NBC's flailing shows how the
mainstream media is now desperately trying to put out the Qanon fire that is
sweeping the world:
Signs and T-shirts emblazoned with some variation of the letter Q dotted a
rally for Donald Trump in Tampa on Tuesday. Paper printouts declaring “We are
Q” occupied small sections of the crowd.
One rally-goer named Tyler held out a large coin with Q on it and explained the letter’s sudden prevalence among Trump supporters. “Qanon, the storm, the great awakening,” he told local TV station WPLG.
“What Q stands for is military intelligence, most likely. He’s been talking to all of us. Letting us know the covert battles that are waging between the Deep State and President Trump.”
Tyler, whose last name was not disclosed to WPLG, is one of a growing number of vocal followers of a conspiracy theory, known as Qanon, that has taken hold among some Trump supporters. The theory centers around an anonymous source, Q, who is trying to tell the world about a secret battle being waged by Trump and special counsel Robert Mueller against a pedophile ring filled with celebrities and political elites who have been covertly running the United States government for decades.
There is no evidence to back the claims. Because, in reality, of course, none of this is true.
That has not stopped the conspiracy theory from gaining an online following. It’s also beginning to show up in the real world at Trump rallies and on billboards. Some people have even acted on the claims.
One rally-goer named Tyler held out a large coin with Q on it and explained the letter’s sudden prevalence among Trump supporters. “Qanon, the storm, the great awakening,” he told local TV station WPLG.
“What Q stands for is military intelligence, most likely. He’s been talking to all of us. Letting us know the covert battles that are waging between the Deep State and President Trump.”
Tyler, whose last name was not disclosed to WPLG, is one of a growing number of vocal followers of a conspiracy theory, known as Qanon, that has taken hold among some Trump supporters. The theory centers around an anonymous source, Q, who is trying to tell the world about a secret battle being waged by Trump and special counsel Robert Mueller against a pedophile ring filled with celebrities and political elites who have been covertly running the United States government for decades.
There is no evidence to back the claims. Because, in reality, of course, none of this is true.
That has not stopped the conspiracy theory from gaining an online following. It’s also beginning to show up in the real world at Trump rallies and on billboards. Some people have even acted on the claims.
They're rolling out the same narrative again that they used for claiming to
"debunk" Pizzagate. And
their totally inept approach to logic is almost beyond belief. Let's consider
their syllogism.
- Major premise: There is no evidence to support
the Qanon claims.
- Minor premise: Some people have acted on the
claims despite the lack of evidence.
- Conclusion: Therefore, the claims are false.
That
doesn't follow at all. It literally is not logical. Furthermore, the major premise is false. Over 2,300
pedophiles were arrested in the USA in just three months between March and May. And look what we've learned about everyone from Jimmy
Savile in the UK to Bill Cosby in the USA.
As with GamerGate, the media has no idea what it is up against. Gamers and channers are not susceptible to social pressure. They don't care if the media mocks them and call them names. They just keep digging, keep emailing, and keep going. And all the Right-wing worrywarts would do well to understand that the "legitimacy" of Q is no longer any more relevant than whether a spark that starts a forest fire is struck purposefully or accidentally.
The weaponized autists are on it and they are not going to stop.
As with GamerGate, the media has no idea what it is up against. Gamers and channers are not susceptible to social pressure. They don't care if the media mocks them and call them names. They just keep digging, keep emailing, and keep going. And all the Right-wing worrywarts would do well to understand that the "legitimacy" of Q is no longer any more relevant than whether a spark that starts a forest fire is struck purposefully or accidentally.
The weaponized autists are on it and they are not going to stop.