“Star hit with bizarre conspiracy theories - Daily Mercury” plus 1 more |
| Star hit with bizarre conspiracy theories - Daily Mercury Posted: 12 Jul 2020 12:00 AM PDT She's a global superstar living every moment under the spotlight, but for some reason Beyonce still attracts the wildest - and most idiotic - rumours in show business. Earlier this week, the singer was bizarrely accused of "faking" her African-American heritage for "exposure" by a US politician. In a warped Twitter rant over the weekend, Florida candidate KW Miller raged that the Single Ladies hit maker, 38, was actually Italian. "Beyoncé is not even African-American. She is faking this for exposure. Her real name is Ann Marie Lastrassi. She is Italian," Miller exploded. The eccentric politician also accused Queen Bey of sending "secret coded messages to globalists in her song Formation". Unsurprisingly, his remarks sparked outrage among the star's fans - with one concerned Twitter user branding him "a danger to society." Yet it's not the first time Beyoncé has been targeted by a vile - and simply ridiculous - conspiracy theory, with others accusing her of witchcraft, staging her pregnancy and even being a member of a top-secret society. Here, as attention-seeking Miller continues to share desperate and offensive posts online, we reveal the other baffling Beyoncé conspiracy theories … BEY'S A 'WITCH'  Beyonce's former bandmate made some pretty outlandish claims about her. AP In one of the most eye-popping theories, Beyoncé's female ex-drummer accused the singer of "witchcraft" and watching her have sex by jumping into other people's bodies. Musician Kimberly Thompson also alleged that the star killed her pet kitten, while demanding a restraining order against her, The Blast reported. Thompson - who apparently worked for Beyoncé for seven years - claimed the singer launched a campaign of harassment against her, using "dark magic" and "magic spells of sexual molestation", according to the lawsuit. She also declared that Beyoncé was involved in practices of "extreme" witchcraft, and that she tapped her phones and controlled her finances. A judge denied Thompson's request for a temporary restraining order. SHE'S A SECRET ILLUMINATI MEMBER In what has been dubbed the longest-standing conspiracy theory, Beyoncé and her husband Jay Z have been linked to the Illuminati society. The original Illuminati group dates back to the mid-18th Century when it was founded by Bavarian law professor Adam Weishaupt. His intention was to start an academic organisation of modern thinkers prepared to challenge the views of the Catholic Church.  Beyonce flashes a hand signal in the Telephone music video. But today, conspiracy theorists have linked the ultra-secret Illuminati to everything from the "faked" moon landings and the 9/11 terror attacks to the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. They believe the occult is now made up of powerful, elite figures who "run the world" (like the "Girls" in Bey's 2011 hit song). While Beyoncé has been accused of making the triple six Illuminati hand sign - allegedly associated with the Devil - numerous times in public, Jay Z's famous diamond hand signals are said to be a wink to the group. Beyoncé flashed the same sign during her 2013 Super Bowl performance - which some linked to the Illuminati's triangle symbol and 'all-seeing' eye. The megastar's music videos are also claimed to be littered with demon-worshipping signs - while conspiracy theorists allege her daughter Blue Ivy's name means "Born Living Under Evil, Illuminati's Very Youngest". Even Beyoncé's pregnancy announcement with twins Rumi and Sir three years ago has been cited as 'proof' of her involvement with the Illuminati. She shared the news on Instagram on February 1, 2017 - which is significant because of the Illuminati's supposed obsession with prime numbers. Both two (February is the second month) and 2017 are prime numbers - while one, though not a prime number, isn't divisible by any other number. Bey's accompanying picture also caught theorists' eyes: she is apparently kneeling in a pyramid shape, which is a key symbol for the group (with Illuminati rulers said to be at the top, and ordinary people at the bottom). However, a year earlier, the Halo singer had denied being linked to the mysterious group through the lyrics of her 2016 track, Formation. The opening lines state: "Y'all haters corny with that Illuminati mess." SHE 'FAKED' HER PREGNANCY  Bey and bump. Picture: Jason Merritt/Getty Images She's a proud mum of three - yet one outrageous theory claims Beyoncé faked her pregnancy with Blue Ivy and used a surrogate instead. The rumours started during a 2011 TV appearance where Beyoncé's baby bump looked as if it 'folded' due to an odd angle. The Lemonade singer was said to be left heartbroken by rumours she used a surrogate mother instead of carrying Blue Ivy, now eight, herself. One source said: "During her first pregnancy Beyoncé was plagued by trolls who claimed she was not carrying the baby and that her bump wasn't real … "Bey put on a brave face at the time, but she was privately devastated." Other vile rumours have claimed Blue Ivy - who is the spitting image of her stunning mum - is actually the daughter of Jay Z and another woman. SHE'S SEVEN YEARS OLDER  Her own dad's comments didn't help quell the speculation around her real age. Picture: Getty Like many celebs, Beyoncé has been accused of lying about her age. The singer's birth date is widely reported to be September 4, 1981 - yet some believe she arrived seven years earlier, on the same date in 1974. This rumour first surfaced in 2006, when someone who claimed to work for the Texas Department of Health allegedly uncovered her birth record. If true, it would make Bey 45. Other supposed evidence includes a lack of pictures showing the singer at an awkward teen phase, as well as some vague comments on US TV. And the star's dad hasn't helped the matter: Mathew Knowles has made some confusing remarks about his daughter's age in interviews. In one radio interview, with The Breakfast Club on Power 105.1, New York, Mathew suggested Beyoncé is the "exact same age" as Pink and Usher. The artists (who aren't the "exact same age" as each other at all - are aged 40 and 41 respectively - several years older than 38-year-old Bey. BEY IS SOLANGE'S MUM  Beyonce and her little sister Solange Knowles (right). Hooked on the age conspiracy theory, some people believe Solange Knowles, 34, is actually Beyoncé's daughter, not younger sister. This wild theory - which relies on Beyoncé being older than her reported age - alleges that the superstar gave birth to Solange as a teen. In a plot reminiscent of a soap opera storyline, it claims that parents Mathew and Tina Knowles covered up the fact Bey had delivered a child. Instead, they allegedly brought up Solange - also a singer - as their own. Though it's unclear where the rumour first sprung from, it has been claimed that a "cousin" has confirmed Solange is Beyoncé's kid. SHE 'MADE HER BANDMATES CHANGE THEIR NAMES'  Destiny's Child (L-R): Farrah Franklin, Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé Knowles and Michelle Williams. It was recently reported that Beyoncé' is "in talks" for a Destiny's Child reunion with bandmates Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. But according to yet another shocking conspiracy theory, the singer is the reason why Michelle and Kelly aren't known by their birth names. According to The Telegraph, some believe Michelle, born Tenitra, and Kelly, born Kelendria, were forced to change their names to ensure Beyoncé - who is named after her mum's maiden name, Beyincé - stood out. Conspiracy theorists allege that Bey's dad Mathew, who managed the Bootylicious and Say My Name group, wanted to keep his daughter in the limelight. Yet even if this was the case, there were clearly no hard feelings - the close trio performed together on stage at Coachella two years ago. And sources say more gigs and new music could be in the pipeline for the group later this year, once the Covid pandemic is over. This story originally appeared on The Sun and is republished here with permission. Originally published as Star hit with bizarre conspiracy theories |
| Posted: 11 Aug 2020 04:56 AM PDT 
Conspiracy theory candidates become mainstream by politicizing fearWendy Rhodes | Beaver County TimesReba Sherrill of Palm Beach wants to represent Florida in Congress. The Republican candidate for the District 21 seat presently held by Democrat Lois Frankel aid she supports term limits and calls for health care plans to include dental and eye coverage. Pretty standard campaign stances for Republican candidates. Then, there are Sherrill's more atypical beliefs. Sherrill also believes that "pedivores" — or pedophile cannibals — eat babies to get high. And that children as young as six are taught about having sex with animals. "There are so many things that are actually being taught to our children in the school system, I would categorize it as pure evil," she said on a YouTube video. "They start educating children in kindergarten about bestiality, anal sex and all these different things that children should not be exposed to." Whoa, that's out there, yes, but Sherrill is not alone among congressional candidates in some of her more eyebrow-raising beliefs. Elizabeth Felton, also running for Frankel's seat, promotes a debunked conspiracy theory that Hillary Clinton ran a child sex-trafficking ring out of a Washington, D.C. pizza parlor. Two candidates running for the GOP nomination in another Palm Beach County congressional district also espouse seemingly outlandish views. Jessi Melton asserts communists run Broward County and Darlene Swaffar claims the government confiscates children from families who refuse to immunize them. Meanwhile, four other candidates vying for three other congressional seats across Florida have also advocated wild conspiracy theories. Those include allegations the "American Baseball League" is being taken over by Marxists and the implication that the "C" in the Chick-Fil-A logo is a symbol of sexual deviancy. Political experts say the 2020 election has brought out candidates who are a standard deviation or two toward the margins of the spectrum. "Normally, political parties would do things to suppress their fringes," said political strategist Rick Wilson. "Now, they don't have the ability to stop these people from defining themselves as the core of the Republican Party." In Florida, a common denominator among most of the the conspiracy theorists is they follow Q Anonymous — QAnon, or Q, for short. Among other things, Q adherents posit that a "Deep State" cabal of pedophiles — run by political elites, business leaders and Hollywood celebrities — are plotting to take over the world. Q's mission? "Enlighten" followers in an attempt to prevent that from happening. Another commonality: They support President Donald Trump, whom many Q followers point to as the one who will lead believers "from darkness to light." To be sure, the Q candidates also make mainstream, conservative arguments. Protecting unborn babies? Check. Cleaning Florida's waterways? Check. Improving education, halting sex trafficking and fiercely defending second amendment rights? Check, check, check. However, Q candidates often have other beliefs — beliefs that not long ago would only have been whispered in private with like-minded individuals. But no more. One political analyst said the beliefs are heartfelt. "When they say they believe something, they are not lying," said Joseph Uscinski, Associate Professor of Political Science and specialist in public opinion and mass media at University of Miami. "Generally these beliefs are sincere, and this is what they think is true." Certainly, the QAnon crowd has become more visible and outspoken across Florida over the past few years. At some of President Trump's rallies, they stand out by wearing t-shirts or holding signs with codes identifying themselves as believers. On the internet, they use symbols like triangles, owls and lightning bolts; and hashtags like #GreatAwakening, #Q, #QAnon, #QAnonTruth, #OutOfTheShadows, #FallCabal and #WWG1WGA — "Where we go one, we go all." They have appeared at local government hearings, too. At a June 23 Palm Beach County Commission meeting to discuss mandating face masks, conspiracy theorists were front and center, ranting about the devil, the "Deep State," pedophiles and 5G technology. From political fringe to mainstream Experts say the proliferation of conspiracy candidates this election cycle is unsurprising, particularly in blue states. "You've got districts and states that tend to be strongly Democrat or Republican, and you are more likely to see them come up particularly in places that are solidly blue," said Mark Fenster, law professor at the University of Florida. "Places where the Republican Party is fairly small, out of power, and very intensely motivated to believe the worst of the other side." No longer on the political fringe, candidates espousing conspiracy theories have drawn support and raised money. Case-in-point: Sherrill's opponent Laura Loomer, is arguably the highest-profile conspiracy theory candidate in Palm Beach County. Loomer, who denies any association with QAnon, has raised a stunning $1 million, much of it in large donations. "Big donors tend to give money to candidates that they believe are going to win, no matter their views," said John Krosnick, professor of political science at Stanford University. "Then they will own them." Another candidate that has embraced conspiracy theories about communism, Melton, has raised over $156,000, including 22 donations from WinRed, a GOP fundraising platform created by Trump, Jared Kushner and Republican congressional leaders, among others. Melton has also snagged high-profile endorsements from Kentucky GOP U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and political adviser and Trump insider Roger Stone, who recently had his prison sentence commuted after being convicted of seven felonies. Stone also endorsed Loomer. Like Loomer, Melton has had her share of troubles with social media. Twitter suspended Melton on several occasions after she posted doctored photos, fake quotes, and medical misinformation. Down, but far from out, Loomer and Melton found acceptance on Parler — an alternative social media site where conspiracy theories run rampant and facts, falsified quotes, doctored videos and misinformation can be shared without fear of censorship. It is a place where subscribers can learn about how FEMA is planning a mass slaughter of Christians with the use of guillotines. And how Trump saved thousands of kidnapped babies hidden in cages under Central Park and in San Francisco. And how Bill Gates plans to implant microchips in people through the coronavirus vaccine, as well as how those in power plan to confiscate everyone's money and turn them into slaves. While the subject of conspiracy theories runs the gamut from how 5G radiation causes coronavirus to why Dr. Anthony Fauci is behind the "Plandemic," child sex trafficking rings seem to be the conspiracy theory of choice among QAnon followers. These rings are omnipresent, they say, run by Satan-worshiping demons such as Hillary Clinton, the Obamas, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Oprah Winfrey. One widely shared video accused online furniture retailer Wayfair of being part of a sex trafficking ring. In July, TikTok joined Twitter in blocking Q-related hashtags and banning thousands of accounts after reports of Q members stalking other subscribers and not adhering to posted guidelines. Days later, Trump threatened to shut TikTok down. Bipartisan conspiracy politics Pam Wohlschlegel, a committee member of the Republican Executive Committee of Palm Beach County, said the focus on conspiracy theorists in this year's primary elections is overplayed. She doubts they will get much traction at the ballot box. "I would think that most people won't support it," Wohlschlegel said. Either way, Wohlschlegel said, the Republican Party, like the Democratic Party, does not prohibit anyone from running on its ticket and is not responsible for what individual candidates espouse. It's up to the voters to decide. "Make intelligent decisions when you vote," she recommended. "The only way to do that is to study the candidates and take every advantage you can to meet them in person." Wilson, a member of the Lincoln Project that opposes Trump, said the damage to the GOP's brand will be long-lasting. "It's going to make the Republican Party much less sellable as an entity in suburbs among educated voters and those who are not mentally amenable to the absurdity it represents," he said. Political affiliation does not dictate one's propensity for believing conspiracy theories, said Uscinski, who has written three books on the subject. "It's not based on left-right politics," he said. "It's an absolute rejection of left-right politics. QAnon wants to kill the Clintons and Obamas, but they also want to kill the Bushes, Mike Pence, Oprah, Tom Hanks." He also points out that, in the current election cycle, the right has not been the only side to fall victim to conspiracy theories. "He ran against his own party and said everything is corrupt," Uscinski said of former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. "He just sticks with one conspiracy — that the 1% control everything. But because Democrats don't have their own version of QAnon, you don't really hear about it that much." But on a path paved by the highest-ranking government official in the nation, every QAnon candidate in Florida is running on a Republican ticket, save for one Independent. Trump opened the door, Uscinski said, and believers walked through it. "Trump ran as a Republican, but he didn't run as a traditional Republican or a conservative," he said. "He ran as his own thing, which was against the establishment at large." QAnon in a nutshell QAnon is an unorganized faction bound by shared beliefs. It's roots trace back to 18th century Germany, but it did not garner mainstream media attention in the U.S. until the summer of 2018, when QAnon supporters wore distinguishing T-shirts to a Trump rally in Tampa. There is no identified leader of QAnon, but some followers believe it to be a government insider with access to secret intelligence information. The leader then disseminates to QAnon followers the "truth" that the cabal — the secret political operatives who run the country behind the scenes— is attempting to hide. QAnon writings tend to refer to people who should be feared in general terms by referring to them vaguely as "they," "the bad people," or the "Illuminati" — powerful players like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Beyoncé and Jay-Z who are hell-bent on world domination, they say. Those who have been "redpilled' are the enlightened ones. Those "bluepilled" are ignorant deniers of truth who choose darkness over light, ignorance over actuality. Conspiracy theory culture can take hold, Krosnick said, when people have trouble accepting that a traumatic event can be caused by a lone individual or happenstance. "You can understand why someone at home would wonder or say, 'This doesn't pass the smell test of plausibility,'" he said. "You can't deny JFK was assassinated, but the explanation for many people doesn't feel right." In the past two decades, the rise of social media, combined with the proliferation of broadcasting, has helped propel conspiracy theorists out of the shadows. It was then cultivated by a president who has propagated doubt in mainstream media and government institutions, Krosnick said. "The president shows up and says all the news you used to trust is now fake," he said. "The country's ability to be confident that we have trusted sources to go to to know the truth has disintegrated." So, in the perceived absence of reliable news sources, people gravitate to "conspiracy" theories to answer their questions, "alternative" facts to calm their fears. "With a president that has promoted skepticism and is telling the public false information that is then widely discredited, now people's imaginations are free to roam wherever they want to," Krosnick said. While Trump and the Republicans do not hold a monopoly on conspiracy theories, those espousing the lion's share of those beliefs this election cycle are almost exclusively Republicans, said Fenster. Typically, he said, conspiracy theories flow at a faster rate from whichever political party is out of power at the time. That is why widespread conspiracy theories on the right are so unusual this election cycle. "What is different about today is that we have someone who broadcasts conspiracy theories who is in the White House," Fenster said. "It is now more on the right than on the left. And the alt-right community is defined by a conspiratorial view of how the world works." Trump has become a master at using conspiracy theories to deflect attention away from issues on which he does not want the public to focus, Fenster said. During a recent week of polling that showed the president losing support nationwide, Trump reached for a doozy that reportedly shocked even his inner circle. "Like the 'delay the election' tweet,'" Fenster said of Trump's July 31 tweet suggesting the general election be postponed due to unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud. "Or really bad economic or COVID news. It distracts from that and will change the conversation once again." So, when a president pushes conspiracy theories and convinces the public that facts are not facts and the mainstream media cannot be trusted, what is a skeptic to believe? Enter the QAnon phenomenon. "We'll see if it's on the fringes or not," Fenster said. "This could be a coming out party within Republican Party for QAnon believers, depending upon how they do in the elections." Establishment GOP support? Whether establishment Republicans show up to vote for QAnon candidates remains to be seen, said political analyst Trimmel Gomes. So far, national and state parties have said little, if anything, to denounce QAnon candidates. "You may have traditional Republicans who may be concerned [about QAnon ideology], but they've already been drowned out by everything else that's sort of invaded the party," Gomes said. "You are seeing the party just unfurl even further. It's getting so far right that anything goes. And now, QAnon has just latched on and become a melting pot for all the crazies." Krosnick said that while it may appear the QAnon phenomenon is spreading like wildfire, research shows that is not the case. Social media followers can be artificially inflated and posts of support for conspiracy theories, or anything else for that matter, can be perpetuated by bots. Uscinski, who has for years conducted regular polling in Florida about conspiracy theories, agrees that the number of QAnon followers is not exploding. "We put it in a feeling thermometer that goes from 0-100," he said of a June 23 poll in Florida. "Q came out a few points better than Fidel Castro. And Florida hates Castro." Still, some experts are concerned. "I worry deeply about how we're going to get out of this mess," Krosnick said. "I don't see a pathway forward to help people regain trust in facts. It's going to take a really extraordinary set of leaders in the country to bring us back under control." Gomes agreed. "This phenomenon, unfortunately, has picked up legs," he said. "The test will be the upcoming election. It's worrying that people are losing grips on facts and questioning facts ...They don't trust the media, so you can't go back to them with rational arguments. And I don't know what the solution is to stop it." Wendy Rhodes is a reporter at the Palm Beach Post. She can be reached at @WendyRhodesFL or wrhodes@pbpost.com. |
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