Social media and national insanity
By 
A bizarre episode has unfolded at one of the nation’s most storied sites, with right-wing groups descending on the Gettysburg battlefield for no sound reason.
The commotion started in late June, with a mysterious Facebook event under the title “Left Behind USA,” promising “peaceful flag burning to resist police” at the Gettysburg National Park on July 4.
A few Confederate flag bearers, self-proclaimed oath keepers, and various right-wing militias descended on the park on July 1, anticipating a clash that has yet to materialize. . . .
Local police issued a statement that avoided delving into any of the conspiracy claims.
“We want to assure those we serve that we are taking all precautions at our disposal to maintain the safety of all residents and visitors to the area as well as the protection of property to include businesses, homes, monuments, churches and other historical treasures located in the greater Gettysburg area,” Gettysburg Borough Police Chief Robert Glenny Jr. wrote.
As of the afternoon of July 4th, local news outlets and observers on the ground had yet to report any kind of anti-fascist or flag burning presence on the grounds, but some of the right-wing protesters were still there.
Check out this thread for lots of pretty pictures:
It’s an interesting — in the Chinese curse sense of interesting — question how all these people are going to handle The Great Disappointment four months from now. (Flynn himself is probably a grifter rather than literally delusional, but hundreds of thousands — maybe millions — of Q followers are very much the latter. Plus we all tend to become what we pretend to be, as Ted Nugent once noted).