To my knowledge, Chris Pratt has never come out and said “I’m an Evangelical Christian and I support Donald Trump.” He talks about his Christian faith in interviews more and more these days, and when he does make a political remark, it’s usually sympathetic to “conservative” politics or talking points. I have no idea if he’s the kind of guy who votes straight Republican and listens to Rush Limbaugh. I tend to think he usually votes for Republicans, and he’s the kind of guy who lowkey wishes there were more white dudes in power, and that the message of “make America great again” does appeal to him on some level. Why am I talking about this? Because Chris Pratt was photographed looking like this:
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) July 15, 2019
Chris’s t-shirt is a variation on the Gadsden flag, with the snake and “Don’t Tread On Me.” The origin of the Gadsden flag dates back to the Revolutionary War. Over the years, it’s been adopted and co-opted by other groups and movements and even by the armed forces. It’s been seen and used a lot in the past decade because it was co-opted by “Tea Party” Republicans, and whenever I see those Don’t Tread On Me bumper stickers or license plates now, the truck or SUV usually has a MAGA sticker and/or a Trump sticker too. Which means that people can draw the clear line: Tea Party => Republican => Donald Trump => MAGA => white supremacist.
Does it follow that Chris Pratt is sending that quiet dog whistle to white supremacists that he’s one of them? Is it a dog-whistle that he’s a Trump supporter/nouveau Tea Partier? I don’t know. As quickly as gossip/news outlets picked up on his t-shirt and tried to decipher its meaning, the conservatives/white-supremacists online also picked up on it and started shouting about how “the libs” are dumb for making the association. Which says that those MAGA peeps absolutely recognize Pratt as one of their own.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I think at the end of the day Chris really is not a bright human and that’s a simple answer to most questions involving him.
what a disappointment he turned out to be.
this
Completely agree with this. He’s just not that bright.
He always annoys me, but I think you’re right. I need to tell myself: simmer down, he’s probably not fully grasping the situation.
I think he’s too dumb to know what it really means.
Definitely a Tea Party/Republican/MAGA dog whistle.
They know they’ll often be photographed when in public. I don’t buy that he doesn’t know what it means.
Yup. Fair or not, every time my BF and I see a Don’t Tread on Me sticker, shirt, whatever we automatically think Trumpster. The stickers usually run side-by-side with the flag and a 2A sticker etc. so…yeah.
We did the Fenway tour a couple weeks ago with relatives who were visiting and one guy in the group had a Don’t Tread on Me tattoo on his calf. He and his friend looked like stereotypical white nationalists. TBF, maybe he’s just some libertarian-type but I just had a weird feeling about those guys.
One student I know comes to yoga w this as a yoga bag.
it is absolutely a dog whistle now.
when i was in grade school, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we had a history unit on the revolutionary war which included that flag. i thought it was just about the coolest thing i had ever seen, and decided that as soon as i was old enough, i was getting a tattoo of it. sure am glad i didn’t!
those tea party bozos ruin everything.
Yes and yes. I was picking up a teammate of my son’s one day to bring him to swim practice and they had a big yellow Don’t Tread On Me flag hanging above their front door. It immediately reaffirmed what I’d already suspected about the parents and, sadly, the kid.
Yup. Typically-speaking that flag is a huge tell.
+1000
Everyone where I live that has those typically also have Trump flags and are Neanderthals, so……
Not possible – Neandertals had bigger brains (on average) than we do! 🙂 I can’t see them as Trumpsters…
I see them often with Confederate flags also.
I think folks don’t give him enough credit, he absolutely knows what it means and that’s exactly why he wore it. He’s hard core conservative he’s just not as vocal about it because he knows doing so would alienate half the Marvel fan base. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was something like a gag order in his Marvel contract
I’ve thought the same about the gag order but it could also be that his team of agents and PR folks have warned him to keep it on the DL as it could affect his popularity.
Yup, agree with this this. He’s silent because he doesn’t want to ruin his career. I don’t care what his political opinion is, but if he isn’t shouting it at the top of his lungs or forcing it on anyone, I couldn’t care less. Just keep doing what you’re paid to do – act.
eh, I disagree. I’d like to know if he’s a trumper so I don’t put any more money in his pocket, same as folks who are $ci-bots.
what career? after avengers none of his films worked. his career is over
He is a hardcore republican. His family and friends are trump supporters. So maybe he is secretly as well.
Remember when he put up a statue of Jesus on the cross during Easter?
yep. it was like 25 ft tall. if that isn’t coming on hot as an evangelical christian – i don’t know what is
Anna Faris repeatedly said they were both Democrats and both voted Democrat in elections at the time on her podcast. That was years after he became a full on born again Christian.
I think he probably leans pretty right wing on gun control and some other stuff, but I don’t think he’s a MAGA/white supremacist guy.
maybe he flipped and that’s why they split.
I just checked, and he filed for divorce about a month after the 2016 election, citing “irreconcilable differences”. Hmmmmm…..
oops, sorry, about a year after the election. but still, the timing is interesting.
My husband and I don’t share the same political views but I would never allow that to get in between our marriage and life. We have kids together, a family and a home and that is more important to us than whoever is sitting in the white house. We agree to disagree and a lot of times have very thoughtful conversations that enlighten each other.
well, that may work for you, Dani, but if my bf/hubs/partner was a trumper, that would be a dealbreaker for me.
it’s one thing to disagree on economic policy, or health care policy, etc…but if your “policy” is “hate everyone who’s not white and Christian” and to enact laws that infringe on people’s right to simply EXIST, and to encourage your supporters to actually kill your opposition…yeah, that’s not a difference in “political views”, that’s a difference in cornerstone beliefs and life philosophy, and absolutely worth ending a marriage/friendship over.
whatWHAT? – and when reelection comes, and Trump is booted…then what? You married this person prior to Trump being president so you knew what their political stand point/opinions/beliefs were so it’s unlikely they were extremely hateful like that. So now you threw away your marriage for…?
@Dani
Who is in the White House should matter to you just as much as your marriage. Trump and his kind want to destroy our democracy and take away our basic human rights. They also want to kill our planet just so they can lines their pockets with more oil money. What kind of future will your children have if we let these monsters win? Sorry, but if your hubby is a Trump supporter then he is an enemy. This is no joke, our very lives are at stake and should be of the utmost concern of anyone who truly loves our country. I would NEVER lay down with Trumper. I won’t even speak to one.
Yeah huge dealbreaker. But to be fair, just being a Republican has always been enough for me to know that I won’t be getting serious with that person. Casual, fun summer fling or whatever, fine, but no way could I make a life with someone who supports the GOP’s archaic policies.
Going to speak up for my girl Dani. My family is very politically divided. But I am a daughter, sister, granddaughter first and while it’s been extremely difficult at times, I am not throwing away my family away. I can understand not starting a new relationship based on political beliefs, but to tell people their marriage is bad because they found a way to come to an understanding on different political beliefs is ridiculous.
Good for you Dani. I applaud you for figuring your difficult situation out and not walking away. Trump is disgusting and I actively work to support my local and national chapters to combat his hateful rhetoric. But just like I did not move to Canada when he was elected, I am not disowning family members. And that’s a good thing.
well, Dani, when re-election comes, and 45 is out, I’d be exactly where I was when I kicked that person to the curb. happy in the knowledge that I’m not giving my love/time/effort to a bigoted person who hates people like some of my friends, who are brown/Jewish/LGBTQI-NB, and would like to see them dead or imprisoned. I would have thrown it away to stay true to my beliefs, and NOT associate with someone who holds extremely odious ones, someone who is basically a bad person. as noted by Kitten, I wouldn’t invest time or effort in building a relationship with someone who supports the GOP platform or their policies. however, if you are OK with that, go for it. but if you are with someone who supports 45, make no mistake, they’re hateful. not all GOPers support him, but if they do, they’re hateful people. along the lines of, “a person who is “nice” to you but rude to the waiter is NOT A NICE PERSON.” and let’s be very clear here…I am NOT saying people should throw their marriage away if their spouse has “different political views”, I am talking specifically about people who support 45 and his views.
ChillyWilly states it perfectly. it SHOULD matter to you who is in the WH, marriage be damned. The man wants to destroy democracy, fair trials and the environment. Silence = complicity. I WOULD NOT BE ABLE to square those beliefs with mine. again, if YOU can, good for you. if you can compromise your own beliefs to maintain a marriage to someone who holds the complete opposite ones, ones that are un-American and bigoted and anti-Semitic and misogynistic and xenophobic, you do you.
I would not want to spend time with or give my love to anyone who supports 45 or what he stands for, the policies he pushes or the beliefs he has.
BrickyardUte, I can say the same to your situation. I personally would cut off family members if they were trumpers. if YOU can (pardon the wording) “hate the sin but love the sinner”, good for you. I cannot. when 45 is gone, his supporters will remain. those people are here with us, and will be there even when he is gone. and those people are STILL going to be holding those views, even after 45 is out of office. those are not people I want in my life, whether family/spouse/friend.
whatWHAT? I’m with you 100%. My parents aren’t Trumpers (thank goodness) but they’re conservative enough that sadly an emotional distance has grown between us over the years. Fox News has really done a number on them.
I truly don’t understand how anyone can say they don’t let politics get in the way of their relationships because as you said political ideology really gets at the heart of someone’s core beliefs. To me there’s no separating politics from the person.
To my understanding their divorce was based on his desire to have more children, her fear of having more after the medical issue with their son, and her drinking habit had started up again.
WhatWhat- I am going to be as honest as I can here. Your response frustrated me and I was all set up to knee jerk back a response. But I read it again and picked up a few things that I hope help us find common ground.
You said if my loved one/spouse/family member. I take that to mean your partners and family members share your (and my) disgust of the current administration. I am happy for you truly, because I have agonized over reconciling people whom I love and have known my entire life and know to be compassionate, intelligent and good people say they could vote for this man. I have cried tears and even had a sister quit speaking to me for weeks over a political arguments. I too thought I could not associate it with people who were sympathetic with his hateful language. I also have friends who have said they could not associate with Trump supporters but most of them do not have any in their immediate family.
I have two children, whom I love more than anything. I want them to grow to be their most authentic selves whether that be a different religion (or no religion), what pronoun they prefer or who they choose to love. I would also love them if they were Republicans, just as my parents love me and support me even though I am a Democrat. I will not let this monster take away these life long relationships.
I hope you never have to grapple with these same things, and if you do and decide to cut them out, I support that decision. Maybe you are a better, stronger person than I am. I need my family. I also think our side needs to welcome people who have had enough back so we can swing national and local elections back to our side. And I will work my butt off with my local organizations and support democratic tickets to see this disease voted out in 2020. But if he is not, I am not giving up on my loved ones. I send you positive energy and hope the best for you. You sound incredibly passionate and I am glad to have advocates like you fighting for the America that offers the same opportunities to everyone.
He may have voted Dem when with Anna, but I’d be shocked if he was doing so now. He seems to have gone much further right, especially with involvement in that church.
I hope he is not a Trump supporter, and all that entails.
He donated to Obama in 2008 and 2012, but he’s definitely been conservative dog whistling for a while, which is enough for me to stop liking him. Too bad, I loved Andy Dwyer.
I wonder what his wife’s politics are and how they mesh their views? I guess I assumed she was a Democrat but Arnold is her father, after all.
yeah, but AHHHnold hates 45. he’s pretty liberal for a republican.
I lived in CA while Arnold was the governator. He was progressive for a republican, red states would never vote for him. His conservatism was largely focused on spending, and trying to get California’s budget under control. I never got the feeling he was impeding the social progressiveness of the state while he was in charge, he just kept reviewing and auditing spending.
On social issues he’s fairly liberal compared to many Democrats. For instance he supported gay marriage back when half the Democrats were trying their hardest to avoid the issue altogether and some were still saying it was a step too far.
Yeah, she’s part Kennedy, right?
Just wanted to say that my husband is active duty – almost 30 years now. The Don’t tread on me flag/patch/slogan is worn with pride relating to their military might/force – not political. I know because I asked him many years ago and he explained it to me. My husband is definitely not a white supremacist nor is he a member of the tea party. He does not listen to Rush and is not a MAGA. He is, though, extremely patriotic and loves serving his country. It’s possible Chris’s shirt is a nod to the military.
AHAHAH feck. I just deleted my post because I read Rush as the band not the guy.
chris never served though. it makes sense that people who served or are currently serving in the military to wear these things, but there’s something weird about men who never served decking themselves out in military symbols. and trumpers love to do it.
^^^, yep. Co-opting military slogans, apparel, and symbols when you haven’t served is a huge red (MAGA) flag to me.
He’s never served but he has been involved in USO stuff and that 22 push-up challenge. He seems the type that likes to cosplay military.
I could see it as a nod to the military- he’s played characters who were in the military (Zero Dark Thirty). But who knows with Pratt… would not be surprised about anything from him.
All due respect, and as the child of two veterans, but racist and political dogwhistles exist in military culture as well. It may not be a reflection on your husband’s personal beliefs, but “it’s about pride, not politics” is the kind of rhetoric used to defend the Confederate flag, statues of Confederate heroes, and a lot of other good-ol’-boy-type Southern racism endemic to the U.S. armed forces. (Speaking as a former Southerner.) Again, I’m not trying to say anything about your husband — but that’s how alt-right and fascist groups WORK, by co-opting patriotism and twisting it just enough so that it becomes a tool for division.
Also the idea that supporting the military is an act divorced from politics is, uh. You can support soldiers without a political agenda! Especially re: their health and mental well-being, employment opportunities after discharge, family support during deployment, etc. But armed government forces are literally the tool of said government. You can’t talk about them as a unit un-politically.
Actually, the US military is supposed to be exactly that, apolitical. The vast majority of our elected officials have honored that notion. This is a great article on said topic:
https://warontherocks.com/2019/06/the-increasingly-dangerous-politicization-of-the-u-s-military/
Also – comparing the pride felt by a person who has dedicated their life to their country, who wears a symbol representing one of the most pivotal times in their nation’s history, to that of a person affiliating themselves with hate groups is, I feel, misplaced. Misconstruing history to serve ones purpose is quite different than patriotism.
In my book if you’re as openly evangelical as he is you are guilty of being a Trump voter until proven innocent – meaning you openly condemn everything he and the Republican party stands for right now.
You can’t say you have Republican values and not be a Trump voter these days because it’s one and the same. I don’t trust him and this shirt only confirms my suspicions.
Not being American I don’t know about this but does anyone else get really triggered (I hate that word but can’t think of another one) seeing people still walking around with plastic cups and strawers? I’m hoping it’s some kind of highly biodegradable plastic.
no. i’m not concerned about pollution or plastic waste on an individual level, i’m concerned with it on a massive corporate level, which is where most of the damage is done.
@Olive but there are 7.5 billion individuals on earth. It adds up to a lot of plastic.
@Polly almost 50% of plastic waste in that big garbage patch in the ocean, by weight, is made up from commercial fishing nets. that figure doesn’t include other fishing gear that also ends up there. now that adds up to a lot of plastic. also, one of the figures that was being thrown around during the plastic straw debate was traced to a report from a 9 year old.
Wow so personal responsibility is irrelevant? Everybody has to make changes including corporations. this attitude terrifies me.
@Brunswickstoval personal responsibility isn’t irrelevant, but in late-stage capitalism individual agency can be turned against us into yet another marketing scheme for corporations — aka, “buy these products instead of this one if you care about the environment! buy from us and not our competitors because of claims on our packaging, and ignore what our parent company does as a unit! buy, buy, BUY your way to a better world!”
Individuals can do their part, but it will never tip the scales. There has to be systematic change, here as in every other area of oppression. Expecting individuals to change the tide of decisions made on a global scale, for decades, is like asking people to empty the oceans with teaspoons.
@Brunswickstoval individual action will not make a difference as long as corporations can get away with pollution on the level they do, because it is massive, and collective action on straws simply cannot add up enough to make a real difference when compared to gigantic plastic fishing nets and gear.
also, anyone who drives a car and complains about straws is very confused about pollution and should take personal responsibility and action on that – give up your cars in addition to your plastic straws. for some reason people will draw the line there, though, with endless excuses.
Looks like they were coming right out of a coffee/tea place, so probably not.
Not American either but yes I feel exactly the same way.
Some people (like my child) have a disability that requires a straw to drink. Being concerned about one person’s individual choice seems insane, given we all constantly make choices that impact the eco-system/environment. No one is ever going to be 100% pure in this regard just by virtue of breathing, so mind your business.
Here in Europe single use plastics have been banned. It’s possible to buy paper straws. I have a box of them for my kids. There is very little made of plastic that can’t be replaced by non-plastic.
Don’t misuse the word if you don’t like it? You’re “upset,” not triggered. It gives less weight to your complaint, but at least it doesn’t trivialize a psychological condition to make your point.
Thanks @KL I wasn’t aware it was a medical term. I’ll ignore your tone and accept the advice with the spirit I hope it was intended.
Upset doesn’t cover it even remotely.
I wash out plastic cups, covers, and straws and place them in the recycle bin. Most people here at work do the same.
a lot of that plastic gets burned. the recycling centers can’t keep up. it used to get shipped to China but they tightened up what they will accept a few years ago. so now, much of it is incinerated.
“Conservative Christian” is definitely newer branding for him. Remember when he would pull put his member and “surprise” Amy Pohler on the set of Parks and Rec because he thought it was “funny”? Wouldn’t be very on-brand for him anymore and I’m sure he wants us to totally forget the kind of guy he was.
Sounds right on brand to me! Blessing her with his member ‘n’ all…
Not sure what happened to my last comment – perhaps it might resurface – so apologies in advance if I post twice. Just wanted to say that my husband is active duty, almost thirty years. To him, the Don’t Tread on Me flag/patch/slogan represents the might/force of the military and is not political. I know because I asked him the meaning behind his patch many years ago. He is definitely not a white supremacist, nor is he a member/have sympathy to tea party, doesn’t listen to Rush, nor is he a MAGA. He is extremely patriotic and loves to serve his country. Perhaps Chris’s shirt is a nod to the military.
it’s there: https://www.celebitchy.com/628122/chris_pratt_wore_a_dont_tread_on_me_t-shirt_does_it_have_political_implications/#comment-16366194
Down here in TX, the “Don’t Tread On Me” is something I see the hardcore NRA lovers sporting on their trucks. It usually goes along with some 2A sticker or a Hillary for Prison one. So, I am pretty sure Chris is into something that side of things is selling enough to wear a shirt endorsing the idea in public. Maybe back in the day with Anna he was more liberal minded but a super conservative, cult-like church (like the one he is rumored to be involved with) can undo that quickly.
I always see it as an anarcho-capitalist thing. If Chris Pratt is an ancap, I will scream. They’re the actual worst.
My husband would seem like a Trump supporter and Republican to others mostly because of his stance on gun control and being a Christian in Texas, but he’s actually fairly liberal in his views (John Oliver is one of his favorite shows). He despises Trump and can’t believe his family spews Trump’s filth. The whole “don’t tread on me” concept to him is: don’t step on my rights as an American. I’ve seen reproductive rights memes using the snake and phrase over a uterus and it absolutely works and makes sense. This is not really an automatic Trump/Tea party/Republican thing, in my experience.
My husband is very similar. I’m sure that many people think his defense of the second amendment and being a church goer means he votes Republican and is probably a MAGA, but in reality, he’s a Libertarian who would defend a woman’s right to choose or gay marriage as staunchly as he would defend the second amendment. He’d absolutely wear this shirt, to him it would simply mean defending the Constitution. People are painting with a really broad brush around here.
You both are wrong. It is a symbol of the tea party, alt right, NRA, etc group. You just don’t realize it.
When I was at an air b&b in Virginia, the owner wore that shirt the day after he argued in front of me with his friend that his ancestors were good people and that the south had not fought for slavery but for state rights.
Frightening.
yeah, the state’s right to allow slave ownership.
that argument is so friggin tired. I’m amazed that people still try to frame it that way.
Exactly. There was ONLY ONE RIGHT THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR.
Yes. Simply yes. In my opinion, he will run for political office as a republican, like his new father in law.
Whenever I see/hear the term Don’t Tread On Me all I can think about is the 311 song.
I think about the Simpsons when Bart writes it on his butt and moons people… haha.
Is water wet?
Forever associated since 2012 with the “Free-Dumb” caucus.
These type of people will always swear it doesn’t mean what we think and that they are just pro freedom, pro Jesus, pro ‘murica.
But if you start asking pointed questions, they start murmuring about playing the race card, discipline prevents school shootings, coming here the right way, and back the blue.
“I’m not a Trump supporter, I just think…”
No step me snek
I don’t think this is shocking. It’s been a long established fact that Pine is the only Chris BW have left. It broke my heart when Thor took that Hulk Hogan movie 😭
So, as a non-American could someone explain to me how being a Christian works with the overwhelming resistance against gun control these people seem to have? Cos I really don’t get it. And apologies in advance if this question offends anyone…
Nothing about their “Christianity” is consistent with their politics. Look at what they support happening at the border. They’re fine with imprisoning children and denying them food and basic healthcare!! How very Christian, right?
Because Jesus gave them America which they won and held with their guns and without their guns, a George III of England might come back from the dead and take their Jesus land.
It’s not Christianity perse, but the specific type of evangelical Christianity that has become incredibly popular in the US since the late 60s. This type of Christianity ties itself up a great deal with what they think American identity should be, and gun rights is a huge part of that. These people legitimately think that having the right to bear arms is what constitutes being American, and if you’re against that right, then you’re against Americans as a whole. Same with any of the other pet issues for these evangelicals, such as abortion, supporting Israel, being against gay rights, etc.
I wouldn’t say that you should look at it as something separate from Christianity, because I think that fails to look at the whole picture. The evangelical movement in America is, I think, a very Christian one. But it’s also a very American one, and it’s been influenced heavily by how these people view America and its place in the world. You can’t separate one from the other. It’s complicated and difficult to understand, so I’m not surprised that people are confused by it.
Thanks for clarifying . The Evangelical movement is difficult to understand for a non- American I guess.
Hmm. I don’t think Chris Pratt ever intended to become this way, but I can definitely see him going down the James Woods-Kirk Cameron route at some point in the future, where he becomes an utterly obsequious Hollywood conservative, yelling about how white men are discriminated against, how Hollywood is a sinful liberal leftist cabal of an industry etc. etc. I think for now he definitely stands against Trump because he’s way too out there for his personal taste, but he definitely supports this nostalgic ideal of conservatism in America where Reagan could do no wrong and was one of the good ones (he probably sees his father-in-law as a prime example of a “good” conservative).
I’ll give him about 8 years until he starts talking about how Parks and Rec was a bad show with a distinctly liberal bias and how he’s ashamed of having worked on it. I bet he also sees himself as this amazing action hero when the reality is that his Marvel work has been forgettable at best and I can’t name a single one of his movies outside of that.
Chris supports a charity called Brain Treatment Foundation. Much of their work focuses on helping veterans with TBI. This T-shirt is one theirs.
You don’t get to where he is by being ignorant of visual cues and images. NO ONE “stumbles” into fame. No one. You have to bust your ass every hour of every day to get noticed. That includes making your appearance a full part of your job.
It’s as “casual” as Melania’s choice of a 70 dollar Zara jacket that screamed “I don’t care, do u?” as she went to “visit” the child detention centers at the border.
Damn straight it had political implications. Deliberate ones.
Chris Pratt = canceled.
My husband will be so disappointed. He loved him as Andy and Starlord. The evangelical Christianity was a cringey thing, but it could be for real.
Gadsden?? On an actor?
It’s NOT for real. The “Christianity” is also a political statement