The best response would be to laugh at them and mock them for trotting out 75 year old scare tactics.

1 minute ago, David Dennison said:

The best response would be to laugh at them and mock them for trotting out 75 year old scare tactics.

Or turn around and demonstrate how Trump's policies more resemble a Communist Dictatorship than their policies. Something. Go on the offensive.

22 minutes ago, Valmy77 said:

Or turn around and demonstrate how Trump's policies more resemble a Communist Dictatorship than their policies. Something. Go on the offensive.

Ah, the ol', "No, I'm not, you are!" maneuver.

25 minutes ago, Valmy77 said:

Or turn around and demonstrate how Trump's policies more resemble a Communist Dictatorship than their policies. Something. Go on the offensive.

Perhaps point out how Trump treats actual communist leaders better than he does just about anyone else in the world.

Everyone should be emulating AES and Mamdani. All other "strategists" should fuck off.

5 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

Ah, the ol', "No, I'm not, you are!" maneuver.

If you are going to address it all, yes. I mean...it fits. Plus he loves Communist Dictators.

51 minutes ago, chainsaw said:

They have been doing this since time immemorial. Reacting to each and every accusation from the right wing. Trump's recent "communism" obsession, and of course the Dem consultants play right into it.

An old friend of mine started in on that shit over the weekend, how he doesn’t like Trump and Paxton but they stand between the US and communism. “Trump picked up the world’s most powerful communist at the airport like a pregnant Navy girlfriend and rolled out a physical red carpet for him on Wednesday. Vote for who you want, but don’t be a clown.”

Edited September 30Sep 30 by Bozo_Casanova

It's 2026 and a cohort of Americans are still so insecure about their country that the Red Scare still works.

Unreal.

19 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

It's 2026 and a cohort of Americans are still so insecure about their country that the Red Scare still works.

Unreal.

It really doesn't even matter what the talking point is, they are just so reflexively accustomed to allowing the right wing to frame literally every issue, and to set the agenda for literally every media cycle. It was especially egregious during the W administration. They went out and nominated a "real" purple heart veteran (who's also a country club skull and crossbones elite, but look at that purple heart!) as a total capitulation to the right wing's framing on "the war on terror" and a cynical attempt to appease those mythical moderates by pre-empting the critique that democrats are somehow "soft on terror."

And this type of loser mentality is so deep-seated that it paralyzes the entire party apparatus even for the most mundane, internal considerations. We can't even have a Georgia state lege member speak at the DNC for five minutes because they are pro-Palestine, because that would upset some of the donors, and that would allow the right wing to smear Kamala as antisemitic. Afraid of their own shadows. Curiously, the only messaging and policies that are worth the political risks always seem to be those messages and policies that flatter and serve capital.

Wouldn't you know it, now we're being told to jettison every popular policy proposal and effective messaging strategies because, well, we simply can't afford the risk of being called communists.

Hasan Piker spoke at UT yesterday, despite multiple forced venue changes and a deluge of death threats both to him and to the University Democrats.

Hasan Piker discusses free speech, future of Democratic, Socialist Party in Texas – The Daily Texan

read the article and it didn't answer the fundamental question of why this guy is so controversial. can anyone give me an unbiased take?

2 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

read the article and it didn't answer the fundamental question of why this guy is so controversial. can anyone give me an unbiased take?

His name is Hasan, he is a [non-practicing/cultural] Muslim, he is an outspoken anti-Zionist, and he is an outspoken socialist. If we're being honest, coupled with him having a fair amount of reach that can't be silenced by mainstream media, that's most of it right there. Probably 90% of the attacks directed his way are from pro-Israel spheres.

He has a large platform (one of the most popular Twitch streamers) and either he or his community have been instrumental in the ground game of many of the DSA candidates that have unseated liberal incumbents. He has publicly collaborated with many Democratic politicians such as Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El Sayed. Both the GOP and establishment Democrats have tried to use him as a cudgel against anyone that dares to appear in public with him because he has made many controversial (though mostly accurate) statements in the past, though the available data indicates that most voters don't know who he is and/or don't give a shit.

The derangement around this guy has reached a fever pitch in the last few months. Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned him in his insane UN speech just the other day.

The world is nuts.

asked Claude about him:

Hasan Piker, the left-wing Twitch streamer, has a long list of remarks that critics have seized on, and many have resurfaced in 2026 as he's become more involved in Democratic campaigns. Here are the ones that come up most often:

9/11. The most cited is a 2019 stream where he said "America deserved 9/11," during a rant about U.S. foreign policy. He has called it hyperbole, and he recently said on Pod Save America that the comments were "taken out of context." A related flare-up came after an Axios interview last month in which he described America as "pound for pound" worse than al-Qaeda on terrorism. washingtonexaminerFox News

Comments about Jews and Israel. Rep. Ritchie Torres raised concerns in an October 2024 letter, saying Piker had called Orthodox Jews "inbred." More recently, he drew backlash for comments about Jewish Americans and Israel during an August 20 livestream, which House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called "dangerous, malicious and antisemitic," with Cory Booker and Elissa Slotkin also criticizing him. washingtonexaminersoapcentral

Hamas, Hezbollah, and October 7. Critics point to his description of Hamas as "moderate" relative to other groups, and a clip in which he named Hezbollah's as his favorite flag. In April, a resurfaced clip in which he said reports of rape on October 7 "don't matter" to his view of the conflict drew renewed criticism after a CNN segment hosted by Dana Bash; critics said he was minimizing atrocities, while supporters argued it was taken out of context. news3lvsslip

Political violence and opponents. When Trump threatened to arrest Adam Schiff, Piker reportedly said he hoped they would. In August, he faced criticism for appearing to lead a live audience on his tour in singing "We Are Charlie Kirk," a song associated with online mockery of the late conservative activist. Fox Newswashingtonexaminer

Attacks on Democrats. He has made provocative comments toward his own side, including calling some Democratic voters Islamophobic in profane terms, and urging that Democrats who don't back Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed be "punished." washingtonexaminerFox News

For context, Piker's typical defense is that many clips are jokes, hyperbole, or stripped of context, and critics have mocked that pattern as a "defense bingo card." He recently admitted he has "dialed down" his commentary since facing backlash over his role in Democratic campaigns. His supporters argue he's being targeted because of his influence with young voters and his views on Israel; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the focus on him "absolutely ludicrous," while DNC Chair Ken Martin called some of his statements "disgusting and deplorable." Print Print    Close Close +2

It's worth noting that much of the coverage collecting these quotes comes from right-leaning outlets like Fox News and the Washington Examiner, so if you want to judge any particular remark yourself, watching the full original clip is the best way to see the context.

57 minutes ago, Brian Fantana said:

Hasan Piker spoke at UT yesterday, despite multiple forced venue changes and a deluge of death threats both to him and to the University Democrats.

Hasan Piker discusses free speech, future of Democratic, Socialist Party in Texas – The Daily Texan

better hands than Wingo

12 minutes ago, babysdaddy said:

asked Claude about him:

Hasan Piker, the left-wing Twitch streamer, has a long list of remarks that critics have seized on, and many have resurfaced in 2026 as he's become more involved in Democratic campaigns. Here are the ones that come up most often:

9/11. The most cited is a 2019 stream where he said "America deserved 9/11," during a rant about U.S. foreign policy. He has called it hyperbole, and he recently said on Pod Save America that the comments were "taken out of context." A related flare-up came after an Axios interview last month in which he described America as "pound for pound" worse than al-Qaeda on terrorism. washingtonexaminerFox News

Comments about Jews and Israel. Rep. Ritchie Torres raised concerns in an October 2024 letter, saying Piker had called Orthodox Jews "inbred." More recently, he drew backlash for comments about Jewish Americans and Israel during an August 20 livestream, which House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called "dangerous, malicious and antisemitic," with Cory Booker and Elissa Slotkin also criticizing him. washingtonexaminersoapcentral

Hamas, Hezbollah, and October 7. Critics point to his description of Hamas as "moderate" relative to other groups, and a clip in which he named Hezbollah's as his favorite flag. In April, a resurfaced clip in which he said reports of rape on October 7 "don't matter" to his view of the conflict drew renewed criticism after a CNN segment hosted by Dana Bash; critics said he was minimizing atrocities, while supporters argued it was taken out of context. news3lvsslip

Political violence and opponents. When Trump threatened to arrest Adam Schiff, Piker reportedly said he hoped they would. In August, he faced criticism for appearing to lead a live audience on his tour in singing "We Are Charlie Kirk," a song associated with online mockery of the late conservative activist. Fox Newswashingtonexaminer

Attacks on Democrats. He has made provocative comments toward his own side, including calling some Democratic voters Islamophobic in profane terms, and urging that Democrats who don't back Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed be "punished." washingtonexaminerFox News

For context, Piker's typical defense is that many clips are jokes, hyperbole, or stripped of context, and critics have mocked that pattern as a "defense bingo card." He recently admitted he has "dialed down" his commentary since facing backlash over his role in Democratic campaigns. His supporters argue he's being targeted because of his influence with young voters and his views on Israel; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the focus on him "absolutely ludicrous," while DNC Chair Ken Martin called some of his statements "disgusting and deplorable." Print Print    Close Close +2

It's worth noting that much of the coverage collecting these quotes comes from right-leaning outlets like Fox News and the Washington Examiner, so if you want to judge any particular remark yourself, watching the full original clip is the best way to see the context.

Hasan talks politics for hours every day so he inevitably says some dumb shit, but he says less dumb shit than most other guys who talk politics for hours every day. He’s kind of an asshole too, but shouldn’t be considered remotely controversial by anyone serious.

Edited October 1Oct 1 by wildcat09

5 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

Hasan talks politics for hours every day so he inevitably says some dumb shit, but he says less dumb shit than most other guys who talk politics for hours every day. He’s kind of an asshole too, but shouldn’t be considered remotely controversial by anyone serious.

I think it's safe to say there are a fair number of people in the left online politics sphere that hate him specifically because he reminds them of their high school bullies. He's fairly unfiltered and vulgar, a large buff dude that sometimes comes off as "bro-y" so I get it. Doesn't mean it's real, but very understandable.

2 minutes ago, Brian Fantana said:

I think it's safe to say there are a fair number of people in the left online politics sphere that hate him specifically because he reminds them of their high school bullies. He's fairly unfiltered and vulgar, a large buff dude that sometimes comes off as "bro-y" so I get it. Doesn't mean it's real, but very understandable.

You would think he’d know what “pound for pound” means.

Hhe’s a Democrat with a spine

7 hours ago, Brian Fantana said:

His name is Hasan, he is a [non-practicing/cultural] Muslim, he is an outspoken anti-Zionist, and he is an outspoken socialist. If we're being honest, coupled with him having a fair amount of reach that can't be silenced by mainstream media, that's most of it right there. Probably 90% of the attacks directed his way are from pro-Israel spheres.

He has a large platform (one of the most popular Twitch streamers) and either he or his community have been instrumental in the ground game of many of the DSA candidates that have unseated liberal incumbents. He has publicly collaborated with many Democratic politicians such as Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El Sayed. Both the GOP and establishment Democrats have tried to use him as a cudgel against anyone that dares to appear in public with him because he has made many controversial (though mostly accurate) statements in the past, though the available data indicates that most voters don't know who he is and/or don't give a shit.

The derangement around this guy has reached a fever pitch in the last few months. Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned him in his insane UN speech just the other day.

The world is nuts.

6 hours ago, Brian Fantana said:

I think it's safe to say there are a fair number of people in the left online politics sphere that hate him specifically because he reminds them of their high school bullies. He's fairly unfiltered and vulgar, a large buff dude that sometimes comes off as "bro-y" so I get it. Doesn't mean it's real, but very understandable.

6 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

Hhe’s a Democrat with a spine

So basically he's brave enough to speak the truth and fucks up in that endeavor every once in a while, but when he does, he acknowledges it. Do i have that right? I'm still not seeing the controversy. So I must assume it's solely his name/race

34 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

So basically he's brave enough to speak the truth and fucks up in that endeavor every once in a while, but when he does, he acknowledges it. Do i have that right? I'm still not seeing the controversy. So I must assume it's solely his name/race

No, it’s mainly because he’s annoying and not particularly bright.

Edit: and absolutely does not acknowledge it when he shows his ass.

• 
• yeet @Awk20000

Hasan addresses Basil (child of 9/11 survivor) after he called out Piker’s deleted tweet reply to him about 9/11

• 12:34 AM · Sep 15, 2026

Edited October 2Oct 2 by We’reTexas

Well that’s fucking weird.

16 hours ago, Brian Fantana said:

Probably 90% of the attacks directed his way are from pro-Israel spheres.

Exhibit A:

8 hours ago, We’reTexas said:

No, it’s mainly because he’s annoying and not particularly bright.

Edit: and absolutely does not acknowledge it when he shows his ass.

• 
• yeet @Awk20000

Hasan addresses Basil (child of 9/11 survivor) after he called out Piker’s deleted tweet reply to him about 9/11

• 12:34 AM · Sep 15, 2026

By the way, that account is quite literally part of a Nazi troll farm called the "Dazbollah Brigade" and is run by a high school student. You can really tell when people don't know how to curate their Twitter feeds.

Edited October 2Oct 2 by Brian Fantana

4 hours ago, Brian Fantana said:

Exhibit A:

By the way, that account is quite literally part of a Nazi troll farm called the "Dazbollah Brigade" and is run by a high school student. You can really tell when people don't know how to curate their Twitter feeds.

No clue, I just searched “Hasan” on Twitter to find a screenshot of that bizarre outburst, which, in fact, did happen! Anyways, deeply unserious guy.

Piker's personality is a little rough around the edges since he's been terminally online most of his life and constantly streaming. But he generally speaks the truth.