conspiracy theories

It Must Be True, I Saw It on Fox News

Fandango29 Comments

“We are witnessing the burial of individual freedom in our country due to all of these mandates to wear masks and get vaccinated,” William said, disgorging phlegm from his throat and spitting it on the ground at my feet.

“Your crazy conspiracy theories beliefs are as distasteful as your gross habits,” I said. “I totally dispute your notion of lost personal freedoms. Do you vaccinate your children for measles and chicken pox?”

“It’s not the same,” William said. “Measles and chicken pox are real. This whole COVID nonsense is a liberal hoax.”

“Again, that’s crazy,” I said. “But if you’re so concerned about individual freedoms, why are you opposed to women having the freedom to choose to have an abortion?”

“Because abortion is the murder of innocent babies and I’m opposed to murder,” William said.

“And yet you’re in favor of capital punishment and you have no problem with people someone like Kyle Rittenhouse shooting and killing non-violent protesters. Plus, you are opposed to common sense gun laws.”

“Gun ownership is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution,” William said. “I own four guns and you better believe, I got skills, so you better watch what you say next.”

“Ooh, I’m shaking in my boots,” I said, mocking fear. “Let me ask you, would you use your skills to defend Americans’ right to vote, which is also in the Constitution?”

“Not illegal votes, fraudulent votes, or votes by people who aren’t real Americans,” William said.

“Like white Americans, you mean?” I said.

“It was my ancestors, not theirs, who made this country great,” William said.

“I think you need to break the chains tying you to Fox News and try to come back to reality here on Earth One,” I said.

“Fox News is like the Bible,” William said. “It speaks only the gospel truth.”

All I could do was shake my head in despair. This country is in deep doo doo, I thought.

Written for these daily prompts: The Daily Spur (burial), Ragtag Daily Prompt (freedom), E.M.’s Random Word Prompt (disgorge), Word of the Day Challenge (tasteful), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (dispute), Scott’s Daily Prompt (I got skills, and My Vivid Blog (chains).

Photo credit: JUSTIN LANE/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutters.

Share Your World — 8/9/22

Fandango34 Comments

It’s time for another edition of Melanie’s Share Your World prompt. Today’s questions are:

Restrictions are being lifted all over the world. Do you feel it’s safe to go out and mingle in crowds in light of the Pandemic?

With the surge in new COVID-19 cases due to the delta variant and other mutations, along with the refusal of certain segments of our population to get vaccinated, to wear face masks, and to maintain social distancing, my answer is a resounding NO.

What are some things that are okay to do occasionally, but definitely not okay to do every day?

Consume a cannabis-infused edible. Certainly not every day but maybe once a month. My favorites are Mellows.

Would you relocate for love (romantic or otherwise)?

No, not for love alone. But I did relocate for a job and my wife relocated with me. I assume she did that for love.

Do you believe in any conspiracy theories (no judgment)?

The only conspiracy theory I believe is that all those who promote conspiracy theories are actually aliens from another world whose job it is to spread FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) into our civilization.

The Fourth Estate

Fandango10 Comments

When it comes to the so-called fourth estate,
the pendulum swings both ways.
It starts out as just a trickle,
but then the power brokers begin to amplify
what turns out to be vapid proclamations
given false legitimacy by the mainstream media.

And then, when the political winds change,
which they are wont to do,
all of the ideological conspiracy theories
get sent away and put into storage
until the pendulum once again swings
back in the other direction.

Written for these daily prompts: The Daily Spur (estate), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (pendulum), Ragtag Daily Prompt (trickle), MMA Storytime (amplify), Your Daily Word Prompt (vapid), and Word of the Day Challenge (storage).

One-Liner Wednesday — QAnon

Fandango31 Comments

Nearly three in ten Republicans say they believe the widely debunked QAnon conspiracy theory that “there is a storm coming soon that will sweep away the elites in power (i.e., Joe Biden and the Democrats) and restore the rightful leader (i.e., Donald Trump).”

Source: Public Religion Research Institute

And if you think that’s fucked up, the same survey said that…

28% of Republicans say that “because things have gotten so far off track” in the U.S., “true American patriots may have to resort to violence” to save the country.

Or how about this?

Almost a quarter of Republicans say they agree with the baseless QAnon allegation that “the government, media, and financial worlds in the U.S. are controlled by a group of Satan-worshipping pedophiles who run a global child sex-trafficking operation.”

What the hell is happening in — and to — America?

Written for Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday prompt.

Taking Responsibility

Fandango10 Comments

“You are so stubborn,” Vicky said, sitting across the kitchen table from her boyfriend. “How can you expect anyone to be sympathetic toward you with an attitude like that?”

Ken pounded his fist on the table, causing coffee to spill from both of their cups. “Talking with you, Vicky,” he said, “can be so monotonous. You are such a drama queen, and you have no zest for your God-given freedoms as an American anymore.”

“What a bunch of drivel,” Ken,” Vicky said. “It’s because of my zest for freedom and for life that I am insisting that you get vaccinated. You need to step up and start acting like an adult and shoulder some responsibility, if not for your own health, but for the health and possibly the lives of your friends and family.”

“This is not my fault,” Ken protested. “These vaccines have not been thoroughly tested and it could turn out to be a case where the cure is worse than the disease. But of course, it’s inevitable that you would take their side over mine.”

“The only side I’m taking,” Vicky insisted, “is science and common sense over conspiracy theories. And If you don’t agree to get vaccinated with all deliberate speed, you’re going to spending your adult life without me on, or by, your side.”

Written for these daily prompts: Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (sympathetic/monotonous), MMA Storytime (attitude/zest), The Daily Spur (queen/shoulder), Your Daily Word Prompt (drivel), Ragtag Daily Prompt (inevitable), and Word of the Day Challenge (speed).