People who love Donald Trump and hate Joe Biden are doing this new bit where they say something but — epic twist! — really mean something else. The phrase is “Let’s go, Brandon.” The actual message is “Fuck Joe Biden.” This trend kicked off at the beginning of October, when a NASCAR driver named Brandon Brown won a race and afterward gave an interview to NBC reporter Kelli Stavast. In the background, the crowd at the Talladega Superspeedway could be heard chanting “Fuck Joe Biden.” Stavast told viewers they were saying “Let’s go, Brandon.”
It’s never great journalistic practice to lie about what’s going on at the event you’re covering, perhaps least of all when you’re being drowned out by contrary evidence. But Stavast’s line had the additional disgrace of delighting MAGA Nation, which worked quickly to make “Let’s go, Brandon” a meme for their movement. It works as one of those deniable winks among their crowd, like when they flash the OK sign in photos — something that’s surface-level harmless, so any liberal upset by it seems crazed, triggered and paranoid. Now we face a tedious test case for this dynamic, with Southwest Airlines reportedly investigating a pilot who used the phrase.
Here’s the thing, though: You can just say “Fuck Joe Biden.” Watch, I’m going to do it right now: Fuck Joe Biden. He’s keeping awful Trump policies in place and can’t even get his own party to pass the agenda he ran on. Cuss him out all you want. Feels good! Hey, elected Republicans who have embraced the “Brandon” slogan — Rep. Jeff Duncan and Sen. Ted Cruz — why censor yourselves with this doublespeak? Afraid to wield your freedom of expression like a true patriot? Aren’t y’all supposed to be straight shooters? It’s not like anyone’s going to send you to jail for dropping an F-bomb on ol’ Joe. Quit being little babies, put on your big-boy pants and curse.
This goes double for all the keyboard warriors who wake up every morning and think of new ways to get “Let’s go, Brandon” trending on social media. I don’t think you even know who you’re trying to offend anymore. I also doubt it’s satisfying to harp on a catchphrase until someone asks, “Hey, why do you keep saying that?”, at which point you get to explain, “lol, it’s this sEcReT cOdE we have for swearing at the president!” At least NFL fans have the courage to state their position in plain language instead of trying to keep a dull gimmick alive. You post with the energy of Marvel dorks trying to bump the box-office receipts of a Phase Four dud. If you were capable of embarrassment, this dire level of cringe would surely give you pause.
Go on, say “Fuck Joe Biden.” Have at it. I won’t tattle on you. Hell, maybe this is something that can help bring us together. Isn’t the First Amendment wonderful? I’m allowed to tell the chump in charge of this country to eat a pile of week-old shit, and there’s not a goddamn thing he can do to stop me. You’re angry, too — let it out, or you’ll only become constipated with rage. I know your heart isn’t in this pussyfooting Brandon nonsense. It’s weak, it’s corny, it’s convoluted. It’s, dare I say, downright un-American. Never forget who you are, and stick to the fundamentals.
Joe Biden? Fuck that guy.
Miles Klee
Miles Klee is MEL’s resident tank-top dirtbag, shitposter and meme expert. He’s also the author of the novel ‘Ivyland’ and a story collection, ‘True False.’
