In case you missed it, Bre Kidman is a Democratic Socialist who hopes to defeat Maine GOP Sen. Susan Collins and become the first nonbinary U.S. Senator. They (that’s Bre’s preferred pronoun, FYI) likely don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of actually getting elected, but that’s not stopping them from going all out with a not-so-subtle message for Collins:
I was gonna wait until tomorrow to show off these beauties, but Trump got acquitted and I feel like folks could use something to look forward to. So.
Get ready for Merch-You-Can’t-Buy! You shouldn’t buy elections, so you can’t buy our locally silk screened, upcycled merch. pic.twitter.com/B0A4HSvDIw
— bre?️?kidman??for?Maine?(D) (@BeeKay4ME) February 5, 2020
We’ll be giving these shirts (& patches & buttons) to folks who talk with Mainers about our campaign to #StopElectingTheRich and #ShowUpForME.
More details on how to get your GuilloTee tomorrow! In the meantime, remember: there is not going to be a more convenient revolution.
— bre?️?kidman??for?Maine?(D) (@BeeKay4ME) February 5, 2020
“GuilloTee.” Catchy!
Who is the guillotine for?
— Sam Tracy (@SamTracy) February 6, 2020
Seems like a reasonable question.
More of a “what.” The guillotine is for the plutocratic & kleptocratic norms that have undermined our democratic process.
We have to develop ways to subvert the stranglehold of wealth on our government. There will not be a more convenient revolution. The symbol is a reminder.
— bre?️?kidman??for?Maine?(D) (@BeeKay4ME) February 6, 2020
“A reminder.” Suuuuuuure.
Just flagging that one of @SenSusanCollins' Senate opponents has merchandise with a guillotine on it, presumably to cut off .. opponents heads.
Yikes. #MEpolitics #MEsen https://t.co/1u3A2gt8c3
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) February 10, 2020
Nah, we’re sure that’s not what they meant at all …
I’m aware of the French Revolution, and how the story ends. A guillotine t-shirt reminds others about it in hopes that we’ll all be motivated to address the very serious problems with our government before a similarly violent uprising becomes inevitable.
— bre?️?kidman??for?Maine?(D) (@BeeKay4ME) February 8, 2020
Bre notes in replies that they're not in favor of the death penalty, but the t-shirt is more of a warning that a serious violent uprising could become "inevitable."
To paraphrase: "No we're not threatening to execute Susan Collins but it could happen."https://t.co/dtEadlGXQ8
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) February 10, 2020
Nice life Susan Collins has got there … would be a shame if something happened to it.
Bre’s received a fair amount of pushback for hawking their GuilloTees. Here’s a taste:
Well, this is remarkably stupid.
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) February 9, 2020
Hard Pass.
This is irresponsible.
— I want a multiverse where Trump sells Herb-a-Life (@Cajsa) February 8, 2020
A guillotine eh? Yeah, nothing authoritarian and scare tactic about that at all. ?
— Greg (@Money_Moose) February 10, 2020
But Bre thinks people are just overreacting:
This is my favorite: "you put ONE guillotine on a t-shirt threatening inevitable violent death to leaders and everyone just freaks out."
Trying to imagine what would happen if someone in Trump world did something like this. pic.twitter.com/wOUGlmQqzG
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) February 10, 2020
Dude. If someone in Trump World did something like that, the Resistance would be rolling out the guillotine for that person. But because it’s just a Republican being targeted with a thinly veiled threat of political violence, it won’t merit so much as a half-assed cry of outrage.
Seems worth noting that while Maine Democrats are rallying around images of guillotines to defeat Susan Collins, a Florida man tried to maul a tent of Republicans and Trump supporters registering voters. https://t.co/oofVNkKKjx
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) February 10, 2020
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