Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
    • The Best of Reason Magazine
    • Why We Can't Have Nice Things
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Print Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Brickbats

Brickbat: You Dirty Dog

Charles Oliver | 5.23.2016 4:00 AM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests
Large image on homepages | Hogan's Heroes
(Hogan's Heroes)
Col. Klink
"Hogan's Heroes"

Scottish police have arrested Markus Meechan for a hate crime after he taught his girlfriend's dog to raise its paw when it heard the phrase "Sieg Heil" and posted a video of the dog watching a speech by Adolf Hitler.

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: Airport Lines and the TSA: Your Government Is Failing You

Charles Oliver is a contributing editor at Reason.

BrickbatsHate SpeechScotlandNazis
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Hide Comments (67)

Editor's Note: As of February 29, 2024, commenting privileges on reason.com posts are limited to Reason Plus subscribers. Past commenters are grandfathered in for a temporary period. Subscribe here to preserve your ability to comment. Your Reason Plus subscription also gives you an ad-free version of reason.com, along with full access to the digital edition and archives of Reason magazine. We request that comments be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment and ban commenters for any reason at any time. Comments may only be edited within 5 minutes of posting. Report abuses.

  1. Adans smith   9 years ago

    Damn,the Scotts have gone full retard.Can't take a joke across the pond or in Europe now a days.OT,I watched Blazing Saddles again the other night,Then again,that might be a hate crtime right there.

  2. Pat (PM)   9 years ago

    At least we can rest assured that this could literally never happen in America.

    1. Brochettaward   9 years ago

      We only have proper speech regulations like those in NY that force people to use the right gender pronouns.

      1. Adans smith   9 years ago

        Yeah,how does that not get tossed in court?

        1. Brochettaward   9 years ago

          It's pretty recent and I don't believe it's been challenged yet. I mean, how long did stop and frisk last?

    2. Monty Crisco   9 years ago

      Can't tell if you are sarcing or not, Pat. But as Charles CW Cooke wrote about the Meechan incident:

      Were I to find myself near him, I doubt that I would friends with the maker of this video. Were he to start a business, I doubt I'd frequent it. Were he to run for office, I daresay that I'd vote for his opponent. But to see him "arrested" ? and in my name, to boot ? is an unmitigated disgrace. Pity him as I may, I am not scared of Markus Meechan. Irritate me as they might, I am not troubled by the handful of human beings who share his silly views. But men with night-sticks and uniforms and the right to dictate what is "offensive" and what is "reasonable"? That is the stuff of nightmares.

      And I wholeheartedly agree.

      1. WTF   9 years ago

        But men with night-sticks and uniforms and the right to dictate what is "offensive" and what is "reasonable"? That is the stuff of nightmares.

        To prevent Nazism, we must act like Nazis.

  3. pan fried wylie   9 years ago

    Ivan Pavlov wanted for questioning.

  4. Sevens   9 years ago

    Hopefully they arrested the dog, too. Can't be too carful.

    1. Radioactive   9 years ago

      no they just shot the dog...

    2. Rich   9 years ago

      I thought the dog was the victim of the hate crime!

  5. db   9 years ago

    Presumably screenings of Raiders of the Lost Ark are now forbidden in Scotland, too.

    1. WTF   9 years ago

      Also Blues Brothers.

    2. sloopyinTEXAS   9 years ago

      And the end of History Of The World: Part I.

    3. AlmightyJB   9 years ago

      Animal House

  6. Monty Crisco   9 years ago

    OT:

    AMERICA SUCKS!!!

    http://www.nydailynews.com/new.....-1.2643214

    Gotta love a column on how shitty America is written by a white man who claims to be black....

    1. Brochettaward   9 years ago

      I would reply that America was great by comparison to everywhere else. As bad as it was for blacks in various parts of the country, living in a 'free' Africa today is worse.

      1. Steve G   9 years ago

        Maybe the next black president will finally be able to heal the wounds and get us to that post-racial society.

        1. WTF   9 years ago

          Hey, the best part of Obama's tenure has been all the racial healing.

    2. Atanarjuat   9 years ago

      "Sure, Paradise Island is great for all the attractive, nude people cavorting there, but is it great for that one kid born with Down's Syndrome?"

      Also, an editorial should never contain the phrase "if you think about it".

      1. Drave Robber   9 years ago

        I suggest "if you think about thinking about it" instead.

  7. Free Market Socialist $park?   9 years ago

    You know who else ... forget it.

    1. Fist of Etiquette   9 years ago

      However, a spokeswoman for the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities told the Daily Mirror: "Antisemitism is not something that can in any degree be regarded as a joke..."

      You know who else didn't find anything funny about the Jews?

      1. Rich   9 years ago

        Woody Allen?

      2. WTF   9 years ago

        Yasser Arafat?

      3. Cyto   9 years ago

        Mel Brooks?

      4. sloopyinTEXAS   9 years ago

        Mothers of Jewish girls?

      5. Renegade Jew   9 years ago

        Me?

      6. Notorious UGCC   9 years ago

        "Antisemitism is not something that can in any degree be regarded as a joke..."

        Mel Brooks is going to have to give back all that blood money from The Producers.

        1. Notorious UGCC   9 years ago

          My joke is better than Cyto's.

          1. Cyto   9 years ago

            Agreed. Blood money hits all the right (wrong) notes for this joke. Well played.

      7. Notorious UGCC   9 years ago

        Scottish Jews? If you thought *gentile* Scots were frugal, these guys will pinch pennies until they scream.

        ...no, wait, that's not funny.

    2. Fist of Etiquette   9 years ago

      "This arrest should serve as a warning to anyone posting such material online, or in any other capacity, that such views will not be tolerated."

      You know who else tried to silence a certain group of people based on their beliefs?

      1. WTF   9 years ago

        Social Justice Warriors?

      2. sloopyinTEXAS   9 years ago

        Every Progressive ever?

  8. Cyto   9 years ago

    Wait.... Scottland? Home of drink and fight as the two tentpoles of entertainment? Where they throw a telephone pole for sport?

    If he had trained the dog to take a leak on the local Rabbi.... maybe.... but that isn't even the worst bit:

    First, he was poking fun at his girlfriend who was over the moon about how cute her dog was by making a video short titled "Mate, Yer dog's a Nazi". (actually M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi)

    But more impressively, here's the explanation of why antisemitism is bad:

    "It is a form of racism which needs to be condemned just as we would any other form of racism, just as we would condemn Islamophobia or anti-African racism."

    I just can't even with these people.....

    1. Fist of Etiquette   9 years ago

      One has to wonder where this deep seeded blind hatred of the Nazi race comes from.

      1. SIV   9 years ago

        Gary Johnson will stand up for the Nazis, and their right to force others to bake ritual Nazi pastries.

      2. sloopyinTEXAS   9 years ago

        The deep-seated hatred as well.
        -pedant

        1. WTF   9 years ago

          You just want everyone to tow the lion, don't you?

          1. sloopyinTEXAS   9 years ago

            Not everyone, just Fisty.

        2. Fist of Etiquette   9 years ago

          I used seeded because I know they were doing a Wiener post later in the day.

      3. AlmightyJB   9 years ago

        The fact that a dog likes Hitler means that we should probably like him too.

    2. Atanarjuat   9 years ago

      To be fair, one should not condone prejudice against those of the Islamic race.

      1. WTF   9 years ago

        Islam is a race?

        1. Cyto   9 years ago

          If you have to explain the joke....

          ...... oh, wait....

      2. Eternal Blue Sky   9 years ago

        Eh, equalizing Islamaphobia with racism is often misused, but not always. It's safe to say that the few idiots who shoot Sikhs and Hindus thinking they are Muslims are both Islamaphobes and racists. They're assuming they are Muslim because they are brown people, then committing violence based on that.

        I'd be willing to bet a lot of the /actual/ instances of Islamaphobia (not mere criticism or misplaced criticism), the instances where someone goes up to a stranger they presume to be Muslim and starts berating them, are instances of racism, as it's not really feasible to assume someone's religion based on appearance (Sikhs and Hindus can often wear similar attire).

    3. The Hyperbole   9 years ago

      What's wrong with being racist against anti-Africans?

      1. WTF   9 years ago

        So, anti-Africans are like what, Scandinavians?

        1. Drave Robber   9 years ago

          Oceanians. The point opposite to Honolulu is in Botswana.

          1. Eternal Blue Sky   9 years ago

            Lots of dry land, compared to lots of wet ocean.

            Checks out.

    4. The Grinch   9 years ago

      Who gets hammered when the Islamic race insults the Jewish race? Where's the outrage meter stand on that hierarchy?

      1. WTF   9 years ago

        That doesn't count, because intersectionality and punching up, or something.

    5. sloopyinTEXAS   9 years ago

      I read somewhere the other day that the left had to stand up to,racism against the LGBTQ community. I can't remember where it was offhand, but it was a so-called "serious" outlet.

      The word racism is about to completely morph into a new meaning. Kinda like the supporters of transgendered ri gets ar attempting to do with the word "sex" in Title IX. (The article I mentioned was about Title IX rescuing trans people on high school and college campuses across the nation)

      1. Cyto   9 years ago

        I think "racism" means "people and ideas that progressives don't like". At least that can be our working definition.

        1. pan fried wylie   9 years ago

          *people expressing ideas that progressives don't like

  9. straffinrun   9 years ago

    Usually I can kind of, if I tilt my head just right and channel every thought through my brain stem, see the perverse logic behind anti free speech people. This one? Not a clue.

    1. The Grinch   9 years ago

      Hitler bad, that's about it and, no, it makes no damn sense.

    2. sloopyinTEXAS   9 years ago

      By "tilt my head just right" you'd have to tilt it into a barrel of water and leave it completely submerged for a good five minutes for the logic of these jackboot motherfuckers to make sense.

      I mean, they're telling this guy he can't make a joke under penalty of imprisonment.

      1. Cyto   9 years ago

        And I didn't watch the video itself.... 'cause, you know, HnR, that's how we roll.... so I can't speak to the actual execution of the joke, but the joke itself is a really good joke.

        Girlfriend keeps going on and on about how utterly perfect and super-cute her little pug is, so you post a video called "Mate, your dog's a Nazi". That's a funny rejoinder. The history of comedy is replete with similar "cute little animal is secretly evil" jokes.

        The idea that they could miss this is kind of frightening.

        I've been in this meeting myself with HR before. I had an employee who was the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. Always going out of his way to help other folks out. So nice that he was a bit clueless.... he kinda expected everyone else to be good at heart and nice too. So when he sends the perpetually offended secretary a political cartoon with a possible racial overtone, she goes straight to HR.

        Poor guy had actually helped her out more than once outside of work... picking her up at the auto shop, helping her out at the house.... but given a chance to file a grievance... boom.

        So I had to sit there while HR parsed words said in jest with straight faces, feigning offense over the outrageous actions... It was as comical as listening to some old white dude recite rap lyrics. So I told them to stuff the whole thing up their rears, and if need be I'd defend the guy in court.

        You just can't be nice to some people.

        1. WTF   9 years ago

          In a sane world you would be able to fire the evil aggrieved twat on the spot in order to prevent future disharmony and damage to your company.

          1. The Grinch   9 years ago

            That's the truth-it's almost guaranteed she'll do it again to some poor sucker who says/does something she doesn't like.

        2. straffinrun   9 years ago

          Robespierre. Just remember how he died.

        3. Eternal Blue Sky   9 years ago

          The thing is, to argue that this guy was trying to commit an actual act of antisemitism is to argue that this was NOT a joke, and the guy was literally trying to turn the dog into a Nazi.

          Because if it is a joke then it is a joke because the cute dog is really a Nazi, and therefore is bad. The joke would be stating that being a Nazi makes something otherwise good, bad. Stating that Nazis are bad cannot be construed as antisemitism.

          Thus, if this is antisemitism, the defenders must be arguing that this guy was literally trying to raise Nazi canines, completely and totally seriously.

  10. buybuydandavis   9 years ago

    he taught his girlfriend's dog

    In case anyone missed the real joke here.

    1. Rich   9 years ago

      So ... his *girlfriend* ...... was Hitler?

      1. bacon-magic   9 years ago

        She's a real clean-Nazi.

      2. AlmightyJB   9 years ago

        She's jewish

        1. Notorious UGCC   9 years ago

          He sounds like a keeper.

          I mean, *I* wouldn't do a joke like that, that's how bad the joke is.

  11. Butts Wagner   9 years ago

    Fun fact: William Wallace is an anagram of Adolf HItler.

Please log in to post comments

Mute this user?

  • Mute User
  • Cancel

Ban this user?

  • Ban User
  • Cancel

Un-ban this user?

  • Un-ban User
  • Cancel

Nuke this user?

  • Nuke User
  • Cancel

Un-nuke this user?

  • Un-nuke User
  • Cancel

Flag this comment?

  • Flag Comment
  • Cancel

Un-flag this comment?

  • Un-flag Comment
  • Cancel

Latest

Nevada Becomes the 21st State To Strengthen Donor Privacy Protections

Autumn Billings | 6.2.2025 5:30 PM

Harvard International Student With a Private Instagram? You Might Not Get a Visa.

Emma Camp | 6.2.2025 4:57 PM

J.D. Vance Wants a Free Market for Crypto. What About Everything Else?

Eric Boehm | 6.2.2025 4:40 PM

Trump's Attack on the Federalist Society Is a Bad Omen for Originalism

Damon Root | 6.2.2025 3:12 PM

How Palantir Is Expanding the Surveillance State

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 6.2.2025 12:00 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2024 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

r

Do you care about free minds and free markets? Sign up to get the biggest stories from Reason in your inbox every afternoon.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This modal will close in 10

Reason Plus

Special Offer!

  • Full digital edition access
  • No ads
  • Commenting privileges

Just $25 per year

Join Today!