• FraidyBear@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        As someone that grew up in the 90s watching NASCAR Dale was also hella legit. He hated the Confederate flag and was quoted as saying, “racism is a moral commitment to ignorance.” I miss when rednecks understood the fight and also hated cops. Now they suck and give the rest of us a bad name.

        • GiveMemes@jlai.lu
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          7 months ago

          He was also a good guy in his community. A church called his number once by accident when asking for donations for reparis and he was like “hold on a minute” and went down to the church with a check for the full amount they had been trying to raise, telling them something like ‘I better not see a word about this in the paper’.

          Absolutely a stand up guy

        • 1ostA5tro6yne@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          7 months ago

          i grew up in a rural area where nascar is very popular (i personally never cared for it or paid much attention) and never understood the seemingly irrational hatred some people seemed to have for mr earnheardt, but that one quote makes it all make sense. thanks for clearing that up for me.

        • supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz
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          7 months ago

          That is badass, I would define driving cars so fast that you are a celebrity and then using that celebrity status to stick a middle finger up to racism rampant in the fanbase and culture of the motorsport your career hinges on as “Living The Dream”.

      • PresidentCamacho@lemm.ee
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        7 months ago

        I kept wondering if it was because all nascar drivers do is turn left. But him being used as a meme is never explained directly or contextually.

        • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          It’s because he was extremely vocal about hating the Confederate flag, and also vocal about racism being “stupid.”

          The dude was clearly left leaning in a sport that has mostly right leaning fans