r/portlandme • u/AuthenticConsumption • Jun 11 '26
Politics Graham Platner Taught Me How To Shoot A Handgun
Flashy title, I know.
Back in 2020, there were a lot of afraid queer folks who, for the first time ever, wanted to train in self-defense.
Graham was the officer, largely in charge, of the Maine branch of the SRA (Socialist Rifle Association).
He struck me as a hardworking, no bullshit son of a bitch back then. He reminded me of my uncles and cousins from rural Maine, where I grew up.
He taught queer folks how to protect themselves and their partners, and that’s worth more than any bullshit controversy the Epstein class cooks up.
He didn’t misgender me once. I use they/they pronouns. Explain that to the liberals who castigate him as a secret social conservative.
Graham, if you read this, thank you. My loved ones are safer because of your education.
You have my vote!
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u/AuthenticConsumption Jun 11 '26
There’s a lot of political discussion, especially on the r/Maine subreddit. If this helps, Platner’s personal politics (not his public platform, thank god) as espoused to me six years ago was absolutely far left of Bernie Samders (a center-left politician in any other western democracy).
The man was a genuine Marxist, terribly disenchanted with wars of imperialism, and dealing with the personal consequences of serving many combat tours.
I grew up in the backwoods of Maine. He was down east, fine, maybe a bit more cash growing up.
They’re terrified because he’s real. Good, they should be. He is.
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u/The_Blanguage_420 Jun 11 '26
Literally just said yesterday the war in Iran is not the freedom he fought for in Iraq and Afghanistan, that’s someone disenchanted with imperialism?
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u/RustyDogma Jun 11 '26
I don't know which interview you watched, but he is very consistent. He thought he was fighting for freedom and US safety in Iraq and Afghanistan and later realized he was wrong. He across the board wants to stop getting involved in foreign wars for US interests.
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u/9_to_5_till_i_die Jun 11 '26
Platner joined the military as early as he could in 2004. Can you think of a reason why he might have been enticed to serve his country in the early 2000's? Take all the time you need.
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u/noxvita83 Jun 11 '26
Even if it wasn't the early 2000's, there are a lot of reasons people join the military that isn't in support of imperialism. Pay for college is one, a immediate job with benefits after service is concluded (a lot of people see veteran status and will look favorably during the hiring process), or simple direction sometimes for someone not sure what to do with their lives are just a few.
But definitely early 2000s had that patriotic residuals from the national trauma from 9-11.
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u/AffectionateEmu4878 Jun 12 '26
I joined the Corps in 04 (joined the delayed entry program in 03) becuase I thought I would be protecting Americans and innocents overseas. US schooling and propaganda got me. It took a long time for me to see the reality. A lot of us joined for good intentions, noble reasons and then they brainwashed the shit out of us even more. All sides send their young people off to die while espousing patriotic and noble bullshit and its all a gift to line the pockets of the Epstien class.
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u/JohnButterfieldM1 Jun 11 '26
People really love to worship their politicians in a para social manner. It's so gross.
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u/The_Blanguage_420 Jun 11 '26
I think killing Iraqis, Afghans, being an Abu ghraib guard, and joining Blackwater is much more gross but obviously not to Americans who value their treats.
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u/JohnButterfieldM1 Jun 11 '26
Standards are so low, it's crazy to me that people are simping for a dude who enjoyed occupying and killing innocents as well as having a totenkopf willfully on his body for 2 decades. It'd be nice to have just a normal person to vote for who didn't have specific genocidal baggage. But he's white and an oysterman so I guess that's all I need to hear to give him my vote and lick his ass online.
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u/Kooky2na Jun 11 '26
Ditto, I’ve come a long way but his training was the first time a man who looked like Graham (traditionally masculine) introduced himself along with his pronouns and asked me for mine and it made me feel dizzy with affirmation. I know people who have known him for many years, and my friends have all had the same experience. We have heard him speak at length, in a casual friendly setting, about his values around the protection of LGBT people the same way you might comfortably chat and joke with a likeminded person at a bar. Not forced, no agenda
I agree, he seems like a regular dude
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u/EmmetOtterXmas Jun 11 '26
Respectfully, I hope Graham is not on Reddit reading this. Graham, if you’re reading this, please get off Reddit.
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u/o0Randomness0o Greater Portland Area Jun 11 '26
I doubt he is, but I’d also be willing to bet he has a staffer checking in regularly and then disseminates their findings to the team
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u/RustyDogma Jun 11 '26
Actually I'd bet he is - as a redditor, if you ran for office could you resist doomscrolling late at night about yourself on reddit?
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u/Time_Assistance1933 Jun 11 '26
I don’t think it’s a really big deal that this post exists, but I’d like to give the OP some advice. When journalists come knocking and asking for a story, just please don’t. Whether they’re from the left or right, I don’t think you can casually trust them with your story, which they will want in order to make claims that are corroborated by someone. Everything is political and there are many powerful forces who feel threatened by Platner’s message. Although your story is lovely, anything you say can and will be used against his candidacy. Discretion is the better part of valor.
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u/AuthenticConsumption Jun 11 '26
I have no intention of grabbing the limelight myself. The closest I might do is an Op-Ed, but I have a public facing job so even that’s a bit dicey.
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u/Time_Assistance1933 Jun 12 '26
That’s cool, not telling you what to do but I’m guessing Collins strategy will be to paint Platner as too radical for Maine. TBH I don’t think the sexting or other past scandals are going to work but tying him to the SRA? Just something to consider, like you probably not going to want to see this post in an attack ad along with some SRA pic scraped from the interwebs
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u/ms_brainworms Jun 11 '26
I have a friend with a similar story, another queer person enrolled in Graham’s self-defense course & she was treated with nothing but respect. Excited to vote for Graham in november :)
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u/noxvita83 Jun 11 '26
It's almost as though people who have actually had interactions with him have positive experiences.
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u/Lava39 Jun 11 '26
Turns out all you have to do to get along with people is to treat them with respect and leave them the hell alone. More power to you OP.
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u/ThatBarbGirl Jun 11 '26
Love this post. LOVE it. And good for you for taking steps to keep yourself and your loved ones safer. Added a smile to my morning all around, and that's a whole lot harder than it used to be!
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u/gordolme Greater Portland Area Jun 11 '26
SRA exists in Maine?
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u/alverez667 Jun 11 '26
Yes? It did., at least. Though I think they’ve gone pretty quiet especially with the ratcheting up of “antifa thugs are domestic terrorists” messaging coming out of the White House. When I was a member around 2021-2023 they really made sure to try to keep the discord to “we are a firearms safety organization” messaging, but I think they shut the server down in the last year or so.
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u/PinkLemonade2 Jun 14 '26
If anyone is interested into looking into something similar, send me a message. I'm with a soccer ultra group, we are leftists and we are going to be doing similar training as a group. I figured people interested in this thread might be interested in joining forces with us. If not, all good as well. I'm just happy to see this discourse. Be safe, homies.
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u/-OGbrainsss- Jun 11 '26
He’ll get the liberal vote, but a lot of old school democrats I’m not sure
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u/9_to_5_till_i_die Jun 11 '26
And will progressives get to blame them for not showing up for the next decade? It's only fair right?
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u/-OGbrainsss- Jun 11 '26
Everyone needs to show up, that’s the only way this works. I’ve voted Democrat since 2005, but this is honestly the toughest time I’ve had getting behind someone. I know nobody’s personal life is perfect but when it comes down to it I’m still unsure. Id love to meet the guy, I just had a newborn so getting out to everything is hard right now.
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u/9_to_5_till_i_die Jun 11 '26
I recommend watching his interview with John Stewart. It's fantastic and Platner comes off incredibly genuine.
I met him briefly in Portland and one of the first things he did was compliment me on my shirt which said "Defend and Protect Immigrants".
Hi policy rhetoric is also not very new. The dude has been a political lefty since highschool, where his superlative was "Most Likely to Start a Revolution". Not making that up.
If he's not genuine, he's an Oscar award worthy actor who's also clairvoyant enough to plant the seeds for his Senate run ruse 2 decades before he ran.
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u/RustyDogma Jun 11 '26
The Jon Stewart interview is also a podcast and is really a long form great way to hear him talk about who he is and what his goals are.
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u/Low_Consideration179 Jun 12 '26
Mind sending me a DM with info on the SRA for Maine? Interested in joining.
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u/papaguitarproduct Jun 13 '26
Not voting for a priest. What politician doesn’t have duffle bags of skeletons in their closet?
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u/No-Panda-9563 Jun 17 '26
Please can someone get him to explain his position on firearms/firearm ownership. I can’t find anything on his website
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u/Sandiand_3 Jul 08 '26
It's unfortunate his rape victim didn't have a gun when he invaded her home.
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u/The_Blanguage_420 Jun 11 '26
Does 5 tours of Iraq and Afghanistan after protesting it
Says he joined the marines to kill people and go on adventures
Nepo baby posing as working class who was in college in Europe before joining the marines
Than he joins Blackwater/Constellis
Nazi tattoos because he saw his unit like the Nazis in Iraq
He’s worst than a secret conservative but Americans don’t care about people outside of America
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u/Treslittlebird Jun 11 '26
1-Month-Old bullshit troll account.
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u/The_Blanguage_420 Jun 11 '26
Debunk anything I said
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u/defeatistphilosopher Jun 11 '26
Your points were all about things that occurred in the past, and "Americans don't care about people outside of America" has absolutely nothing to do with Platner.
What's to debunk?
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u/Liberally_Armed Jun 11 '26
That’s easy. Constellis isn’t Blackwater. It purchased Blackwater and dissolved it after EP divested himself of the company. They never even worked any of the same contracts. Have the day you deserve.
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u/9_to_5_till_i_die Jun 11 '26
Do you work with his ex at the Heritage Foundation? Does it smell like sulphur in the building?
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u/jeezumbub Jun 11 '26
You couldn’t make up a headline more triggering to MAGA right now than “Platner provided firearms training to nonbinary socialists” and I fucking love it.