Ex-FBI director deletes Instagram post of shells in ‘8647’ formation that Republicans claim is code for assassination

A photo of seashells posted on Instagram by the former FBI director James Comey is now being investigated by the US Secret Service, after the US homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said it constituted a “threat” against Donald Trump.

On Thursday, Comey posted a photo of seashells forming the message “8647”, with a caption that read: “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”

Trump’s supporters have interpreted the message as an endorsement of violence against Trump – the 47th president. There is more debate around the use of 86, a slang term often used in restaurants to mean getting rid of or throwing something out, and which, according to Merriam-Webster, has been used more recently, albeit sparingly, to mean “to kill”.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    “86” means “get rid of”, not kill.

    https://www.7shifts.com/blog/what-does-86-mean-hospitality/

    "The term 86 is used throughout many different industries, but is mostly associated with the restaurant, bar, and hospitality industry. While the etymology of the term 86 has a few different stories, there are multiple theories around where this term originated from. In nearly every context, it means to “refuse service”, “get rid of” or “nix” something.

    According to Merriam-Webster, the origin of the term 86 began as a slang term that meant something was sold out at soda bars in the 1930’s. This term was thought to have come from the rhyming slang term “nix”, which is to cancel something.

    During the Prohibition Era, a speakeasy called Chumley’s bar was located at 86 Bedford Street, Greenwich Village, New York City. Police showed up at the hidden bar to shut it down, and apparently told patrons to “86” (leave) the area by using the secret back door that led to 86th Bedford Street. Which was different from the main entrance that police would use on Barrow Street.

    Other possible origins of where the term 86 comes from is also tied to bars and alcohol. Prior to the 1980s, whiskey was available as 100 of 86 proof. When patrons drank too much of the 100-proof whiskey, they would become belligerent, and the bartender would have to “86” them, meaning they would have to switch to 86-proof liquor or leave the bar if they were unruly."

  • Adulated_Aspersion@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    I mean… there are 2 definitions when you say you want to “ice” someone.

    1 definition is that you want to end their current existence. The other definition is that you want to…wait a second…

    • dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works
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      7 months ago

      And the second is when you hide a Smirnoff Ice somewhere in their house and when they find it they must take a knee and chug it in one attempt.

      This must be done either in person or with video evidence.

      Fuck you Ben for hiding a whole case worth in my house when you were my house sitter, I didn’t get the last one until almost a year later because it was INSIDE THE FUCKING LAWNMOWER.

  • Absaroka@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    One of the things I enjoy is MAGAts, who like calling left leaning people “snowflakes,” losing their shit every time somebody says something they don’t like.

    Feels like this should become a slogan. “86 Trump!”

    Why?

    Well the term originates from soda-counter slang that meant an item sold out, and has grown to mean “throw out,” “get rid of” and “refuse service to” according to the Merriam-Webster - the dictionary people.

    Eighty-six is slang meaning “to throw out,” “to get rid of,” or “to refuse service to.” It comes from 1930s soda-counter slang meaning that an item was sold out. There is varying anecdotal evidence about why the term eighty-six was used, but the most common theory is that it is rhyming slang for nix.

    Wikipedia adds some more context:

    In the hospitality industry, it is used to indicate that an item is no longer available, traditionally from a food or drinks establishment, or referring to a person or people who are not welcome on the premises. Its etymology is unknown, but the term seems to have been coined in the 1920s or 1930s.

    Military personnel might use “86” informally to refer to scrapping equipment (e.g., “That old radio got 86’d”) or ending a plan or mission (e.g., “The op was 86’d due to bad weather”). It’s not an official term in military doctrine or manuals, but it’s part of the informal jargon that soldiers, sailors, or airmen might pick up and use, influenced by broader civilian language.

  • 800XL@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    They’re all in that kind of mindset because they’re constantly throwing around numbers that are white power dog whistles

    • SippyCup@feddit.nl
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      7 months ago

      I’m pretty sure someone arranged the shells this way, the same way someone puts a sticker on a lightpole that says “eat the rich.” The kind of thing that exists somewhere in between instruction and wishing.

      Comey saw it, thought it was neat, and posted it not knowing what it was.

      Which is idiotic of an FBI director. But nothing more.

      • InvertedParallax@lemm.ee
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        7 months ago

        86 means ‘dump’ or ‘get rid of’.

        The default interpretation is not murder.

        187 would be different.

  • SeeMarkFly@lemmy.ml
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    7 months ago

    Who’s claiming? Did they ask James? He would be the one person that knows. Anyone else is guessing.

  • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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    7 months ago

    comey the idiot, thought by trashing hillaries campaign, trump would investigate russian inteference.

    • InverseParallax@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      No, he thought, like everybody sane back then did, that the election was so far decided he was safe to take shots at her without looking partisan.

      NOBODY imagined he would win, even the GOP could never possibly be so cartoonishly evil.

      Everybody forgot about the dixiecrats.

  • yesman@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Living proof that fascists don’t work food-service. Or maybe food-service workers are immunized against fascist ideology. Either way I hope 47 gets 86’ed.

  • frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io
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    7 months ago

    Great, time for more stupidity theater with Trump lawyers seriously insisting that this is the worst, most dangerous threat ever to a judge who might be a Trump appointee that would entertain their unreality. Failing that, they’ll start using the other federal agencies to dig up whatever they can to continue the harassment. Probably more Trumped up financial records bullshit.

    • Zess@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Yeah let’s not forget Comey is an idiot just because the fascists hate him now. He knew what the picture meant too.

    • dhork@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      But, unfortunately, these overgrown children have endless wealth.

      Not only that, but in the US, the Supreme Court has ruled that money in political campaigns is a form of speech, and can’t be regulated like it used to.

      So while we have freedom of speech here, those overgrown children have much more speech than the average person.