WHAT IS "QANON"?
Zoë Wallace
Head of Political and Global Impacts
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Secretary and Outreach Officer
**DISCLAIMER: "QAnon" is a FALSE conspiracy theory. Please do not take the information presented in this article seriously.**
Scrolling through Twitter, you may have come across posts with strange hashtags and phrasing: for example, #WWG1WWA, or “Where We Go One, We Go All.” You may be surprised to learn that the movement responsible for the posts is the result of a giant web of conspiracy theories beginning on October 28th, 2017 with a single 4Chan post. This article will endeavor to explain the origins, core beliefs, counter-movements, and notable supporters of "QAnon."
Who is “Q” and where did the conspiracy theory originate?
“4Chan” is an anonymous messaging forum where users are able to post virtually anything they like without fear of accountability, since you never have to make an account. This website has become both controversial and influential, with about 27 million monthly users. It has been involved in scandals ranging from leaking nude photos of celebrities to hosting members of Anonymous (an extreme internet activist group) and far-right extremist groups. On October 28th, 2017, an anonymous user going by the alias “Q” posted a strange message: “Hillary Clinton will be arrested between 7:45 AM and 8:30 AM EST on Monday- the morning on Oct 30, 2017.”
Obviously, this arrest never occurred, but that has not stopped “Q” and others from continuing to post messages about a deep-state conspiracy. “Q” claimed to be a high-ranking member of the federal government (and chose this name because of their supposed Q Security Clearance in the Department of Energy), who was unable to identify him or herself because they were surrounded by threats from the “deep state.” The “deep state,” or at least the QAnon version of it, is a network of unelected government officials and private industrialists that influence the government and work against the President of the United States, holding power even though they do not have the consent of the governed (the more organized Russian version of this would be KGB officials influencing the Russian government from the shadows).
Various clues about the actions of the freedom fighters working against the “enemy” (which ranges from former President Obama to famous actors) have circulated throughout the internet. Since 2017, the theory has gained an almost religious following, especially on platforms like Twitter. The resulting conspiracy is called “QAnon,” taking “Q” from the alias of the original poster and “Anon” from their status as an anonymous user on 4Chan.
What do QAnon believers believe in?
1. Don’t trust anyone.
The government, Hollywood, the education and healthcare systems, the media- all of them are controlled by evil rulers. Don’t trust anyone except “Q”- and maybe Donald Trump.
2. A satanic cult is in control of the world.
This one is a little harder to explain. These types of assertions are not new, and have previously found expression in “Illuminati” and other conspiracy theories. The evil ruling elite controls the government and the media (they are known as the “deep state”), and influences you to think exactly how they would like you to think. On top of this, these evil rulers participated in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, which was held at an island where, according to “Q” believers, children were also sacrificed in satanic rituals. While I do believe that Epstein was heavily involved in sex trafficking, I am not so sure about the idea of satanic rituals as there is no proof to this ever having happened.
3. Donald Trump will save us all.
President Trump has stated that his goal is to “drain the swamp.” QAnon has used this to assert that Donald Trump is the only one standing in the way of the evil ruling class, and is doing his best to save the children of the United States from sex trafficking and other dangers. This seems like a strange argument to make when it is widely known that Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein knew each other, and Trump has wished Ghislaine Maxwell (who helped procure young girls for Epstein) well publicly. Believers attribute Trump’s heavy criticism in the media to the evil cult/deep state trying to turn everyone against the man who threatens their power.
4. The Democrats are evil.
According to “Q,” the Democratic Party is run by foreign powers who would like to destroy America. Apparently, they created the KKK, are using the Black Lives Matter movement to fund Joe Biden, and are hiding the fact that former President Barack Obama is Satan himself. Also, the Democrats gave North Korea nuclear weapons and can usually be found on Epstein’s island, trafficking children.
5. “They” are trying to divide us.
“Q” believes that the government is trying to divide Americans through racial, religious, class, and political wars. Instead of succumbing to this division, “Q” encourages followers to stay together and united. They often reiterate the idea that their movement is growing in number and there will be some kind of “Great Awakening” when the evil ruling class is overthrown.
6. The freedom fighters are “Patriots” like “Q” who are still secretly in control of the country.
The “Patriots,” or people who remain loyal to the President and the United States within the government, have control and will have evidence to convict every evil person when the day of reckoning comes. Most of these “Patriots” are supposedly high-ranking military officers and federal officials. QAnon believers think that the military is on the side of the freedom fighters and will oppose their own government during this day of reckoning.
What steps have been taken to curb the influence of “QAnon” on social media?
QAnon has taken Twitter by storm, garnering thousands of followers, spreading disinformation, and wreaking havoc on moderators. In response to this disinformation campaign, Twitter has banned thousands of QAnon accounts and is doing their best to remove posts that contain this dangerous messaging. Facebook has also restricted or banned some QAnon accounts and groups, but it has not taken extensive action like Twitter has.
Who supports “QAnon”?
Donald Trump has claimed that he does not know much about the conspiracy, but he is grateful for the support of the believers. Various celebrities, including James Woods and Roseanne Barr, have tweeted their support for the theory. What is most troubling is the fact that some QAnon supporting politicians have been selected in the Republican primary elections for their states (Tracy Lovvorn of Massachusetts, Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia).
If you happen to meet a QAnon supporter, I encourage you to try and help them come to their senses. You are unlikely to succeed, however- the genius of conspiracy theories lies in the fact that they cannot easily be proven wrong. Don’t get me wrong- QAnon has been built on falsities since its beginning, but if you try to reason with its believers, they will assume that you have been brainwashed by the media or are in cahoots with the Democrats. They believe they can’t trust anyone except for “Q” and President Trump.
One more thing- please vote.
Sources:
Image: https://www.mediamatters.org/qanon-conspiracy-theory/here-are-qanon-supporters-running-congress-2020
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