HuffPo: I Accidentally Joined A Playgroup Full Of QAnon Moms. Here's What Happened.

[TheBlackAdder]

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The first glimpse into some of their distorted realities came in the form of Facebook and Instagram posts and stories propagating popular conspiracy theories, like one that claimed Bill Gates co-created COVID-19 to microchip members of society. By late May, I began seeing a host of different “views” appear on my feeds, including how mask mandates are a violation of our personal rights, references to COVID-19 being a “plandemic,” and that 5G cellphone networks contributed to the rapid spread of COVID-19.

Slowly, posts and conversations began migrating from medical misinformation to election misinformation, with thoughts ranging from election fraud to the “deep state” working to limit our freedoms as Americans.

One afternoon, I met a friend at a local park where she went on to tell me children in America were no longer safe due to the prevalence of sex trafficking. She mentioned a few moms I should follow to learn more about sex trafficking in the United States, and for a while I thought #savethechildren was a hashtag campaign for the nonprofit organization Save the Children.

It wasn’t until a few months later that I learned about QAnon, and that the far-right conspiracy theory movement propelled theories that Trump was secretly fighting an underground child sex-trafficking scheme run by Democratic leaders like Hillary Clinton and other elites. I also learned that these infamous QAnon conspiracy theories were often propagated through the mommy blogging community on social media.
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https://www.huffpost.com/entry/qanon-trump-supporters-homeschool-texas_n_60512898c5b605256ebefb0f

If you want to journey down the rabbit hole for a little bit, go for it.

Way back when, with the first couple kids, we had play groups and there was always one or two moms who were the control freaks of the group, setting the boundaries--much like elementary & middle school school PTAs, where some of the PTA parents seize onto that position as a means of power and control over others, using their position to gain exceptions for their kids and friend groups. Most of the other parents had to accept it or be kicked out and have their kid shunned by others in the neighborhood or school.

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[TalenaGor]

1. Qanonsence

[Solly Mack]

2. Why would anyone think it is up to them to continue to subject themselves to bigots

in hopes of getting the bigots to see them as one of the good guys?

Because that's all that is going to happen. They will continue to be bigots but tell themselves you're the exception.

And that for being a (fill in the blank with racist/bigoted/ignorant term), you're OK. You're not one of the bad ones.

Why do that to yourself?

America's democracy will not be made stronger by placating bigots.

It won't be stronger by allowing it to be OK to be a bigot. By overlooking bigotry in hopes the bigot will now rethink their beliefs.

They make a bigoted remark, no one calls them on it, they think it is OK to be say bigoted things.

If you do call them on it, they get defensive.

They don't claim enlightenment.

It's not up to the victims of racism to make the racists feel better or feel comfortable or feel safe and accepted.

Victims of racism aren't the ones that should be jumping through hoops or changing their behavior to accommodate racism.

[madaboutharry]

3. This article seems very odd to me.

I do not understand this woman’s decision to continue friendships and contact with these women. I am not sure I believe the authenticity of this article.

[Tarc]

4. Guess it helps to read, y'know, all of the article

Most of the other parents had to accept it or be kicked out and have their kid shunned by others in the neighborhood or school.

[madaboutharry]

5. I did read the entire article.

That is how I formed an opinion.

Keep your know-it-all snark to yourself.

[bronxiteforever]

8. I agree with your point on not understanding her decision

From the article: “ alot of these women feel frustrated with social media censorship. Some feel their voices are lost and the media constantly lies to them. But I hope by sharing my news sources, knowledge and information, they too will do more research.
I am not sure we will ever meet at a common ground of understanding or even see the world from the same vantage point.”

If one believes that Bill Gates is placing tracking chips in us via a vaccine, or Clinton is running a sex slave operation or COVID is a government conspiracy, one is living in a world devoid of scientific reasoning and logic. Sharing news or scientific sources with people that believe the media is lying is pointless. Their belief that the media and scientists are lying to them is an emotional reptilian response that is impervious to reasoning. I don’t know how you get people to understand the basics of science.

I believe in the science of epidemiology. Science is why there is a polio vaccine, a Shingles vaccine etc. Epidemiology is based on the scientific method.
As Neil deGrasse Tyson said on the need for the scientific method:

Do whatever it takes to ensure you do not fool yourself into thinking something is true that is actually false, or that something is false which is actually true. Tyson defends science as an “exercise in finding what is true". The scientific method involves testing hypotheses and peer review. Out of such a process rises what he calls “emergent truth" which is “better than anything else we have ever come up with as human beings".
When you have people who don't know much about science, standing in denial of it and rising to power, that is a recipe for the complete dismantling of our informed democracy," warns Tyson.

https://bigthink.com/paul-ratner/neil-degrasse-tyson-says-this-is-his-most-important-message-ever

[cynical_idealist]

10. Seems like we need a huge movement

of psychologists, cult busters, cultural influencers and anyone else that can contribute
to find ways to get through to those who are not beyond reach,
and to shape society so that less people get indoctrinated into the madness.

peace

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. I'm making an assumption here, but...

I approached a fellow liberal mother from the group about everything we were witnessing and she was completely unfazed. I expressed how I felt conflicted about remaining friends with the moms who were actively posting QAnon theories on their Instagram and Facebook feeds (which at this point was our main form of communication because I was in social isolation due to COVID-19). She replied along the lines of, “I wouldn’t have any friends if I vetted folks out because of QAnon-linked conspiracy theories.”

...is exactly what MLK was talking about when he said the white moderate is the stumbling block.

[Rustyeye77]

7. I've had that....the trick is understand they are looking for a fight.

Just be nice and say “ I looked into it and couldn’t find any proof”

If you’re nice and respectful it can work out.

Don’t give them a fight.

[apnu]

9. I cut ties with any Qanon person that crops up in my life.

Knowing the ‘other’ is nice, but ultimately will screw you. These Qanon people use that as path of indoctrination. It is a common and old practice. Say something outlandish, when someone engages with curiosity, reel them in.

This is how every military branch tried to recruit me. This is how the Neo-Nazis tried to recruit me (twice!). This is how a few cults tried to recruit me. This is how many street preachers tried to recruit me.

After a while the pattern is obvious.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. We are such a transient society. So many of us are setting new roots in a community,

desperate to make social connections. Only to find just how infected society is with the crazy.