QAnon: Paranoid Trumpers on Steroids

[Ozlsn]

26 minutes ago, church_of_dog said:

Are these travelers or American expats, or are these Australians?  Are there Trumpish Australian politicians they are trying to support?  I can't quite wrap my head around the idea of these protests extending outside the US...

Australians. QAnon is trans-border thanks to the internet, and Trump flags etc are basically now international alt right symbols. A couple of people from the rally have been identified as being present at earlier neo-Nazi events - my guess is they'll be the ones holding or near the Trump imagery.

[fraurosena]

46 minutes ago, church_of_dog said:

Are these travelers or American expats, or are these Australians?  Are there Trumpish Australian politicians they are trying to support?  I can't quite wrap my head around the idea of these protests extending outside the US...

Although I don’t live in Australia, I can tell you that these are almost certainly  not American expats. Q Anon has supporters all over the world. It’s absolutely crazy, but we have them here in the Netherlands too, albeit on the fringes.

Far right politics have grabbed ahold of Qspiracies and are running with them everywhere across the globe. 
Feelings of being duped and persecuted, of ‘others’ out to get you and taking what should rightfully be yours, of being oppressed by some elite cabal, are deliberately being fanned into hatred and aggression. It’s a great way to manipulate a group of gullible believers.

I agree with @Ozlsn that media companies who are willfully spreading these lies and right wing propaganda should be looked into, as well as social media platforms who allow these overt lies and manipulation to be spread.

I also think that other media entities should take a long hard look at themselves and the role they are (possibly inadvertently) playing by giving propagators of conspiracy theories any airtime or op-eds or ‘positive’ attention other than to call out their lies and ridiculousness. 

[Ozlsn]

5 hours ago, Cartmann99 said:

 

One of the things that somewhat blackly amuses me about this is wondering how Flynn et al would respond if someone replied "Yes. Obviously we should all be Roman Catholic" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Muslim" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Rastafarian" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Jewish" or even "Yes, obviously we should all be Mormon." Because it's not like freaking wars went on for literally centuries over this stuff.

[thoughtful]

8 hours ago, Ozlsn said:

One of the things that somewhat blackly amuses me about this is wondering how Flynn et al would respond if someone replied "Yes. Obviously we should all be Roman Catholic" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Muslim" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Rastafarian" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Jewish" or even "Yes, obviously we should all be Mormon." Because it's not like freaking wars went on for literally centuries over this stuff.

Yeah, they seem to miss the Golden Rule part. The opinions and feelings of people with other beliefs don't matter, because only they have the correct answer.

Whether or not members of a religion, or a branch of one, hold to the belief that we all have to convert to their beliefs is pretty much my criterion for whether they are dangerous.

The "we'll do our stuff, you do yours, just don't kill us or curtail our rights" people are no problem.

[Cartmann99]

The video in the second tweet is from her pilgrimage to Dallas for the zombie JFK Jr. thing.

Spoiler

 

[Ozlsn]

6 hours ago, thoughtful said:

The "we'll do our stuff, you do yours, just don't kill us or curtail our rights" people are no problem.

Except when "their stuff" does affect the broader community, as with vaccination. I think some people have trouble with the concept of needing to do some things for community rather than individual benefit - yes it's your "right" to drink a slab of UDLs but fining you for then getting behind the wheel of a car isn't tyranny, it's protecting the community.

[thoughtful]

5 minutes ago, Ozlsn said:

Except when "their stuff" does affect the broader community, as with vaccination. I think some people have trouble with the concept of needing to do some things for community rather than individual benefit - yes it's your "right" to drink a slab of UDLs but fining you for then getting behind the wheel of a car isn't tyranny, it's protecting the community.

Oh, of course - I meant religious belief, in private and in places of worship, not actions that go against public safety.

 

[Ozlsn]

5 minutes ago, thoughtful said:

Oh, of course - I meant religious belief, in private and in places of worship, not actions that go against public safety.

 

I think I'm just very focused on vaccination after the weekend's protests here! Yeah, worshipping quietly, doing no harm to others (including within their group) I'm all in favour of.  More so if they are willing to engage in interfaith initiatives and not repress their own members of course.

[Cartmann99]

 

Inside the QAnon Cult That Believes JFK Is About to Return

The whole article is good, but I want to highlight this section about Micheal Protzman aka Negative48 who has his own followers in this particular branch of QAnon.

Quote

That’s why, even after spending 16 hours waiting for nothing to happen, McNamara got up at 10 a.m. the next day and joined the group at Dealey Plaza in the belief that JFK would return. At all times Protzman was portraying himself as a Christ-like figure, McNamara said:

“He's acting like he's Jesus Christ with his disciples. Everywhere he went, there was this little group around him kissing this ring.”

And yet, she shelled out hundreds of dollars to go to a Rolling Stones concert that Protzman told everyone would be where JFK would finally appear.

“I was never a fan of the Rolling Stones, I had no intention of going there. But then last minute, everyone's saying you got to be there, you got to be there. And so I spent $300 on tickets and it was raw and rainy and cold and miserable.”

At that point, McNamara was done and began calling out Protzman for his empty promises. She was joined by some others, but many remained loyal, and “that is when the entire group just started turning on each other and it was ugly.”

 

[church_of_dog]

 

[Cartmann99]

‘Reno 911’ Special ‘The Hunt for QAnon’ Gets Premiere Date on Paramount Plus (EXCLUSIVE)

Quote

“Reno 911: The Hunt for QAnon” has set a premiere date on Paramount Plus.

The special will air on the streamer starting Dec. 23. It follows the deputies of the Reno Sheriff’s Department as they hunt for Q, the one behind all the QAnon conspiracies. Their efforts cause them to get stuck at a QAnon convention at sea, ultimately escaping only to discover that they’ve landed at Jeffrey Epstein’s old island.

The first teaser and key art for the new special can be found below.

The entire original cast of “Reno 911!” will reunite for the special, namely Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Niecy Nash, along with Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts, who joined the show later in its run.

 

 

[CTRLZero]

Oh, my goodness.  I’ve never watched Reno 911, but this looks like a can’t miss event. 🙃  

[Cartmann99]

Micheal Protzman aka Negative48 and his followers are still in Dallas:

Spoiler

 

This won't end well.

[Cartmann99]

Article from earlier this week about Protzman aka Negative48:

Hundreds of QAnon Believers Are Still in Dallas Waiting for JFK to Show Up

Quote

Two weeks ago, when JFK failed to materialize, Protzman led his followers to a $300-a-ticket Rolling Stones concert that was taking place in the city and now claims without any evidence that the band had actually been replaced by (Michael) Jackson (playing Mick Jagger), JFK Jr. (Keith Richards), and Prince (drummer Steve Jordan), while one of the backing singers was replaced by Aaliyah, the U.S. singer who died in a plane crash in 2001.

Since then, the group has been holed up in the Hyatt hotel in Dallas, with videos posted to the group’s Telegram channels showing them dancing and singing, while Protzman continues to make wild predictions. In audio chats on Telegram channels populated by Protzman’s followers, the group’s members have discussed plans to establish a permanent base in the area, with one member of the group claiming his family has a property that could be used.

Protzman has also been seeking donations from his online followers to fund the group’s accommodations, food, and suits and ball gowns for the inaugural ball he predicts will happen when JFK returns.

Multiple people appear to be posting things on Protzman's Telegram channel. It's a sewer of Q nonsense, conservative Christianity, "prophesies", Gematria, anti-vaxxer stuff, "news' from pro-Trump sources, and grifting.

[church_of_dog]

So, who's working on the deepfake holographic video of JFK (and JFK Jr too, why not) "returning" to lambast all the Qs for being idiots and reaffirming his liberal views and clarifying he would never support the right wing in their bigotry?

I want to see the look on their faces...

[Cartmann99]

New article from Vice:

The QAnon JFK Cult in Dallas Is Tearing Families Apart

Quote

Garner’s sister left her family behind and drove to Dallas about a month ago and has cut off almost all communication with her family.

According to Garner, her sister has so far handed over about $200,000 to the group, and is being forced to drink a hydrogen peroxide solution and take “bio pellets” to ward off COVID-19 and stay healthy. Her phone calls and messages are also being monitored, according to Garner, who believes her sister will never return.

“She left her children for this and doesn't even care. She is missing birthdays and holidays for this. She truly believes this is all real and we are the crazy ones for trying to get her to come home. But she won’t,” Garner said. “I don't believe she will ever come back from this. We are in mourning.”

Garner’s sister was one of the hundreds of people who initially traveled to Dallas to see JFK reappear on Nov. 2. However, when that didn’t happen, the goalposts shifted, and Protzman convinced dozens of people that if they waited long enough, something else would happen.

Katy says her sister’s brief messages to her parents have gone from “be home in a few days” to “I am not coming home, my husband can take care of the kids. I am not leaving until this is over.”

 

Things are getting darker and darker...

Quote

While the group initially appeared to be waiting for the reappearance of JFK,  over the weekend, the tone of Protzman’s comments shifted dramatically. Besides proclaiming that he was God’s representative on earth, he also took part in a video chat where participants openly spoke about having to experience death in order to learn the truth.

“Ultimately... we have to experience that physical death... let go... come out on the other side,” one of the participants in the video call suggested.

Hours later, the administrator of Protzman’s Telegram channel posted a screenshot of a navigation app showing the destination as Waco, Texas, where in 1993 a monthslong law enforcement siege of the Mount Carmel compound belonging to the Branch Davidian religious sect ended with 76 people dead, including 25 children.

Extremist researchers following this movement have sent information to the FBI because they are very concerned about where this is headed.

[Howl]

4 hours ago, Cartmann99 said:

Extremist researchers following this movement have sent information to the FBI because they are very concerned about where this is headed.

This breaks my heart and terrifies me at the same time.  I keep thinking back to Jonestown, Waco, Heaven's Gate -- all mass suicides.  

(A family member was on the scene at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco the day before it all went down, and worked directly with people who were there the day of.  Infrared monitoring showed that the Branch Davidians torched the compound themselves, essentially self immolation.)

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Howl

[47of74]

Yeah I just saw that Vice article myself.  

I worry about what these clowns are going to do in the coming days.  From that Vice article;

Quote

Protzman’s latest deadline for “something big” to happen is Monday, the 58th anniversary of the assassination of JFK in Dallas. But once that passes without anything happening, Protzman will likely propose another date to keep people from leaving.

What makes it worse is that sticks of fuck like Zuckerberg helped speed crap like this along but are doing less than nothing to combat the misinformation, conspiracy theories, and so forth. 

[Howl]

7 hours ago, 47of74 said:

I worry about what these clowns are going to do in the coming days.

Me too.  Grotesque to contemplate, I know, but at least these people are not armed to the teeth, wanting to take out everyone else on their way down. 

And yes, people are being lost to this belief system.  After following Nick Carmody on twitter, there can be neurological changes in the brain as people "do their own research" and get hits of dopamine when "discovering" this and that, following bread crumbs and solving clues. 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Howl

[Alisamer]

On 11/14/2021 at 1:48 AM, Ozlsn said:

One of the things that somewhat blackly amuses me about this is wondering how Flynn et al would respond if someone replied "Yes. Obviously we should all be Roman Catholic" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Muslim" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Rastafarian" or "Yes, obviously we should all be Jewish" or even "Yes, obviously we should all be Mormon." Because it's not like freaking wars went on for literally centuries over this stuff.

I agree - the second the country is declared "Christian" the fighting would begin. First a generic protestant vs everyone else, but it would keep going, forever. There's a reason most small towns have several churches - no one can agree on anything. It would just keep fracturing down smaller and smaller. 

5 hours ago, Howl said:

Me too.  Grotesque to contemplate, I know, but at least these people are not armed to the teeth, wanting to take out everyone else on their way down. 

And yes, people are being lost to this belief system.  After following Nick Carmody on twitter, there can be neurological changes in the brain as people "do their own research" and get hits of dopamine when "discovering" this and that, following bread crumbs and solving clues. 

I feel bad for the families of these people, because it does seem to be headed a Waco/Jonestown sort of way. Actually, as crazy at is, it might be more like Heaven's Gate, though probably a bit less organized. I'm all out of compassion for the people themselves, but their families must be suffering.

I get the hits of dopamine for discovering things - that's definitely a thing for me. But there are better ways to get that dopamine hit! Thrift shopping, researching genealogy, metal detecting, etc. They could even just go on youtube and watch mudlarkers finding amazing things in the mud along the Thames and other rivers. (Si Finds and Tideline Art/Nicola White are good ones!) Subscribe to a subscription box, go yard saling, volunteer for litter pickup along the side of the road. Take a class and learn something new, try a new hobby, listen to deep space signals, go geocaching, try to be the one who figures out who Jack the Ripper really was.

Anything but stupid conspiracy theories that are getting people killed!

[Cartmann99]

To recap: Some of the Qs believe in the Jesus Bloodline theory where Jesus fathered one or more children prior to his death. Since these two believe that General Patton is one of those descendants, and that he's Trump's biological father, that makes Trump a descendant of Jesus.

If Joan Collins doesn't show up and get into a fight with someone, I'm not setting my VCR to tape this anymore.

Spoiler

 

[Cartmann99]

 

[church_of_dog]

Can someone explain why they think (either) JFK would choose Dealey Plaza even if they were going to 'return'?

Why would they return to the worst place of their life?  

Why not Hyannisport?  Or the White House?

[AlmostSavedAtTacoBell]

33 minutes ago, church_of_dog said:

Can someone explain why they think (either) JFK would choose Dealey Plaza even if they were going to 'return'?

Why would they return to the worst place of their life?  

Why not Hyannisport?  Or the White House?

My apologies for forgetting who made the observation, but a comedian astutely commented on Christians wearing cross necklaces as being akin to people who admire JFK wearing rifle necklaces and then opined the effect they would have on Jackie and the children.  I admit I laughed out loud and then actually stopped to think about what he was saying. 

[Ozlsn]

6 hours ago, church_of_dog said:

Can someone explain why they think (either) JFK would choose Dealey Plaza even if they were going to 'return'?

Why would they return to the worst place of their life?  

Why not Hyannisport?  Or the White House?

It would be pretty amusing if he's wandering around Hyannisport just taking in the views and chillaxing... yeah sure, he was promised a crowd and some political thing but right now there's a martini and a beautiful sunset.