Do you genuinely not understand what words mean?
— Sol @ Inventing Incidents (@Solferx) December 26, 2019
You called them “fascist”, not dumb.
— MIKE BRESLIN’S ICONIC TWEETS (@mikebreslin815) December 26, 2019
You didn't say they were "dumb" (they are, but harmless). You said they were "fascist propaganda", which is exponentially more dumb than the movies are.
— Crafton Cornett (@CraftonCornett) December 26, 2019
Thinking they are "dumb" is completely acceptable. Calling them "fascist propaganda" is where your delusions come into play.
— Vicky (@vwalton_vicky) December 26, 2019
We're actually laughing at you because you said they were "Fascist." If you move the goalposts any further, we're going to have to take away your pom-poms.
— Christopher Hamill (@ChrisHamill16) December 26, 2019
“Schmaltz” I knew it. Kvetch harder.
— Chris (@punishedchris) December 26, 2019
I don't recall hearing anyone say it was their only source of entertainment.
— Super?Duper?Elite (@SuperDuperElite) December 26, 2019
Why do you assume that's their only source of entertainment? Pretty presumptive and needlessly judgemental. But you do you.
— Robert the Bruce Wayne (@I_am_Thatman) December 26, 2019
Who said it was "their only source," Ms Strawman?
— Deboosted Deplorable #749230716 ?? ? ? ? (@Shrugging_Atlas) December 26, 2019
“What a depressing life, free of real, satisfying entertainments and hobbies.” I think you’re the pathetic one judging people. Not one person is dumb enough to agree with you.
— J. Jacobs (@proud_teacher82) December 26, 2019
Pretty sure there is not a single person who's only source of entertainment is Hallmark movies.
— James (@liberty_james1) December 26, 2019
Why do you think such movies are their “only source of entertainment”?
— UnderCover (@Pynch1999) December 26, 2019
Having nothing better to do than criticize the tv viewing choices of people you don't know, and making sweeping assumptions about them based on that alone, is sad and petty.
— Jeanne Nicholson ? (@JeannesTweeting) December 26, 2019
I don't care for them either, but neither do I care for stupid people that make stupid statements like this; "I think someone’s life is joyless if their only source of entertainment is such empty schmaltz."
Who says that people who enjoy them don't enjoy anything else?
— Tommy Jeff (@tjefferson767) December 26, 2019
So, people who enjoy Hallmark Channel movies have no other “entertainments” or hobbies?
Weird assumption.
— Princess Consuela Bananahammock (@SckNTyrd) December 26, 2019
What in the world possesses you to think that if a “right-winger” likes Hallmark movies, that’s their only source of entertainment?
I’m a “right-winger” who hates Hallmark movies. I paint, write music, play a wide variety of instruments, read, do crosswords, play hockey. You?
— scottyp (@vvangopher) December 26, 2019
Incredibly weird you think that because someone enjoys something that’s the only thing they enjoy. Zero logic in that.
— John Dillon (@DillonIG) December 26, 2019
So if fascist propaganda is no more than dumb, empty schmaltz, I guess there's nothing to worry about, is there?
But I agree that there are better Christmas movies. For example, Die Hard where a man with a gun rescues a woman from Europeans (ew!)
— Just L (aka Belaglik the Biddy) (@JustLittleOldL) December 27, 2019
Related:
Wear oven mitts before handling Salon’s hot take about ‘fascist propaganda’ in… Hallmark movies? https://t.co/63l0Z4Sm4N
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 26, 2019