[fullspectrumdev]

The patch shown in the indictment is literally a meme patch you can buy from a bunch of edgy shops that sell patches for like ten dollars.

It’s not like a membership badge or anything.

[fireflash38]

You know how many arguments are had about language and whether it's prescriptive or descriptive?

Same shit applies to symbols.

People self select and will display symbols to align with the groups they agree with.

[llamaimperative]

Do you think Al Qaeda has membership badges or is it mostly just a bunch of people buying into the same set of memes?

What about vegans?

No one is mistaking this for a “membership badge.” They’re taking it as a signal for what a person believes, and acknowledging that extreme belief formation (even if cynical and “just a joke bro lmao”) is very often part and parcel with group identity.

[IshKebab]

> Do you think Al Qaeda has membership badges or is it mostly just a bunch of people buying into the same set of memes?

Yes, Al Qaeda is obviously a real group with actual members, rather than a random meme. Was that a serious question?