Jeopardy contestants launch witch hunt against champion for "white supremacist hand gesture"

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Even though: 1-the gesture isn't anything like an actual white supremacist one, 2-his explanation for it is perfectly plausible and 3-even the ADL investigated and said there was no issue here:

https://twitter.com/benyt/status/1394090851534622731?s=19
I blame Trump for making everyone on edge and ready to pounce on the most trivial stuff like this.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It was just the number 3. Case closed. All the Jeopardy contestants joining in on the witchhunt should be ashamed of themselves.

What was weird is all the people insisting that no one ever makes 3 like that, using the pinky instead of the index finger, but I usually do, since I have to hold down the pinky with the thumb, but making 3 like that requires much less effort since the index finger can stay down on it's own. Like people just assumed that their own gesture for 3 is the same way everyone does it...

Yeah if you look at the replies there's still people pushing this and trying to justify it with that claim despite tons of pics of people putting three fingers up like that in response, and they remain in denial despite all the debunkings. I wonder if these clowns realize this denial of reality is the same sort of sh!t Trump supporters or anti-vaxxers engage in.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Actually this is easily the most apt comparison:

https://twitter.com/PSRealTalk/status/1394133959492124678?s=19

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

This is kind of reminiscent of when Anonymous claimed they had hacked files that contained proof that four sitting Senators including ones from both parties were members of the KKK. There was a massive freakout in some liberal circles and people demanding the names be revealed and that those Senators must resign immediately or be expelled...and then some people pointed out if a bunch of 4chan posters who had lied in the past about sh!t they had done were exactly a credible source, and of course the implausibility of someone maintaining covert KKK membership while also serving as a US Senator and not having it come up in any election campaigns, etc. only to be ignored by the believers. And after the names of these supposed four Senators failed to materialize some of those people still hammered on it and demanded there be other investigations to find out who they were until everyone just forgot about the whole thing.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The red MAGA tie doesn't help his case...

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I know maybe half a dozen signatories of this letter, although none of them particularly well. I also know a number of people who didn't sign this letter, in some cases to my surprise.

My opinion of the "Jeopardy community", which one gains entry to by having won on Jeopardy, is not high at all. Demographically these are exactly the sort of people whom one would expect to be wokescolds, and they have additional reinforcement from the self-confidence they've gained by having won on Jeopardy.

If I were to venture an explanation, I would say that these are people who are anxious about their whiteness, and the only way to alleviate that anxiety is through "anti-racist" action. The point here is not actually to alleviate any social ill; the action is the end in itself. That's why the ADL is the villain to these people; in denying that their action is anti-racist, they are denying these Jeopardy contestants the right to self-actualization.

I learned of this petition at the time it was happening; it was ludicrous even at the time, since anyone could see (and plenty of people had seen) that the contestant in question was counting off his victories on his fingers in previous episodes. These people knew this full well when they chose to sign their names. I feel bad for the man in question that he's had to be subjected to this, but on the other hand this means that he's not part of the Jeopardy community, which is a net positive on the whole. I am surprised this story would make national media, but I guess it really does have everything.

That's disappointing to hear since I honestly have been thinking I would like to go on Jeopardy. I imagine it would still be fun and potentially profitable...just avoid getting involved in the community if that's the case.