History Main / StrawAffiliation

* Tell a Zionist that you support Palestine, and you'll almost always be called an Anti-Semite. Tell a Zionist that you support Palestine, and you're Jewish, and you'll almost always be called a self-loathing Jew. The average Zionist seems to think that all Jews, including ones who aren't Israeli, have a moral obligation to support whatever the Israeli government does.
** On the flip side, if you support Israel existing and would really like Palestine to negotiate in good faith and cool it with the rockets and bus bombings, you're ''obviously'' a fundie Christian Zionist who wants to exterminate Islam and is ready for Rapture.

Now, Alice picks one of these many groups, and simply assumes that because of that Bob has certain opinions, beliefs, even needs. If Bob doesn't agree, it's because Bob doesn't know what's good for him, or maybe doesn't even know what he really wants. She might even go so far as accusing him of being a CategoryTraitor. Or simply dismiss him as not being a ''real'' man/atheist/heterosexual/black/whatever. When a ''character'' does this kind of stereotyping, it is StrawAffiliation. When it's the ''author'' who does this, it's something else... typically a StrawmanPolitical, maybe in an AuthorTract.

See also GayConservative, BlondeRepublicanSexKitten, NoTrueScotsman, CulturalRebel, UncleTomFoolery. Contrast MarsAndVenusGenderContrast, where gender-based StrawAffiliation is justified by the narrative.

* In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Cardassians", the main characters do a creepy case of CondescendingCompassion by [[StrawAffiliation deciding Ruko's identity for him against his will]], and then insisting that he's suffering from InternalizedCategorism because the identity they have chosen for him [[spoiler:and eventually condemned him to, by giving him away to the stranger Ben decided deserved him the most - by virtue of being his biological father and the victim of a political conspiracy]] is one he hates.
* The ''[[ThirdRockFromTheSun 3rd Rock From The Sun]]'' episode "Dick the Vote" included this subversion:
-->'''Mary''': Hecky Mulligan! How can you vote for Hecky Mulligan? Nina, can you believe that?\\
'''Nina''': How do you know I'm not voting for Mulligan?\\
'''Mary''': I thought you were a Democrat.\\
'''Nina''': And why do you think I'm a Democrat, because I'm black?\\
'''Mary''': Go ahead, vote for Mulligan!\\
'''Nina''': I'm not voting for Mulligan!
* Used to great effect in an early episode of ''TheWestWing'', where Josh is arguing with a Republican congressman, Matt Skinner, over provisions in a proposed anti-gay marriage law. He is baffled by the congressman's refusal to vote against it, even though Skinner himself is gay. When Josh finally breaks down and asks why he doesn't vote against the bill, and why he's even a member of the party when the Republicans always have an anti-gay message, Skinner replies that yes, he is gay. But he is also for lower taxes, less government, and most other Republican positions, and he simply chooses not to let his sexuality, rather than his principles, decide how he should vote.
* In an episode of ''ParksAndRecreation'', much of the cast decided to look up dirt on each other as part of a bet to see who could run for office. It's discovered that Donna (who is black) donated money to David Duke (of Ku Klux Klan fame) when he ran for president. She explains that, "I got a phone call. They said he would lower taxes."

* Marxist theorists refer to this trope as "false consciousness". That is, the only important thing about you (according to Marxists) is what social class you're in. If you're in the proletariat (working class/99%), then you should be a Socialist or Communist because it's in your interest. But the bourgeoisie (upper class/1%) don't want you to overthrow them so they invent fake issues to cloud your mind with so you'll support the unjust capitalist system. Usually, these affiliations are race/religion/national identity.
** ''What's the Matter With Kansas'' is one of many modern (non-Marxist) books that essentially advances the same argument.
** SethMacFarlane has criticized Conservative "members of the 99%" for not supporting liberal economic policies.

** TheOtherWiki describes this as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_mentality "Crab mentality"]].

** This goes beyond black people; any member of a minority, be it women who choose to stay at home with the kids (independent of what their husbands think) or children of immigrants who assimilate into the dominant culture, typically gets accused of this at some point.

* Heaven help you if you're a GayConservative. Or black conservative, woman conservative, Jewish conservative, etc.
** Condoleezza Rice manages to be a [[TwoferTokenMinority black and female]] conservative. ''And'' she was a prominent member of GeorgeWBush[='s=] administration, even moving up from National Security Advisor to Secretary of State between his first and second terms. Liberals are somewhat torn over whether she should be regarded as a symbol of progress or as just another evil Bush advisor.
* [[SarahPalin A famous mother of a child with Down Syndrome]] attacked ''FamilyGuy'' for an episode in which Chris dated someone with it and then broke up with her when, in an unrelated twist having nothing to do with her Down Syndrome, [[BitchInSheepsClothing she turned out to be controlling, mean, and borderline abusive person]]. The actress herself has Down Syndrome, and said "In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life."
* During the 1920s, when the KuKluxKlan was as close to mainstream as it will ever probably get (even getting Klansmen elected to office in several states), many white Protestant Americans defended it - not because they approved of everything the Klan was doing, but because it at least was standing up for the interests of "traditional" Nordic Americans at [[TheRoaringTwenties a time]] when their culture seemed to be threatened.
* If you are atheist, apparently you must also embrace all things Left. Atheists of a libertarian bent get it from both sides, left and right.

* Happens a WhateleyUniverse story, and the person doing it gets ''blasted'' by the target's grandmother for perpetuating negative stereotypes.

* On ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'', Master Shake is surprised to learn that Frylock is not amused by a JiveTurkey talking cellphone, despite the fact that Frylock is black. Or at least, [[ActorAllusion he sounds black.]]

* [[{{Sonichu}} Chris-chan]] is known to rant about how people with Asperger's are "stealing the glory" of autistics ([[ItMakesSenseInContext to cut a long story short, he uses his autism to excuse his bad behavior, which is convenient since there's so much to excuse]]); because of this, he angrily insists that the two aren't related, and that this "fact" is his idea. To make things worse, [[ItsAllAboutMe he tends to act like he's the only autistic who's special, describing other autistics as "zombies" or "windows into hell"]]. Most people on the autism spectrum [[StopBeingStereotypical refuse to assosciate with him]].

** SethMacFarlane has criticized Conservative "members of the 99%" for not supporting liberal economic policies. Penn Teller, in one of his podcasts, pointed out the hypocrisy of this.

** SethMacFarlane has criticized Conservative "members of the 99%" for not supporting liberal economic policies. Penn Teller, in one of his podcasts, pointed out the hypocrisy of this.

* Tell a Zionist that you support Palestine, and you'll almost always be called an Anti-Semite. Tell a Zionist that you support Palestine, and you're Jewish, and you'll almost always be called a self-loathing Jew.

** ''What's the Matter With Kansas'' is one of many modern (non-marxist) books that essentially advances the same argument.

* Both in fiction and reality, middle-class black people are often accused of "selling out their race" or words to that effect, the [[UnfortunateImplications Unfortunate Implication]] being that blacks should stay poor and uneducated. This is related to the No True Scotsman Fallacy, described on the article YouFailLogicForever.

** Condoleezza Rice manages to be a [[TwoferTokenMinority black and female]] conservative. ''And'' she was a prominent member of GeorgeWBush[='s=] administration. Liberals are somewhat torn over whether she should be regarded as a symbol of progress or as just another evil Bush advisor.

** Condoleezza Rice manages to be a [[TwoferTokenMinority black and female]] conservative. ''And'' she was a prominent member of GeorgeWBush[='s=] administration. People are still trying to figure that one out.

* In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Cardassians", the main characters do a creepy case of PityingPerversion by [[StrawAffiliation deciding Ruko's identity for him against his will]], and then insisting that he's suffering from InternalizedCategorism because the identity they have chosen for him [[spoiler:and eventually condemned him to, by giving him away to the stranger Ben decided deserved him the most - by virtue of being his biological father and the victim of a political conspiracy]] is one he hates.

* In ''SouthPark'', at the end of "Cripple Fight", Big Gay Al gives an inspiring speech about how he doesn't believe the government has the right to force the Scouts to accept homosexuals. A bewildered Gloria Allred quickly attacks Big Gay Al as being a homophobe.

See also GayConservative, NoTrueScotsman, CulturalRebel, UncleTomFoolery. Contrast MarsAndVenusGenderContrast, where gender-based StrawAffiliation is justified by the narrative.

* Heaven help you if you're a GayConservative.

* In the ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode ''Cardassians'', the main characters do a creepy case of PityingPerversion by [[StrawAffiliation deciding Ruko's identity for him against his will]], and then insisting that he's suffering from InternalizedCategorism because the identity they have chosen for him [[spoiler:and eventually condemned him to, by giving him away to the stranger Ben decided deserved him the most - by virtue of being his biological father and the victim of a political conspiracy]] is one he hates.

* [[{{Sonichu}} Chris-chan]] is known to rant about how people with Asperger's are "stealing the glory" of autistics ([[ItMakesSenseInContext to cut a long story short, he uses his autism to excuse his bad behavior, which is convenient since there's so much to excuse]]); because of this, he angrily insists that the two aren't related, and that this "fact" is his idea. To make things worse, [[{{Hypocrite}} he tends to act like he's the only autistic who's special, describing other autistics as "zombies" or "windows into hell"]]. Most people on the autism spectrum refuse to assosciate with him.

* [[{{Sonichu}} Chris-chan]] is known to rant about how people with Asperger's are "stealing the glory" of autistics ([[ItMakesSenseInContext to cut a long story short, he uses his autism to excuse his bad behavior, which is convenient since there's so much to excuse]]); because of this, he angrily insists that the two aren't related, and that this "fact" is his idea. To make things worse, [[{{Hypocrite}} he tends to act like he's the only autistic who's special, describing other autistics as "zombies" or "windows into hell"]].

* [[{{Sonichu}} Chris-chan]] is known to rant about how people with Asperger's are "stealing the glory" of autistics ([[ItMakesSenseInContext to cut a long story short, he uses his autism to excuse his bad behavior, which is convenient since there's so much to excuse]]); because of this, he angrily insists that the two aren't related, and that this "fact" is his idea. To make things worse, he tends to act like he's the only autistic who's special, describing other autistics as "zombies" or "windows into hell".

* [[SarahPalin A famous mother of a child with Down Syndrome]] attacked ''FamilyGuy'' for an episode in which Chris dated someone with it and then broke up with her when, in an unrelated twist having nothing to do with her Down Syndrome, she turned out to be controlling, mean, and borderline abusive person. The actress herself has Down Syndrome, and said "In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life."

* Used to great effect in an early episode of TheWestWing, where Josh is arguing with a Republican congressman, Matt Skinner, over provisions in a proposed anti-gay marriage law. He is baffled by the congressman's refusal to vote against it, even though Skinner himself is gay. When Josh finally breaks down and asks why he doesn't vote against the bill, and why he's even a member of the party when the Republicans always have an anti-gay message, Skinner replies that yes, he is gay. But he is also for lower taxes, less government, and most other Republican positions, and he simply chooses not to let his sexuality, rather than his principles, decide how he should vote.

* On ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'', Master Shake is surprised to learn that Frylock is not amused by a JiveTurkey talking cellphone, despite the fact that Frylock is black. Or at least, he sounds black.

* In the ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode ''Cardassians'', the main characters do a creepy case of PityingPerversion by [[StrawAffiliation deciding Ruko's identity for him against his will]], and then assisting that he's suffering from InternalizedCategorism because the identity they have chosen for him [[spoiler:and eventually condemned him to, by giving him away to the stranger Ben decided deserved him the most - by virtue of being his biological father and the victim of a political conspiracy]] is one he hates.

Bob belongs to a lot of groups. For example, he might be a man, an atheist (reasonable or [[HollywoodAtheist otherwise]]), a heterosexual, and he might ''also'' have black skin.

Bob belongs to a lot of groups. For example, he might be a man, an American, an atheist (reasonable or [[HollywoodAtheist otherwise]]), a heterosexual, and he might ''also'' have black skin.

Now, Alice picks one of these many groups, and simply assumes that because of that Bob has certain opinions, beliefs, even needs. If Bob doesn't agree, it's because Bob doesn't know what's good for him, or maybe doesn't even know what he really wants. She might even go so far as accusing him of being a CategoryTraitor. Or simply dismiss him as not being a ''real'' man/American/atheist/heterosexual/black/whatever. When a ''character'' does this kind of stereotyping, it is StrawAffiliation. When it's the ''author'' who does this, it's something else... typically a StrawmanPolitical, maybe in an AuthorTract.

* The now defunct online comic ''QueerNation'' featured the examples of a black gay man who spoke at a Republican benefit and, during it, received superpowers; the "Lambda Rays" put him in blackface, a hobo suit, and apparently gave him the moniker "Uncle Tom". He immediately began dancing for the white crowd in front of him. One of the few AuthorTract examples of this trope in action.

* On ''AquaTeenHungerForce'', Master Shake is surprised to learn that Frylock is not amused by a JiveTurkey talking cellphone, despite the fact that Frylock is black. Or at least, he sounds black.