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How the Far-Right is Normalizing Violent Advertising
Eric Greitens’ violent ad asks followers to go “RINO hunting” — and it’s right out of the fascism playbook
On June 20, US Senate candidate Eric Greitens posted an incredibly violent political campaign advertisement on his social media channels. The ad, which features a militarized police force destroying a house and Greitens pumping a shotgun, resembles contemporary examples of extreme far-right propaganda. The video, mirroring terrorist visual rhetoric, displays Greitens wielding a shotgun and asking followers to “get a RINO [Republican in name only] hunting permit” and to “join the MAGA crew.” Twitter determined the ad to be “in the public’s interest” and is allowing it to stay online. Keeping it up is a bad idea. On the other hand, taking it down makes Greitens a media martyr — someone who claims to be a victim when appropriate consequences are dealt to them. This is the birth of a new advertising strategy directly introducing fascist tactics into our feeds.
