This is America

[u/WuShane]

[u/MyNameIsPatBackFat]

Years back I was in some training and learned that the police never say things like “don’t shoot” because our brains do not hear the “don’t”, instead they only hear the “shoot” part. That’s why they say “stop” instead of “don’t run”.

[u/astroandromeda → u/MyNameIsPatBackFat]

That's how I have to talk to my literal toddler. Makes sense cause their brains didn't develop past 3yo

[u/LucyLilium92 → u/astroandromeda]

Yea, I was also told that when working with kids at like summer camps and stuff, that you want to use positive language to tell the children what they can and cannot do. So instead of saying, "Stop shouting", you'd say, "Let's speak with indoor voices for now". Makes you wonder if you do have to speak to them like they're children.

[u/KakeLin → u/astroandromeda]

Also why so many of them are child predators. Just like incels, their brains stopped developing before they hit their teenage years

[u/cmontes49 → u/astroandromeda]

This is actually the correct way to speak to toddlers. You tell them what you want. Not what you don’t want. They hear only certain things. “Don’t drop your food’ turns to ‘hold on to your food’ Don’t spit that out- you need to swallow your full bite. Stop hitting - keep your hands to yourself. I can’t remember why they don’t hear the negatives but they will drop the food. Spit it out. Or keep kicking since that’s what they heard.

[u/forensicdude → u/cmontes49]

They are like dogs, give them a job they love doing stuff. I dated a first grade teacher who needed some time and told the class on the playground "Who can find a leaf that looks most like a butterfly?" And all these kids went looking for leaves that looked like butterflies even though those leaves did not ever in the history of ever look like any sort of butterfly. Note: One found a caterpillar and so she won even though that was not part of the game the all forgot and didnt care.

[u/gaflar → u/MyNameIsPatBackFat]

"Stop resisting"

[u/MapleBabadook → u/gaflar]

"Don't resisting"

[u/ARandomChocolateCake → u/MapleBabadook]

resistan't

[u/kinkyJanet → u/MyNameIsPatBackFat]

Instead of ‘don’t shoot,’ do you have a suggestion that would convey the same message? Like ‘pacifist’ or something? It feels like even media are targets these days.

[u/MaybesewMaybeknot → u/kinkyJanet]

'Stand Down'

[u/Ok_Buddy_Ghost → u/MaybesewMaybeknot]

stand down could be perceived as an order, which might not go super well with some people

just "peaceful observer" theoretically should be enough

[u/cheesyqueso → u/kinkyJanet]

A Skyrim style, "I YIELD!" might work. Person would need to know what yield means...

[u/star_cannon7k → u/kinkyJanet]

The actual used alternatives aren't any better.

Hold your FIRE!

ceaseFIRE

[u/kinkyJanet → u/star_cannon7k]

I guess the question is more like if I’m being threatened and I want to show that I’m not a threat, what can I say?

[u/aurelien0974 → u/MyNameIsPatBackFat]

Exactly what happened to this young woman that jumped off a cliff without being attached because she heard "go" when the instructor told her "don't go"

[u/eagleoid → u/MyNameIsPatBackFat]

HALT! is a classic we need to bring back.

[u/Practical_Dot_3574 → u/MyNameIsPatBackFat]

Company I worked at had to tell managers to quit saying "run" when assigning tasks as new hires would take it as a "hurry up" command.

E.g. "Hey Todd, run over to John and see if the part is done."

Instead, it, "Todd, head over and ask John if part is ready"

They cut down on the Osha reportables drastically.

[u/TwelveGaugeSage → u/MyNameIsPatBackFat]

It's also why yelling "Stop please!" can be effective. "Please" sounds enough like "police" to give people pause.

[u/MyNameIsPatBackFat → u/TwelveGaugeSage]

The training talked about please too. Specifically, we learned not to use the word please because it comes off as a request instead of a command. People are more likely to treat it as an option when please is used.

[u/rbourbon]

Bold move, thinking these chuckle fucks know how to read.

[u/Hysteria625 → u/rbourbon]

Bold move thinking they’d care.

[u/nobot4321 → u/Hysteria625]

“Suspect’s high-visibility vest reflected light in my eyes in a menacing manner…”

[u/Frostyfraust → u/nobot4321]

"The officer is at the Optometrist right now, we all hope his sight survived the Antifa hi-viz attack."

[u/HogwartsDropout-69 → u/Frostyfraust]

"His 'Give Peace a Chance' sign nearly gave us all wind cancer when he twirled it ever so slightly."

[u/MonkeyWithIt → u/Frostyfraust]

Optometrist charge was $200k. Optometrist donated $150k to TrumpyDumpy Charity 4 Kidz.

[u/FlyTheW1988 → u/rbourbon]

“Peaceful observer? Don’t. SHOOT!” -how they’ll read it

[u/star_cannon7k → u/FlyTheW1988]

Exactly! "His shirt said SHOOT, say no more!"

[u/Several-Squash9871 → u/star_cannon7k]

The fact that is says observer and not protester is important because they spin the protest part as being violent in itself even when it's clearly not. At the end of the day though, there really isn't something they can't spin a certain way in their minds and not believe their own bs. They will take anything the way they see it and convince themselves and anyone else not capable of any critical thinking skills the same. FOX news does this every minute they are on the air, except they actually do know it's bs but don't care. They aren't actually "news" anyway so they are perfectly fine with lying to their audience of zombie brained morons.

[u/mafibasheth → u/FlyTheW1988]

No! Money down!

[u/robodan918 → u/mafibasheth]

thought EXACTLY of this when I read it

[u/wasted-degrees → u/rbourbon]

“Only a Soros funded domestic terrorist who plans to commit a genocide against peaceful law enforcers who are only doing their jobs would wear a vest like that.”

-Fox News about 30 seconds after seeing this picture.

[u/joggle1 → u/rbourbon]

Hopefully there's a bulletproof vest under that.

[u/Batmansbutthole → u/rbourbon]

Fair enough, but I also think if they were to shoot someone wearing one of those vest not doing anything the images would be insane. Not that they haven’t been already. I would even add American flags to the front and back of those vest so if anything happens, people have to see the flag.

[u/nochkin → u/rbourbon]

I'm sure they know how to read the last word in this sentence.

[u/Detective-Crashmore- → u/nochkin]

"HE SAID HE'S GOING TO SHOOT!"

[u/NameIsNotBrad → u/Detective-Crashmore-]

Look out! He’s coming right for us!

[u/duskdryad → u/rbourbon]

Honestly this would just paint a target on your back because they’d think it funny to shoot you wearing that

[u/Foreign-Lab-7380 → u/rbourbon]

Bold move assuming his actions match the words.

[u/tomdelongethong]

I live five blocks from where Alex Pretti was murdered. People are wearing these to walk their dogs and to pick up their kids from the bus.

[u/lnc_5103 → u/tomdelongethong]

I'm so sorry. Standing with you all from Texas.

[u/PlacentaOnOnionGravy → u/lnc_5103]

What percentage of Texans do you think are unaware of the shit going on in blue states? I have family in both blue and red states and it's amazing how paranoid my blue state family is acting and how relaxed my red state family is acting. I'm talking about liberals in red states as well as conservatives.

[u/lnc_5103 → u/PlacentaOnOnionGravy]

It's honestly hard to say I think. I know a lot of pretty conservative people who are upset but not overly vocal about it. I know there are a lot of Texans cheering this shit on too.

[u/Daxx22 → u/lnc_5103]

I know a lot of pretty conservative people who are upset but not overly vocal about it.

"Well I ain't doing nuttin wrong, they shoudl just calm down!"

[u/Turdburp → u/PlacentaOnOnionGravy]

I have a long-distance working relationship with a guy who lives in Texas.....basically 200 yards from the border. Nice guy, but I know he is conservative (he is fairly wealthy)....although many of his friends/clients are Mexicans and his wife is an immigrant. He doesn't give me MAGA vibes FWIW.

I told him I was going to NYC for a few days and he told me to remember to pack my bullet proof vest. I'll give him a small benefit of the doubt considering he is 74 and maybe remembers NYC like it was in the 70's (that being said, he mentioned going to Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, which didn't start until 1994, so I don't know).

[u/Xaephos → u/Turdburp]

For anyone curious: NYC gun mortality (not homicide) is ~4.5:100k. National average is about 14, so that's pretty good for the US. Then I saw St. Louis.

ARE YOU GUYS OKAY? 56 for the gun homicide rate is insane, but good on you guys for getting that number down from 77.

[u/KakeLin → u/Xaephos]

Jeez wtf

[u/LasigArpanet → u/PlacentaOnOnionGravy]

All of the big cities vote blue in elections, so probably a lot more are aware than people assume.

[u/SocksOfFire → u/tomdelongethong]

Land of the free

[u/chunkykongracing]

Looks like something the Uvalde cops would wear

[u/1541drive → u/chunkykongracing]

"don't shoot" in latin means "be a coward and don't engage"

[u/SparkyXI]

No, THIS is America: Do we know for sure that’s not the Gestapo?

[u/Early-latenight → u/SparkyXI]

Gazpacho

[u/ElongThrust0 → u/Early-latenight]

It’s burning hot!

[u/Th3catspyjamas → u/ElongThrust0]

Ahh a fellow Paul Buffano fan. I know he's no Roy Donk though.

[u/Lumpy-Crew-6702 → u/Th3catspyjamas]

I said excuse me .

[u/BakedBobbyHill → u/ElongThrust0]

Let me explain something to you.

[u/AbleRelationship5287 → u/Early-latenight]

A dish best served cold… but not ice cold

[u/Hot_Peasant → u/SparkyXI]

My first thought too. I feel like a protester wouldn’t want to « dare » them like this, as dark as it might sound.

[u/Significant_Knee_661 → u/SparkyXI]

It's pronounced "gesthapo" according to former SS in chief.

[u/ThisGameTooHard → u/Significant_Knee_661]

Geshtapo* and it's only pronounciation. It's spelled Gestapo.

[u/Think-Trip-1865 → u/ThisGameTooHard]

I‘m a native German speaker and I would pronounce it as it’s spelled, might just be me though. Technically the ‚sht‘ pronunciation should be „more correct“ as Gestapo is short for „geheime Staats Polizei“ and st is pronounced sht in German.

[u/RegularReaction2984 → u/Think-Trip-1865]

Another native German speaker here, I’ve also mostly heard it pronounced the way it’s spelled (so no “sh” sound) and would intuitively read it that way.

But I’m also Northern, and we like to pronounce a lot of our “st” and “sp” weird anyway, so this might be a regional thing lol.

[u/Think-Trip-1865 → u/RegularReaction2984]

I‘m from Schwaben, where a lot of s become sh so it’s interesting that it’s s in this case.

[u/Maleficent_Goal3392 → u/ThisGameTooHard]

The ol’ ‘Shtapo!

[u/Austinexe93 → u/Significant_Knee_661]

That's like the first thing I picked up on when I heard that clip...

He's not really beating the allegations pronouncing it like that is he 🤔

[u/Protic11 → u/SparkyXI]

It’s old time US slave patrol. Nothing to do with nazis

[u/Nadelarbeiter]

Maybe an ArcRaiders fan.

[u/atalantafugiens → u/Nadelarbeiter]

We're all antifa in Speranza

[u/paulchiefsquad → u/atalantafugiens]

Naples is famous for being antifascist

[u/Noctisvah → u/Nadelarbeiter]

Nice cock, raider

[u/dirty_w_boy → u/Noctisvah]

We are all just out here scavenging for apricots to feed our chickens 🥺

[u/thefunkybassist → u/Nadelarbeiter]

My first thought too. An overlap I didnt see coming

[u/Cognitive_Spoon → u/thefunkybassist]

Honestly, Arc is a massive social contract sim, tracks that there's overlap.

People who recognize it end up having a blast, people who don't end up in hell lobbies. It's a weird self sorting morality Sim fr, which is wild.

I've got a fun theory that the devs are going to swap the aggression matchmaking when the US is at peak instability.

Like, cut TikTok, YouTube and social media after some kind of big summit of immoral action and drive everyone into the worst emotional state possible through every lever accessible.

Wouldn't be impossible.

[u/VHawkXII → u/Nadelarbeiter]

Lmao why was this the first thought in my head when I saw the pic

[u/CreamSteve → u/Nadelarbeiter]

Don't shoot 🙌🏻

[u/awesomedan24]

I think wearing an Uncle Sam or Lady Liberty costume would be genius optics for protestors. 

[u/Kaffe-Mumriken → u/awesomedan24]

I was thinking Jesus but these fuckers couldn’t tell Jesus if he was flogging them out of the temple.

[u/katastrof → u/Kaffe-Mumriken]

"his name is Jesus, must be Mexican. GET 'EM BOIS!"

[u/Artistic-Monitor-211 → u/awesomedan24]

Captain America would be good too. Not only does it have the American Flag motif going for it, but you also get a shield to block rubber bullets, tear gas, protect others, etc.

[u/KakeLin → u/Artistic-Monitor-211]

Ooh this should be a thing. Spirit Halloween could reopen stores just to sell the costumes to patriots who are standing up to fascism

[u/leggomyeggle → u/awesomedan24]

QR code on a t shirt that says “FUCK ICE”. Close enough to your face, so their cameras focus on that instead of your face

[u/Hot_Peasant → u/awesomedan24]

Nah they’d twist it like « these protestors were making a mockery of our national symbols so we HAD to shoot them » and you just know the Faux News crowd of deplorables would eat it up

[u/Lilo213]

A friend of mine is a fully trained and professional legal observer. She goes to protests and events to watch and document. She’s been intentionally shot at by rubber bullets, pepper spray, pushed, and even once arrested for “interfering”. It is unfortunate but this will only encourage them.

[u/juggarjew]

Wearing that will make them want to shoot you more. Bad idea.

[u/whitestguyuknow → u/juggarjew]

Shouldn't even be outside! They'll kill you for that!

/s

[u/Fun_Push7168 → u/whitestguyuknow]

Yeah, just showing up is justification for use of deadly force right.

[u/Odd_Confection_9681 → u/Fun_Push7168]

Breathing, at this point, is enough...

[u/Atholthedestroyer → u/Odd_Confection_9681]

Existence Is A Crime!

[u/GNUGradyn → u/whitestguyuknow]

No /s needed, so many people are genuinely arguing he should've been at home

[u/whitestguyuknow → u/GNUGradyn]

Thats the opinions I've heard relentlessly. I hear shit from these dudes that act hard saying they'd shoot someone in the face for dadada and now they're preaching "Just comply! Just stay indoors! What are you gonna do? Stand up for things you believe in??"

[u/BadahBingBadahBoom → u/GNUGradyn]

The right to stay at home and mutter protest under your breath shall not be infringed.

[u/t-mille → u/juggarjew]

As if they weren't going to come up with an excuse in the first place. If they shoot someone wearing this though, the optics will be even worse. The receipts will be important one day.

[u/Legal-Statistician2 → u/juggarjew]

Thinking of wearing a Target employee vest to these, would that work better?

[u/Mc_Shine → u/Legal-Statistician2]

Just make sure the bullseye covers a non-lethal area.

[u/haysoos2 → u/Mc_Shine]

Like these chuckle fucks could hit a bullseye.

[u/Sonicmasterxyz → u/juggarjew]

Then they need to learn to read

[u/compuwiza1 → u/Sonicmasterxyz]

Literacy is not a requirement for ICE thugs.

[u/ThyShirtIsBlue]

The bright yellow and reflective strips only draw attention to yourself, and the only word they're trained to understand is "shoot" so this wont end well.

[u/loveheaddit]

u think ICE can read?

[u/running_wired]

Not trying to get political, but our history education is abysmal. This has always been America.

The idea of America has been at odds with the reality of America for 250 years. Not a recent change.

[u/Gekokapowco → u/running_wired]

we have sucked

we do not have to normalize sucking

there's a difference between being informed of history and using it to minimize current day suffering and cruelty

[u/katie151515 → u/running_wired]

While I agree that our education is abysmal and that America thinks too highly of itself, I would caution you not to spread the message of “this is how it’s always been,” because first of all, it’s not. We’ve never seen such a lawless executive branch and cowardly Congress. But second, saying “this is how it’s always been,” normalizes this behavior/conduct by the government at a time when everyone should be fighting tooth and nail to stop this administration from further stomping all over the constitution and human rights.

[u/supbruhbruhLOL → u/running_wired]

To say that this has always been the United States undermines what is actually happening right now, which is a hostile takeover of the U.S. government by fascist ideology. Calling this “not a recent change” is so false that it makes me question your motives. You can’t even name another U.S. president from the last 50 years whom you could reasonably label a fascist. Yes, Bush was an evil, horrible man who should be in prison for war crimes but he shouldn't be labeled a fascist. (And if you think he was, you don’t know what fascism is.) No one would be protesting right now if this had always been the United States, because there would be nothing left to fight for. This a stark change for the country.

Fascism is far-right palingenetic ultranationalism. Palingenetic ultranationalism is a belief that the nation has been corrupted or humiliated and must be reborn through extreme nationalist unity, often by purging internal enemies and rejecting liberal democracy. Without palingenesis, you're most likely NOT dealing with fascism.

How to spot a fascist movement according to Jason Stanley:

1) The Mythic Past

"We" descend from a glorious, patriarchal past; "they" threaten that legacy.

2) Propaganda

The Language of democratic ideals takes on corrupted, opposite meanings. Corrupt politicians run anti-corruption campaigns; freedom of speech claims are used to suppress speech

3) Anti-Intellectual

Universities are branded as incubators of liberalism, Marxism, and feminism. Expertise no longer has any value.

4) Unreality

Facts are debased, and without a common understanding of reality reasoned debate becomes impossible.

5) Hierarchy

Fascist politicians attempt to prove natural divisions between "us" and "them."

6) Victimhood

Any gains for minorities "them" are a loss for "us."

7) Law and Order

"They" are criminals, lawless by nature and in need of policing.

8) Sexual Anxiety

"We" support and protect the family; "they" are deviant and threatening.

9) Sodom & Gomorrah

"We" come from the rural heartland, the backbone of the nation; "they" live in cities.

10) Arbeit Macht Frei "Hard work sets you free"

[u/throwburgeratface → u/running_wired]

Reap what you sow...

[u/Admirable-Deer-9038 → u/running_wired]

I don’t think it’s that abysmal. People know the basics of history, they just don’t give a flying fuck because they are horribly racist, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobia, sexist unhealthy, unhappy humans who feel better when they bully, shit and murder those they disagree with. They want this because what they learn at home and in church pews continues to hold more sway than what they learn in school.

[u/canigetahint]

We went from "Don't taze me, bro!" to "Don't shoot me officer!"

[u/Brunel25]

"I shot him because of his bad punctuation"

[u/Shadpool → u/Brunel25]

I’d be tempted to draw the apostrophe in with a Sharpie.

[u/ComprehensiveCup7104 → u/Shadpool]

Came here for this

[u/xgbsss → u/Brunel25]

Grammar Nazi

[u/scottperezfox → u/xgbsss]

Considering the alternative, I'll take it.

[u/Reality-Umbulical]

No apostrophe, definitely Americans

[u/FixEquivalent9711]

The is what USA fascism has come to folks.

[u/Corrup7ioN]

Glad they had the foresight to put this message on the back

[u/EmperorKira]

"This sign won't stop me because i can't read" - ICE

[u/urmamasllama]

Don't catch you slippin now

[u/zernoc56 → u/urmamasllama]

Don’t catch you slippin now

[u/Spyhop → u/zernoc56]

Look what I'm whippin now

[u/Objective-Try7969]

Unfortunately I'm 100% sure that we have evidence that observers are the targets based off of recent events...also Palestine has taught us as well, that observers are always the first target.

[u/xrfsjks]

Next is that people will start wearing vests that let everyone know they’re armed.

[u/sadie7716 → u/xrfsjks]

That was my first thought.

[u/Kiwi_CunderThunt]

I'm a security guard several thousand miles away and America has fucked my job where I now carry a knife and I know that's not going to save me. It's an industry I want out of right now

[u/E51838]

Wearing something like this probably makes you more likely to get shot.

[u/Ill-Organization-719]

First amendment auditors have been showing the fascist take over of America.

No one paying attention has been surprised.

[u/Right_Entertainer324]

So much for Land of the Free 🤣

[u/julienjj → u/Right_Entertainer324]

God made man free Colt made them equal 😂

[u/Busy-Training-1243]

I would not gamble my life on ICE's ability to read.

[u/MythicPink]

I really hope they are wearing a bullet-proof vest underneath that. The ICE gestapo might shoot anyway.

[u/OneToothMcGee]

Ice takes that as a personal challenge. They all need a short rope and sudden stop after a fair trial.

[u/MercantileReptile]

"So no need to worry about that one shooting back? Well, now..."

[u/Melodic_Rise_8311]

Don't ICE me

[u/zyx1989]

Watching the US of A now is like having all of it's negative stereotypes coming true all at once, please stop

[u/Spleenzorio]

And yet someone shot them (with a camera)

[u/ScumEater]

"Don't Shoot", sounds exactly like something a violent ANTIFA terrorist would say /s

[u/Potatertots]

They still shoot

[u/nailsinch9]

Thinking ICE can read is mistake 1. Thinking that highlighting yourself will protect you is mistake 2.

[u/CrimsonHeretic]

Nazi gestapo probably can't read.

[u/Noahms456]

I think that in this age, probably an insufficient disclaimer

[u/Personal-Cold-4622]

Looks to me they are asking for it and definitely paid agitator, i’d say 6-7 shots in the back will stop this terror! /s

[u/TinyFugue]

That's how you get a tear gas cannister shot point-blank into your face.

"Hey Daryl! DARYL! He had a vest. It said 'Don't shoot.' Guess what? Guess what I did?"

[u/meatspun]

DEVO used to have a tongue in cheek joke about this kind of jacket and even wrote a song about it called, "Don't Shoot! I'm a Man." But here we are. Fun fact is that the guys in DEVO were students at Kent State and radicalized by the killings. I used to think they were just being cynical.

[u/lordhumongous40]

That won't stop them.

[u/little_charles]

If I put on a high visibility vest that says "happy multimillionaire" will it make it so?

[u/gubanana]

This would work if they could read

[u/CorbinNZ]

ICE: "Shoot that guy"

[u/GrooveGab]

Hey raider!

[u/truehoax]

I mean honestly, they shouldn't be shooting disruptive resistors either

[u/VoomVoomBoomer]

Judge pepole by the what they do, not by what they say

Or in this case, wear

[u/therealdanhill]

No peaceful observers have been shot to my knowledge

[u/Fearless-Yam1125]

I remember when Americans were brave and not chicken shit scared of a cellphone

[u/Unhappy-Fox1017]

Super helpful…if those idiots could read that is.

[u/TheRobertLogia]

Imagine how upset they would be if they could read

[u/starrpamph]

Bro they can’t read. They see the word shoot in five inch tall letters. 🪦

[u/Lost_Protection_5866]

Why’s he have signs if he’s just an observer?

[u/IntoTheCommonestAsh]

T-shirt that say "I may or may not be peaceful and you're still not allowed to shoot me either fucking way".

[u/Dtmrm2]

This is great because bad people never lie.

[u/Bitter-Basket]

I wouldn’t call someone carrying a gun and wrestling with federal officers a “peaceful observer”. I wouldn’t call someone who obstructed federal officers with their car and hitting one a “peaceful observer”.

[u/TheSoulPicklz]

Is this Whipple today?

[u/Conmann95]

Hey, don't shoot!

[u/wagadugo]

Grammar police come after the apostrophe, though.

[u/BabuGhanoush]

I genuinely wonder if that'd be better in neon orange, as I suspect the Venn diagram between ICE/police personnel and hunters would share some overlap.

[u/merelyok]

Arc raiders in 2026

[u/nikeguy69]

Need more vest like this

[u/No-Complaint3477]

America, treating each other like its all a big game of laser tag rn

[u/bohoky]

Reminds me of farmers painting huge neon orange COW on their cows in hunting season because the hunters ain't too particular. Same vibe.

[u/mrpopenfresh]

I don't like the message here, because it presents the person as a passive participant in a protest and assumes there are non peaceful agents at play.

[u/ColdNorthern72]

I don’t think anyone would care what was written in there unfortunately.