Wow, people are really pulling the last bit out of context and assuming the worst implications. His "stand by you" and "knocking on doors" thing is him acknowledging his white male privilege to feel safe doing things like going door to door in most neighborhoods, and being happy to extend that safety to others by standing beside them while they do it.

I get the concern about having a Nazi tattoo for over a decade, and concern that everything he is doing is performative based on his past. But what he said was pretty unequivically that he will support LGBTQ+ people, including in action. Whether anyone believes him or not is up to them. But what he said was not mealy-mouthed, it was direct.

I don’t know much about the candidate other than a few recent headlines but I admire the ability of a person to change their mind. This is especially true for someone in politics. Idk if he is a dickhead or if he really changed, but its good to own up to our mistakes.

A few years ago I remember seeing folks online who were ranting about Elizabeth Warren having been a republican so I looked it up. After watching her speak on the matter I sort of turned into a big Warren supporter, because she was able to admit she was wrong after seeming the data. That’s what I want in a representative. I don’t want someone who ignore data or twist it into something else.

I want someone who says “oh shit. Let’s fix this.”

People change.

2016 me would have you think that 2025 me would be the goose stepping leader of the Trump fan club but instead I moved to a liberal city, came out of the closet and have been living a genuine and happy life.

I now despise trump and have come to embrace democratic socialism.

That radical change was directly related to my liberal friends being willing to talk with me and welcome me into their spaces despite our differences.

If we can't accept that people are capable of change then we're defaulted into a perpetual conflict where physical violence becomes inevitable.

If things can't be worked out with words people will result to hands. Those are ultimately the only two tools people have to deal with each other.

Accepting that people can change allows people feel like they have a space to change to. If I didn't have my friends to welcome me into their liberal space I never would have changed because the social pressure to stay conservative and for fear of being alone.

Yeah, hopefully.

There’s a really strong argument to be made that regardless of personal beliefs, seeking that kind of power is inherently untrustworthy. But until we have a national legislature draft we have to rely on the evidence we have that people are going to do good things in office.

Let's look at the relevant candidates for this Senate race:

It's Graham Platner -- a former marine who had a forgotten reddit account with years of pro-socialist posts; Janet Mills, a 77-year old dinosaur who will be anything but progressive; and sitting Republican Susan Collins.

People can change, and Platner has demonstrated that he did. Given his alternatives, is an old tattoo which he covered really any reason to not vote this guy??? It's not Graham Platner versus a picture-perfect socialist who runs a commune that saves orphans and puppies. It's Platner v. Susan Collins v. Janet Mills. Do not let the Mainstream Media make this a controversy.