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My mother is not QAnon for 3 specific reasons:
1. Her English isn't great
2. She's older, and can barely use a smartphone, much less social media
3. She had a European education, heavy on the history
So why do I bring her up?
1/13
1. Her English isn't great
2. She's older, and can barely use a smartphone, much less social media
3. She had a European education, heavy on the history
So why do I bring her up?
1/13
2/13 My parents live in Texas. They don't have cable, but my mom has been listening to late-night AM talk radio for the last ~20 years. Along with network TV dramas, it's how she works to improve her English
3/13 I knew she did this for a while, but never really listened with her. It was always late evening, when she was in the kitchen cleaning up, or prepping my dad's lunch for the next day back when he still worked (I did mention she's old. Also old school)
4/13 A few years back, 6 or 7 maybe, I was visiting my parents over the holidays, and was with my mom in the kitchen when she said it was time for her radio program. So I listened with her for a bit, and suddenly something clicked.
5/13 This was the Obama era. Now, my parents have been Republicans since they moved to Texas. They saw Reagan as an extension of the anti-communist movements they had been a part of in Poland (FYI, he's up there with the Pope for many Poles)
6/13 They never liked Clinton because of his party. But with Obama, I noticed something different. In the Clinton and Bush eras, I had often disagreed with my parents and we would debate policies and the role of gov't in diff. matters. It could get heated, but it was about policy
7/13 In the last decade or so, I switched to arguing basic facts with them, particularly my mom. Since she only reads in Polish, there are exactly two places my mom gets American news:
1. Local network evening news
2. Late night AM radio
1. Local network evening news
2. Late night AM radio
8/13 What I finally figured out 7 or so years ago was that her "radio program" was Glenn Beck. And others like him on a conservative station. Railing on against Obama, against immigrants (yes, the irony), against whatever else was the outrage that week
9/13 And my mom ate it up. Because she already leaned conservative. Because they were "on her side". Because once you agree with a little, it's easier to agree with more and more
10/13Now, let's flip the 3 reasons I cited @ the beginning:
1. Imagine she's American - no language barrier
2. Imagine she's 20 years younger and internet-savvy
3. Imagine she wasn't the child of two parents who both fought Nazis that invaded her country right before she was born
1. Imagine she's American - no language barrier
2. Imagine she's 20 years younger and internet-savvy
3. Imagine she wasn't the child of two parents who both fought Nazis that invaded her country right before she was born
11/13 If these things were true, I have no doubt she would follow QAnon.
And so could your mom. Or dad. Or uncle, grandfather, etc.
And so could your mom. Or dad. Or uncle, grandfather, etc.
12/12 TBF, I could say with some certainty that she wouldn't have been at the Capitol, because she hates violence (even on TV) and is a very caring and empathetic person who used to be a nurse. She'd most likely be in it to stop the supposed baby-killers, but who knows?
13/13 That's why deplatforming is important. That's why not giving a voice to fascism, or the slippery slopes towards it, is important if you want a free society. That's why I'm thankful today that those 3 facts are true, and feel for the families of those not so lucky.
