Strange (and sometimes fake) Craigslist ads regarding President Donald Trump’s rallies are nothing particularly new.
When they encourage people with COVID-19 to show up at a rally and spread the disease, however, that’s when things have turned very toxic.
A post since flagged for removal on the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Craigslist site — but viewable via archive.is — purportedly looked to recruit people infected with the novel coronavirus to attend Trump’s planned rally Saturday at Tulsa’s Bank of Oklahoma Center. It’s the first Trump campaign rally since the coronavirus pandemic shutdown mass gatherings across the country.
“If you have been diagnosed as having the Covid virus and really want to make a difference, we are hiring 20 of you to work in a large scale test on transmission of the virus,” the ad stated.
“Please assemble outside the BOK convention center on Saturday night wearing all black or if arriving in a group of 4, please dress in the following manner:
One dressed in all white
One dressed in all black
One dressed in coveralls
One barefoot or wearing flip flops.
This will make it easy to identify you.
“Singers, or people with a bad cough preferred.”
BREAKING: Craigslist ad seeking people infected with #COVID19 to attend Trump rally in Tulsa, OK.
RT—this is biological warfare.
cc: @realDonaldTrump, @SecretService pic.twitter.com/Ag94BwwgEB
— Mike Yoder (@Yoder_Esqq) June 16, 2020
Should the person who posted this ad be charged with a crime?
Trump’s rally has been controversial in the mainstream media due to the possibility of COVID-19 transmission, something that’s interesting coming from a media that has collectively covered one of the largest clusters of mass protests since the 1960s with barely a mention of contagion.
There’s a difference, however, between worries about coronavirus transmission and an actor actively seeking coronavirus transmission. Which raises the question: Who posted the ad?
As I mentioned right off the top, this would hardly be the first hoax Craigslist ad that has to do with Trump’s rallies.
In fact, this wouldn’t even be the first hoax ad associated with the Trump rally in Tulsa, assuming it is a fake.
PolitiFact reported on a previous post that advertised for “[e]xcited and enthusiastic MINORITY actors and actresses needed to hold signs at event in Tulsa.”
“Send headshot/resume for early consideration. *This may be applied towards community service if necessary (in lieu of payment).”
The ad, which has since been removed, was unsurprisingly found to be a fake by PolitiFact.
However, there’s a huge difference between a fake ad designed to make the Trump campaign look racist and one that actively endangers the lives of those attending the rally on Saturday.
This is likely someone involved in a sick hoax, an internet troll desperate for attention. The strange language of the ad — particularly the odd dress requirements — make this seem like a prank that seemed like a good idea at 4 a.m. in a college dorm room somewhere after more than a few intoxicating beverages.
The problem is that someone might actually take this call to action seriously, given that there are more enough people who have become convinced Trump is the nexus of evil in this world and that the supporters who show up to his rallies are nothing less than Satan’s minions.
How many of these people have COVID-19 is another matter entirely. As of Tuesday, there had been 1,729 confirmed cases in Tulsa County, according to the Tulsa Health Department.
Finding someone infected with both the coronavirus and with a case of Trump Derangement Syndrome serious enough to try to spread infection at a Trump rally may be difficult, but certainly not impossible — and that’s what’s so dangerous about this ad. It’s essentially looking to place a human biological weapon inside a crowded event simply because of the political affiliation of those attending.
If this is a Trump supporter looking to make the other side look bad, that’s even worse. One would hope no one would be so stupid as to do something like that, but someone was either dull or evil enough to post this ad in the first place, so that can’t be excluded.
Whatever the case, one hopes the Secret Service is investigating this.
We don’t know the intent behind the ad, but we can sure guess the potential effect. This could potentially end up killing people.
The responsibility for this should lie solely on whoever posted it, but we ought to consider the toxic environment in which this could even be considered possible. It’s wildly implausible that this would have happened during any prior presidency. But the country has been been whipped up to the extent that an ad like this, sadly, feels almost inevitable.
There are lessons about Trump Derangement Syndrome be learned from this. Will we learn them? That’s hoping too much.
The extent of our hope in this case is that the person or persons involved in this are tracked down and dealt with accordingly. Given that this is nothing less than a call to use oneself as a silent, deadly weapon, the possibility of criminal charges should definitely be on the table.
Sounds as though this could be right out of the playbook by George Soros and Henchmen. He funds just about anything that would be detrimental and destructive to the USA. How sadistic and cruel. On a higher note–It was a great Rally.
Not a mention of the Covid virus during the George Floyd funeral??
This is the biggest OUTRAGE Ever!
Yes, track them down and prosecute!
WAY TO SICK IDEA THAT ONLY THE DEMONRATS WOULD THINK OF.
This idiot, should definitely be hunted down and prosecuted.
Yes jail for these scumbags
OR, this is a far left attempt to keeping people home. They do not want people to go to Trump’s rally. Then MSM goes in and reports the low numbers. When the globalists then steal the election thru voter fraud, they can say that the low numbers at trumps rally was a clue that he would lose…..
The ad is probably illegal, but odds are nothing will come of it legally.
But wait a minute trump has said that there is no danger you don’t have to wear masks and it would be impossible to social distance in a packed arena they came at their own risk. If they get sick it’s trump’s fault as well as their own
And you think mail-in voting won’t come with a bag of nasty tricks by Democrats? Never Trumpers and those with Deranged Trump syndrome will be at it in force.
The last I heard, Masks and hand sanitizer were available to any one who attended, it would be up to each attendee to decide if they wanted to wear a mask. I believe that is very fair. Who ever posted this ad, should be tracked down and suffer to consequences of his or her actions.
The Democratic news media is so anxious to voice their negative comments they will jump on anything true or false
It’s really sad to know that America has a future generation out there right now taking all this craziness in. Sadly to those youth, this is what they will think is the norm..
What a sicko, probably backed by George Soros.
Illegal to say the least. The authorities need to hold FaceBook and Zuckerberg responsible for not censoring the post. I have had , at least, 7 of my pro-American pro-Trump postings censored by Facebook for not meeting their standards. This following is a response I get from Facebook when they don’t like what I post
Facebook
“Your post goes against our Community Standards so only you can see it. See options. View On Facebook”
Creg List operators should have censored this if true., to knowing contaminate others with a deadly disease should be a crime. Take those who placed the add get them sick with Covid and toss the keys to any recovery see how they like it.
I don’t use Creg list much but anyone should be able to see it if true. then take action