© Getty ImagesA demonstrator holds up a sign of Vladimir Putin during an anti-Trump 'March for Truth' rally on June 3, 2017 in New York City
surprise election last year sparked a national crisis across the left and right of America's political spectrum. In the chaotic nine months since his inauguration, there has however been one constant among the mass upturning of norms: The Resistance.
A uniquely modern movement with online origins, it has become an umbrella term encompassing wildly disparate groups of people. It doesn't matter if you're a Republican Never Trumper like David Frum or a progressive activist like Linda Sarsour. You could be Hillary Clinton or George Bush, Bill Kristol or Michelle Obama. The Resistance welcomes all.
There is a specific faction of The Resistance that stands out in particular however.
Fuelled by Twitter shares, it lives and thrives online. While a good deal of the movement is rational, and bases its Trump attacks on facts, a significant portion is not so measured. In fact, its leading figures have become social media stars by posting outlandish theories, often in lengthy Twitter threads.
They have amassed millions of followers between them, mostly by reporting on what the mainstream media has avoided due to a lack of concrete evidence. Their theories are often feasible but unproven, and filled with speculation or sources even the most seasoned journalists don't seem to have. In more extreme instances, they have reported hoaxes and conspiracy theories that have been thoroughly debunked.
Comment: A depressing survey of how easily so many get led astray by complete idiots; ponerization served from your favorite social media platform.