In wake of DC shooting, false flag conspiracies spread

[Behind the Aegis]

It would seem likely, at first glance, that Elias Rodriguez, the 30-year-old man from Chicago who allegedly shot two people outside the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C., targeted the American Jewish Committee event taking place in the museum as retribution for Israel’s actions in Gaza. When arrested, the man, Elias Rodriguez, shouted “Free, free Palestine,” and a manifesto attributed to him argues for “armed action” to address “atrocities committed by Israelis against Palestine.”

Online, however, doubt percolated almost immediately. Specifically, theories began to amass that the shooting was a false flag operation.

The argument goes roughly like this: Israel has lost its moral standing thanks to its bombardment of Gaza. Israel needed to divert attention from starving Palestinians, and to paint pro-Palestinian activism as an antisemitic, terrorist movement. Killing two Israeli Embassy aides outside a Jewish event establishes antisemitism as a clear, tangible threat, and the killer shouting “Free Palestine” while doing so ties it clearly to the pro-Palestinian movement. It’s too clean and obvious to be real, say the conspiracists.

Given the manifesto and Rodriguez’s statements on the scene, this seems like a stretch. But false flag operations — acts done with the goal of pinning responsibility on a different group — are not always the stuff of conspiracy theories.

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[JustAnotherGen]

1. Oh - if they are trying

To spin it as a false flag operation - that's a huuuuuuge stretch.

We've got the s.o.b. that did it dead to rights. That was an attack on two human beings for what they are. He could have gotten on a plane and assassinated Netanyahu. He's a hateful wuss so instead he chose to punch down.

There's no difference between him and De La Beckwith.

I can't be reasoned with on this. There's no reason anyone can give that justifies what he did.

I just read on here that a poster would like to go back to Temple but is afraid it will be attacked. In fucking America that is unacceptable. I see no difference between what happened at Mother Emmanuel, Tree of Life, and these two bright young people who were trying to do something GOOD for vulnerable innocents in Palestine.

A lot of these Free Palestine folks did not vote or voted Trump to prove a point.

“I often say that a vote is a kind of prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and for our children.” - Senator Raphael Warnock

They've told me the kind of world they want - and I reject them.

And for any Jewish DUers - when Black folks you know and are visible in your community invite you to join a gun club. Do it. I've recruited 7 members from our local.synagogue who had never held a gun in their lives. My family survived Jim Crow because we were armed - and that entire county in Alabama knew it. FIGHT.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly conpiracy theories pop up, especially when Jews are involved in any way.

Some forms of anti-Semitism simply morph to meet the needs of the times or the group, including pretending something isn't anti-Semitic or mocking it.

I was excited to hear a new gun range was in my area, the closest was about 70 miles away; odd for Oklahoma. But, as expected, it was a RW group who are Trumpers. So.....not a safe place for a Democrat-voting, gay Jew to attend.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Never fails

[JustAnotherGen]

2. I'm kicking this up

Hopefully awareness will tamp down any of the nonsense being spread.

Knowledge empowers us speak truth to lies.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. This is going to get worse before it gets

better.