“They’re shouting ‘Let’s go Brandon,'” the reporter told the motorsport hero. But the supporters’ shout was about Joe Biden. Now the misunderstanding has completely taken off in the United States.
It was Brandon Brown’s first Nascar victory. Nascar is America’s largest motorsport organizer, so it goes without saying that the man was euphoric.
The “Oh, my God” and “dream comes true” ones were loose when the 28-year-old got out of his Chevrolet Camaro to celebrate with the fans and be interviewed while the tires were still hot from the stresses they had been exposed to.
– Dad, we did it! Let’s go! cheered Brandon Brown into the NBC camera.
Brandon on Billboard
But on the stands behind him began to roar several of the spectators. They shouted what some disgruntled Americans have been shouting since Joe Biden and the Democrats won the election and sent Donald Trump headlong out of the White House last fall: “Fuck Joe Biden, fuck Joe Biden,” they shouted.
– You can hear the shouts from the crowd what this means, said the experienced reporter Kelli Stavast, who can hardly have heard what they shouted. Then she said the winged words: – They shout “Let’s go Brandon!”.
This happened in Talladega, Alabama on October 2nd. Four weeks later, the euphemism – saying, writing or singing “Let’s go Brandon” when you really mean “Fuck Joe Biden” – is everywhere.
For example, we can start on the Billboard list. There is rapper Loza Alexander’s song “Let’s go Brandon”, albeit 44 places behind leading Adele, with the lyrics:
Go Brandon, but we all know what the sayin’ mean (we all know what this means).
–Trump’s new T-shirt
Social media is also the perfect place for a misunderstanding of this kind. A Twitter search on Lets go Brandon results in cartoon routes, Halloween pumpkins, countless “memes” and videos, and even signs about roadworks with references to Brandon.
Others have decided to make money from it. Sweaters, coffee cups, caps, the offers are many.
Donald Trump has also thrown himself into it. In an e-mail, his “friends” are offered to buy the new T-shirt he has made. The e-mail says:
“You’ve probably heard it shouted everywhere American patriots meet. Now President Trump has got America’s new favorite phrase “LET’S GO BRANDON” on a brand new T-shirt in limited edition. “
Potential buyers must donate at least 45 dollars (380 Norwegian kroner) to secure it.
The shirt the Republicans’ party office offers from their email account is even more expensive. In addition to the saying, it has Joe Biden’s head on. To take it far, and home: It’s as if Erna Solberg’s Conservative office were to sell T-shirts with Jonas Gahr Støre’s face and a cheer about the tennis set Casper Ruud – which is really about how bad Støre is.
Brandon Brown has not said outright what he thinks about the misunderstanding, but has joked a bit about it on his Twitter account @brandonbrown_68.
Great political division
“Let’s go Brandon” is just a small piece in a huge puzzle that shows an increasingly divided America.
The American think tank Pew Research Center published in mid-October a survey showing that the United States is more politically divided than other prosperous countries.
Residents of 17 different countries have been asked how they perceive the level of conflict among people who vote differently, have different ethnic and religious backgrounds and between city and country.
The United States scores very high – in a negative sense – in all categories. Neither “Fuck Joe Biden” nor “Let’s go Brandon” is likely to help make the climate any milder.
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