1488 is a white power slogan referring to the fourteen words and the eighth letter of the alphabet, as in "Heil Hitler." The appeal of it to them is that it looks like a secret handshake but most people are aware of it, so it works instead as a jocular troll about not needing to hide anymore, an ostentatious wink. The Anti-Defamation League describes the classic far-right use of it to "price racist merchandise, such as t-shirts or compact discs, for $14.88" to broadcast their allegiances.
Here's MAGA entrepreneur Mike Lindell, selling pillows for $14.88. Coincidence?
Conspiracy theorist and pillow-pusher Mike Lindell is facing backlash online after his company marked down some of its pillows to $14.88, a figure seen as symbolic for white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
On Friday, Lindell and his MyPillow business advertised the discounted products on social media, promising consumers the "ultimate comfort upgrade."
"Sleep like a dream with our Standard MyPillow for just $14.88!" the posts read in part.
In fairness, Mike Lindell's entrepreneurial gifts are as context-bound as they come, you could model his brain on a Commodore 64 and he does very little intentionally. Moreover, a quick whip around ebay shows that it's a price landed on by the discounting and pricing software that sellers and selling platforms use. I somehow doubt that Goodwill has a Nazi angle on "Soups + Classics Cookbooks" though you might want to throw a speer at "Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets."
All the same, someone at My Pillow has some explaining to do.
Previously:
• Mike Lindell's MyPillow evicted from warehouse over unpaid rent
• Mike Lindell's evidence fails to 'shock the world' as promised: begs for donations
• Why MyPillow Ads Got Banned by Fox News — Mike Lindell owes them millions
• Illegal surveillance: Mike Lindell's plan to strap 'WMDs' to drones
• Mike Lindell's newest legal disaster: owes millions after losing fraud challenge
• Mike Lindell's must pay $5 million in 'Prove Mike Wrong' election-fraud challenge