QAnon: New version of old phenomenon
GRAND FORKS — As a new online conspiracy theory saturates national news media, local officials and others say it’s just new twist on an old phenomenon.
With QAnon, several theories have coalesced, including allegations of Democrat-run pedophile rings, the suggestion special counsel Robert Mueller and President Donald Trump are working together to arrest high-profile Democrats, and claims the Russia investigation, along with several Republican congressional losses, are all just fronts to cover Trump’s war with a “deep state.”
“Q,” named for a classification of high-level security clearance, is an anonymous government agent working alongside the president who also posts clues through a 4Chan online message board regarding crimes against children and corruption, according to followers.
Numerous media organizations have printed recent analyses and explainer pieces on the trend – more than necessary, said Joseph Uscinski, a conspiracy theory professor at the University of Miami.
“You know, I think there have been more articles written about it than people who believe it,” said Uscinski, who will soon be the first expert to conduct a poll counting followers. “There are true believers out there, and they’re sizable, but it’s nothing compared to – as far as I can tell – the recent JFK theories, or the birther theories.”
In general, for anyone to follow any conspiracy theory, Uscinski said, the theory has to match an existing set of worldviews.
“So in order for someone to buy into these Q theories, one, they have to be a Republican. They have to be a Trump supporter. They have to have a very strong conspiratorial world view, one in which conspiracies determine events and circumstances. They probably have to be evangelical, too. Because much of what Q talks about is this battle between good and evil, and the bad being Satanists.”
https://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/qanon-new-version-of-old-phenomenon/article_df2192bc-05b3-5aa9-94e3-8f609fe948fd.html
Another badge of honor - military grade!
They just can't stop talking about us…
All for a LARP right?