Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
A baseless conspiracy theory that has been linked to violence and criminal activity was denounced by Congress in a resolution last week.
Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, of Middletown Township, voted for House Resolution 1154, which condemns QAnon and a “collection of unfounded conspiracy theories that have spread widely on the internet since 2017.”
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The resolution was approved by 225 yea votes from Democrats and 146 from Republicans. A total of 17 Republicans voted against the resolution, one independent voted against it, one Republican voted present, and 34 GOP members of Congress did not vote.
The resolution, in part, states:
Whereas QAnon initially alleged that prominent Americans are engaged in a secret plot to control the world, while using their power to exploit children, and has expanded to embrace virtually every popular conspiracy theory of the last several decades, from questioning the truth about the September 11th terrorist attacks, to believing in alien landings, to denying the safety of vaccines;
Whereas many QAnon followers express anti-Semitic views, and the Anti-Defamation League has said that the movement’s central conspiracy theory includes anti-Semitic elements;
Whereas conspiracy theories have been a central driver of anti-Semitism for centuries, and QAnon conspiracy theories are fanning the flames as anti-Semitism is on the rise in the United States and around the world;
Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has assessed with high confidence that “fringe political conspiracy theories”, including QAnon, “very likely motivate some domestic extremists, wholly or in part, to engage in criminal or violent activity”, and that these conspiracy theories “very likely encourage the targeting of specific people, places and organizations, thereby increasing the likelihood of violence against these targets”
“QAnon and the ideas it promotes are fringe theories that are dangerous to our society. I will always condemn any group on the right or left that is fueled by hate, seeks to undermine our democratic institutions, or commits acts of violence. These kinds of views have no place in our political discourse, and I was happy to see the House overwhelmingly vote to condemn QAnon,” Fitzpatrick said.
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The outlandish conspiracy theory alleges that Democrats and some Republicans who do not support President Donald Trump eat babies and harvest a chemical compound from their bodies. It also claims that the “Deep State” has murdered opponents, is behind sex trafficking, worked to hide evidence of a shadowy global “cabal” that spans from royalty to Hollywood actors, and that gaffes made by the president are secret signals to conspiracy supporters. Part of the conspiracy is that a high-level government official or officials are posting their moves online. However, QAnon predictions are almost always wrong, but part of the conspiracy is that anything that is wrong is just to throw off opponents.
In recent months, the conspiracy movement has attempted to trick those against human trafficking into following QAnon using #SaveTheChildren content and events.
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According to law enforcement and reporting, QAnon supporters have been arrested for a 2018 standoff on the Hoover Dam bridge, a 2019 New York City murder, a plan to kidnap kids, an actual kidnapping, vandalizing a church, and a dangerous police chase while children were in the vehicle.
The online movement has garnered mainstream support and jumped from social media to the real world, including several Republicans who could win local, state, and federal elections.
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