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”.

  • atzanteol@sh.itjust.works
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    2 hours ago

    MAGA investigation:

    Sea Shells 8647.

    Hmmmm. French for “sea” is “mare” - “M” Shells are “S” Numbers are basically 13…

    OMG - MS13! He’s in a gang!

    • Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca
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      52 minutes ago

      Mollusks have been invading our country, illegally , and so too must be deported at great expense to El Salvador.

  • 800XL@lemmy.world
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    2 hours ago

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

  • Absaroka@lemmy.world
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    34 minutes 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.

  • MedicsOfAnarchy@lemmy.world
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    4 hours ago

    I would think that if an FBI director wanted a person dead, you’d be hearing about how he did it, rather than how he desired it.

    Also, I once used seashells to write “69ME”, but nothing happened, to my disappointment.

  • burgerpocalyse@lemmy.world
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    4 hours ago

    sure its important to be in opposition to the trump regime, but i also really really hate jim come for probably making Hilary Clinton lose in 2016 and also throwing Martha Stewart in prison, so if he gets sent to the gulag i won’t be very upset

    • Zess@lemmy.world
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      12 minutes ago

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

  • Wilco@lemm.ee
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    6 hours ago

    Yea, 86 Trump. Come at me feds. It means “throw this thing away” and they fucking know it.

  • Luouth@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    Next it will be “Fauci under investigation for death threat to Trump as he posts a picture of an orange with a cocktail stick in it”

  • yesman@lemmy.world
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    10 hours 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.

  • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    10 hours ago

    More recently to mean to kill?

    It’s used daily at every restaurant/grocery store to mean they are out of an item. 86 cheddar just means your out of cheddar, stop selling it.

    Are all the working class calling assignations on cheddar cheese they sold out of now?

    • Daggity@lemm.ee
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      2 hours ago

      Aoc has routinely been mocked for having been a bartender, so yes absolutely.

    • xor@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      9 hours ago

      people have been using to mean “fire trump”, so they’re reinterpreting it to mean “assasinate” so that way they can.
      a. round up critics.
      b. stop a catchy slogan so people don’t chant anything interesting at protests.

    • LEM 1689@lemmy.sdf.org
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      9 hours ago

      The phrase is used in a number of contexts, there is no “set” definition. Language evolves. The context here is solely up to the reader.

      • Timbits@lemmy.ca
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        6 hours ago

        I find what you’ve said to be a death threat against my life and demand you get locked up.

      • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        8 hours ago

        Sure, so tomorrow when someone says sleep tight should I take it as have a good night and sleep well or that they want to bury me in the ground with no room for air? Lol. Stretching the possible meaning of a term and claiming language evolves shouldnt be enough to make claims that he’s calling for someone to be murdered. Honestly he should sue for slander/libel and endangerment to his self/family for someone making such claims.

        • qprimed@lemmy.ml
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          6 hours ago

          Honestly he should sue for slander/libel and endangerment to his self/family for someone making such claims.

          I think that might actually help the doj by providing an accepted definition.

          this will likely come down to the govts whimsical attempt to criminally define clearly amorphous (but protected) speech for its prosecutorial benefit. a criminal case should loose lose instantly up and down the courts. we may get a chance to test that.

          • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            6 hours ago

            If people cared about rights they would have brought Hunters case before the Supreme Court and said it was legal/illegal to make stipulations around purchasing/owning a firearm. It would have put Republicans in an anti gun stance. His charges for buying a firearm, not causing harm and supposedly being addicted to drugs while seeking help was a great example that Republicans don’t care about gun rights. They care about being better than someone else.

            Johnson said it:

            “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”

      • qprimed@lemmy.ml
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        9 hours ago

        there is no “set” definition

        👍 bread & circus about to get a whole lot circus-ier. wonder if they have the balls to charge?

  • I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    Fuck James Comey. He enabled the orange twatwaffle every chance he got in the name of A Higher Loyalty TM Now he’s on fucking instagram shit posting vague threats like he’s 14 and this is deep? He just wants attention so he can sell his trashy crime novels. Fuck you James.

    • qprimed@lemmy.ml
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      8 hours ago

      Fuck James Comey

      well, yes… but. if the trump directed doj pursues a charge, its a serious 1st amendment challenge. we can all individually guess at motive, but another pillar may get publicly tested.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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    10 hours 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."

  • Geetnerd@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    This isn’t just fascist stuff.

    This is petty, high school, mean girl, petty vindictive childish shit.

    The stuff that children, and adults with minds of children engage in.

    But, unfortunately, these overgrown children have endless wealth.

    • dhork@lemmy.world
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      2 hours 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.