Is Rep. Ferguson willing to condemn QAnon?
Jack Bernard, a retired SVP with a national corporation, was the first Director of Health Planning for Georgia. He was Chair of the Jasper County Commission and Republican Party. He Chaired the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia’s Tax Committee. He is currently the Fayette County Vice-Chair of the Board of Health.
“real leaders call conspiracy theories, conspiracy theories”- conservative Senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)
For the record, there was only one Georgia House member who voted against a recent House Resolution condemning the off-the-rails QAnon doctrine… our very own Drew Ferguson. (note: GA Rep Buddy Carter switched his vote to “yea”, saying it was originally cast in error.) In fact, in the entire House of Representatives, there were only 18 negative votes versus 371 for it. Obviously, sentiment against this violent group and its philosophy was truly bipartisan.
GOP stalwarts had this to say about QAnon: “no place …for QAnon” (Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy); “dangerous lunacy”- Rep. Liz Chaney; “no place in either party”- Jeb Bush; “group of nuts and kooks” -Karl Rove; “nuts”- (Sasse); and “a bunch of wackadoodles”- Ari Fleischer.
According to a statement from his office, Ferguson “in no way intended to lend credibility to conspiracy theorists or their outlandish ideas. He does, however, support the First Amendment and its protection of free speech.”
However, the bi-partisan House resolution (https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/1154/text) was clearly not an attack on free speech. It was simply a non-binding resolution condemning a horrible conspiracy theory and violence. But the resolution did not just come out of thin air.
The FBI included QAnon in a 2019 statement about “conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists.” A number of QAnon followers have either committed reprehensible violent acts or been caught planning violent acts. As stated in the resolution, the Combating Terrorism Center at the United States Military Academy at West Point, writes that “QAnon is arguably no longer simply a fringe conspiracy theory but an ideology that has demonstrated its capacity to radicalize to violence individuals at an alarming speed.”
The resolution appropriately called for Federal agencies like the FBI to “strengthen their focus on preventing violence, threats, harassment, and other criminal activity by extremists motivated by fringe political conspiracy theories.” The resolution also “encourages”, but does not require, our intelligence agencies to investigate any foreign ties that the QAnon group has to hostile foreign powers and extremist groups.
Here’s a quick summary of the weird QAnon conspiracy theory, which promotes violence, ignorance, anti-Semitism and general bigotry. Per QAnon theory, a Satan worshipping cabal, including the Democratic leadership and powerful global forces, are plotting against Trump who is leading the fight against them through QAnon followers. Democrats such as Hillary Clinton are child sex predators engaged in child trafficking and murder. These Democrats are being helped by the right wing strawman, the “deep state.”
So, this is the violent theory that Representative Ferguson has determined he will not condemn via a bi-partisan House resolution. Think about it the next time he sends you a postcard or email asking for your support.
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Jack Bernard, a retired SVP with a national corporation, was the first Director of Health Planning for Georgia. He was Chair of the Jasper County Commission and Republican Party. He Chaired the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia’s Tax Committee. He is currently the Fayette County Vice-Chair of the Board of Health.
*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from Newnan Times-Herald can be found here ***
