# What happens to the QAnon movement now-- do they mutate & move the goalposts, or die out? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 22, 2021, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211 "2021-01-22T13:55:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/221 "2021-03-06T22:11:57Z")
One of the weirdest and frankly more disturbing aspect of this deranged cult behavior around Donald Trump (aside from the fact that of all the people…why did it have to be the ex host of The Apprentice) is that these people who engage in this are not young. They’re parents. They’re grandparents. They have careers. They have experienced and witnessed much significant marks of history before. They’re the people who 10 or 15 years ago would have scolded a child or a grandchild for spending too much time in front of a screen. That using Wikipedia for homework is bad because _anyone can edit it_. Now they’re the ones who spend all day every day on sad, twisted corners of the internet desperately looking for clues and affirmation of their wishes in the most stupid unhinged ways possible. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/222 "2021-03-06T23:05:25Z")
> [@Boycott](#): > > One of the weirdest and frankly more disturbing aspect of this deranged cult behavior around Donald Trump (aside from the fact that of all the people…why did it have to be the ex host of The Apprentice) is that these people who engage in this are not young. What I find disturbing is not only what you said, but that such a high percentage are members of the police and military. I believe I heard that 20% of the Capitol rioters had military and/or police backgrounds, when it’s 7% in the general population. I know the Venn diagram of Q believers and Capitol rioters is not 100% overlap, but it’s probably pretty close. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/223 "2021-03-07T04:26:36Z")
I think the root issue is people who score high in authoritarianism and social dominance orientation. People with those traits are likely to support Trump but also likely to want to join established authority organizations like law enforcement and the military. Its an age old problem, some of the kinds of people attracted to power (careers in politics, law enforcement, military) are the last people who should be allowed to have that power. I was glad when the police showed up at the capitol, they kicked the insurgents out. I was worried there’d be a civil war when the reinforcements showed up with some cops siding with the white nationalists and some siding with the rule of law, but they seemed pretty united to support the rule of law and I was relieved to see that. And some of the police who took time off work and went to the insurgency are being held accountable. But there needs to be a way to purge people from law enforcement and the military who value white nationalism more than they value rule of law, the constitution, democracy or doing the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/224 "2021-03-07T04:30:20Z")
> [@Boycott](#): > > One of the weirdest and frankly more disturbing aspect of this deranged cult behavior around Donald Trump (aside from the fact that of all the people…why did it have to be the ex host of The Apprentice) is that these people who engage in this are not young. > > They’re parents. They’re grandparents. They have careers. They have experienced and witnessed much significant marks of history before. > > They’re the people who 10 or 15 years ago would have scolded a child or a grandchild for spending too much time in front of a screen. That using Wikipedia for homework is bad because _anyone can edit it_. > > Now they’re the ones who spend all day every day on sad, twisted corners of the internet desperately looking for clues and affirmation of their wishes in the most stupid unhinged ways possible. Yeah. I really think its caused some serious psychological trauma and fissures among a lot of white families. Seeing people you grew up with and respected when you were younger turn into this is traumatic. I had to watch my dad defend and make excuses for Trumps 30+ accusations of rape and sexual assault (some of which was done against teenagers) while eating dinner with my teenage nieces. That was fucked up, teenage girls watching their grandfather in his 70s make excuses for rape because the rapist was part of his cult. I don’t think Trumps followers understand how much damage they’re doing to their own creditability within their families. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/225 "2021-03-07T09:16:31Z")
The QANon believer at work really, truly thought that Trump would prevail up until Jan 7th. He’s been strangely silent since although the one person willing to take a hit for the team and will talk to him reports that lately he’s starting to regroup. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/226 "2021-03-07T13:57:52Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > But there needs to be a way to purge people from law enforcement and the military who value white nationalism more than they value rule of law, the constitution, democracy or doing the right thing. I might be mistaken, but I’m pretty sure you just disqualified ~50% of American law enforcement. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/227 "2021-03-07T14:15:05Z")
I’m sure that is not true. But I truly wish any people - politicians in particular - who have sworn an oath to the Constitution took the time to understand what it says and means. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/228 "2021-03-07T16:12:03Z")
I am starting to think that the majority of people (politicians, military, law enforcement etc) who swear an oath to the Constitution do not have the vaguest idea of what it means. It’s just a bunch of words strung together. They don’t know what’s in it, or it’s history, or why it’s important. Just words. You might as well have them swear an oath to a Stephen King novel, or just have them say “Argle Bargle purple monkey dishwasher” for all the good it does. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/229 "2021-03-07T16:34:10Z")
They know what the words mean, they just don’t give a shit. They’re taking their own oath in their hearts, which boils down to, “I will follow the party line and do everything I can to maintain power for both it and myself.” I’d love to see an “add on” component to anyone convicted of a crime while under an oath of office, kind of like penalty-enhanced hate crime laws. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/230 "2021-03-07T17:45:12Z")
To some of these people, the Constitution — except for the Second Amendment — is a set of vague platitudes that one can accept or reject on a case-by-case basis. According to some SovCits I used to know, the Constitution was never actually ratified so the Articles of Confederation are still in effect. Although one held that even though the Constitution wasn’t ratified, the mere fact that it was brought up for ratification nullified the AoC as well. Never did get a clear idea of what he thought the governing document was (if any). ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2021, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/231 "2021-03-07T18:13:33Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Never did get a clear idea of what he thought the governing document was (if any). As far as I can tell, for many SovCits, the governing principle is “I can do anything I want with no consequences” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/232 "2021-03-08T00:44:43Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > But there needs to be a way to purge people from law enforcement and the military who value white nationalism more than they value rule of law, the constitution, democracy or doing the right thing. While I too wish this could happen, I worry what all those people would then get up to. It would not be good… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/233 "2021-03-08T00:48:23Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > It would not be good… It’s already not good. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/234 "2021-03-08T01:23:41Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > > [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > > > But there needs to be a way to purge people from law enforcement and the military who value white nationalism more than they value rule of law, the constitution, democracy or doing the right thing. > > While I too wish this could happen, I worry what all those people would then get up to. It would not be good… I’d rather them do whatever it is their going to do while being chased and surveilled by the government rather than have them do those things while working for the government. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/235 "2021-03-08T01:24:08Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > While I too wish this could happen, I worry what all those people would then get up to. It would not be good I get the impression the majority of people with connection to the military in this were _former_ military (which stands to reason since active military don’t get to take a day off to go march at a political protest). But it would also seem that unlike most law enforcement, the professional military’s “up or out” system creates _a de-facto rolling purge of those who don’t make the cut for top leadership_ – not by ideology but by achievement, and merely being oriented towards a structure of authority and dominance does not make you a high achiever. Sure, that does not prevent a Michael Flynn, but it also gives us the entire current JCS who openly said “NO, the forces will NOT intervene contrary to the law”. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/236 "2021-03-08T01:42:07Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > (which stands to reason since active military don’t get to take a day off to go march at a political protest). I realize that this is a nitpick, but they could. The lifestyle of active duty personnel in the contemporary U.S. military isn’t nearly as restrictive as a lot of folks seem to think. Personnel usually get regular days off, and sometimes their off days are in the middle of the week. They can also request a pass or leave, and as long as there’s no pressing business at their unit, a request like that will usually be granted without much fuss. As long as they don’t attend in uniform or give other indications that they are officially representing their service, military personnel are perfectly free to attend political rallies, and perfectly free to request leave to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/237 "2021-03-20T05:05:16Z")
Expect to be seeing more shenanigans like this: > **[QAnon Supporter Crashed Army Reserve Base After Threatening to Unleash ‘Crazy...](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/qanon-supporter-crashed-army-threatening-024003396.html)** > > The Wisconsin man allegedly taunted Army reservists with an AR-15-style paintball gun after boasting of a plan to test the “loyalty” of the National Guard. > [@](#): > > Ten days later, Olson allegedly drove to an Army Reserve base in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, in his car, which had Q-related phrases such as, “Trust my plan,” “and “WWG1WGA,” a QAnon motto that stands for “Where we go one, we go all,” spray painted across the doors, hood, roof, rear window, and bumpers. Driving onto the base, Olson got out of the vehicle, shouted, “This is for America,” and fired an AR-15 style paintball gun at two uniformed reservists standing about 15 yards away, the filing states. After allegedly shooting “two to three” rounds at the soldiers, Olson’s paintball gun apparently jammed. At that point, the reservists—one of whom is described as a law enforcement officer in civilian life—tackled Olson and held him for police. A search of Olson’s car turned up a gas mask, throwing knives, a police scanner, two-way radios, a taser, and military-style ballistic vest plates, the complaint continues. Officers also found a three-page handwritten manifesto, which contained numerous mentions of Q and “my plan,” according to [a detention motion filed by prosecutors](https://www.scribd.com/document/499500965/Olson-Detention-Motion). Heh, very nice of them to tackle him. Wonder what colours they had. At one point in custody he was muttering under his breath “People will remember my name.” Not sure why yahoo is the only source at this time. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/238 "2021-03-20T05:11:40Z")
They enjoyed the synchronicity of their name and his character? ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/239 "2021-03-20T05:15:52Z")
Then The Daily Beast should’ve also been on this. ok I got nuthin. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2021, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-the-qanon-movement-now-do-they-mutate-move-the-goalposts-or-die-out/931211/240 "2021-03-21T11:22:43Z")
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