Because they know a lot of people agree with them on individual policy ideas, but if they claim/accept that label in particular, it will alienate the low information people they target.
English only education
Immigration quotas
Policing policy and methods
Incarceration
Tons of other things
All of these have racial implications, and a huge swath of “middle America” will buy into specific stances. Their MO is to get them agreeing on anything, and then gradually ramp up the rhetoric to get them to more extreme views.
As a normal looking white guy, it is shocking the number of times people will say borderline racist things to feel you out. Depending on your immediate response, they will either cloak themselves in whatever plausible deniability they built into their initial comment and stop talking to you, or they’ll continue with gradual escalation until you match them, at which point they know they’ve found a kindred spirit.
Because they know a lot of people agree with them on individual policy ideas, but if they claim/accept that label in particular, it will alienate the low information people they target.
English only education
Immigration quotas
Policing policy and methods
Incarceration
Tons of other things
All of these have racial implications, and a huge swath of “middle America” will buy into specific stances. Their MO is to get them agreeing on anything, and then gradually ramp up the rhetoric to get them to more extreme views.
As a normal looking white guy, it is shocking the number of times people will say borderline racist things to feel you out. Depending on your immediate response, they will either cloak themselves in whatever plausible deniability they built into their initial comment and stop talking to you, or they’ll continue with gradual escalation until you match them, at which point they know they’ve found a kindred spirit.