“The storm” on Capitol Hill is the result of a new type of network conspiracy – a potent potion of misinformation and platform-activated rumors, encouraged by politicians and influencers, and defined by a total lack of confidence in the news.
While those who invaded the Capitol seem to come from all walks of life, a faction of older white people stood out, aided by a viral image of Richard Barnett, 60, from Gravette, Arkansas, sitting at Nancy Pelosi’s table. Online, they are called “boomerwaffen”, a pejorative name for boomers and normies radicalized by cable news and AM radio, comparing their potential for right-wing violence to that of Atomwaffen terrorists.
The boomerwaffen appeared wrapped up in Trump equipment from head to toe, they gave testimonials repeating the statements of their favorite YouTubers and podcasters, referencing QAnon and describing a conspiracy to steal Trump’s election. Avoiding the risks of the pandemic, they believed that January 6 would be the last day they could pressure Vice President Mike Pence and Republicans to reject the election results.
The boomerwaffens occupy an area of our media ecosystem where Trump still has a chance, QAnon is still leaking privileged government secrets and Rudy Gulinani is a good lawyer against a fraudulent system.
Creating and maintaining the boomerwaffen universe requires an incredible amount of resources. Trump’s disinformation campaigns are a media show involving an impressive array of political agents, media analysts, lawyers and influencers who daily create, publish and share a cascade of lies and speculation across all sites, cable news and radio on once.