• TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    3 months ago

    There is an island specific brand that cater to this pseudo militarism demographic that’s maybe even more cringe: https://www.mayjahleagueclothing.com/

    It’s not that every one wearing this brand pulls Trump flags along with Kanaka maoli flags on the weekend. But every one pulling flags on the weekend wears this brand.

      • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        3 months ago

        I mean, for sure. But then I also get it and it’s no different than how rudderless males get vacuumed up into reactionary movements everywhere else.

        And that’s the sensitive topic no white people in sociology departments want to discuss, is that the Hawaiian sovereignty movement at this point, is an entirely reactionary movement. It’s also a weird bastardization of some genuinely good things, like the spirit of kama aina and aloha. It comes from a lack of political or economic control over ones life. The predominantly Hawaiian neighborhoods are incredibly impoverished. Most Hawaiian families that I know are living right in the edge of survival or collapse (if not in slow collapse trying to keep up). So they look for anything that can offer them the sense of control they lack. Thing is though, the guys wearing these brand. They the same ones dropping litter all over the beach, messing with the turtles, or taking dirt bikes up into the jungle trashing the trails. They not building shit for the community. It’s weird because it’s a respect culture that seems to have lack it. And they’re almost all Trumpers.

        And it’s kind of the same thing with a white 18 yo from Idaho. They have no real political or economic power and so they look for any path they think can give it to them.

        So like I do understand it. But it’s weird.

        • Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          3 months ago

          Interesting, so Hawaii is pulling a Texas, rather than an indigenous sovereign space, thing now?

          Where I live, the type of people that wear these fascist bro clothing brands are generally comfortable, middle class, suburban, guys with comically large trucks. These people are not wayward youth, who feel powerless. They are privileged white people who feel like their power is being “unnaturally” challenged by people, they consider to be, vermin.

          • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            3 months ago

            I just want to make sure I’m not over-emphasizing this. Its not an ubiquitous thing and the moment isn’t a monolith. But this kind of branding is specifically moving the idealism of the movement towards militaristic.