A rash of Twitter users have begun to protest what they dub the establishment’s “War on Memes” — in particular, the claim that Internet cartoon Pepe the Frog is a symbol of white supremacy.
The war started when Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign branded the cartoon frog a “symbol of white supremacy,” basing their claims on a Daily Beast interview with two notorious trolls who have since mocked the author for taking their bait.
The claims have since been echoed by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, NBC’s Katy Tur, Heat Street’s Louise Mensch and Ian Miles Cheong, and even the Anti-Defamation League, who added the cartoon frog into their Hate Symbol Database alongside the Nazi swastika, the burning cross, and the Ku Klux Klan logo.
Attempting to take back their beloved cartoon frog meme, users on Twitter have protested the media’s coverage, using hashtags such as #TheWarOnMemes.
https://twitter.com/ojlray/status/781202193051426816
https://twitter.com/GaryJRobinson/status/781214197908635649
The left is trying to smear a good frog the same way they smear all their enemies. We say ENOUGH. #IStandWithPepe#NotAllPepes
Pepe the Frog pic.twitter.com/jeOcBt8FPb— General Halley 🚁🌹 (@HalleyBorderCol) September 28, 2016
Pepe the Frog is apparently now a 'hate symbol'.
Look at how hateful he is. 😂😂#FrogOfPeace#NotAllPepes pic.twitter.com/9RUwPaPja5
— General Halley 🚁🌹 (@HalleyBorderCol) September 28, 2016
Q. Does ADL believe that Pepe the Frog is a greater threat to Jews than Islam?
A. Of course they do. So do the vast majority of liberals. 🐸— RockPrincess (@Rockprincess818) September 28, 2016
😂😂
Pepe is a #FrogOfPeace
Don't judge all Pepes by actions of a few. #NotAllPepes🐸https://t.co/cfGuAMFQkl pic.twitter.com/d4tyGD8rnt— General Halley 🚁🌹 (@HalleyBorderCol) September 28, 2016
Pepe the Frog meme branded a 'hate symbol' – by bed wetting regressive leftists. Pepe is a hero. https://t.co/zwBvEYAIFY
— David Vance (@DVATW) September 28, 2016
https://twitter.com/hoodsonco/status/781178919269441536
https://twitter.com/JaynePenelope/status/781178481933557761
https://twitter.com/Grummz/status/781112323704365056
Even popular YouTube star Philip DeFranco joined in, commenting “feels bad, man,” a reference to Pepe’s early roots in meme history.
I put all my money into rare Pepe the Frog memes, and the ADL has now deemed even the non-rare ones, symbols of hate. Feels bad, man. pic.twitter.com/d50OAi419c
— Philip DeFranco (@PhillyD) September 28, 2016
And of course, it wouldn’t be right without an appearance from both myself and fellow Breitbart Tech reporter Allum Bokhari.
https://twitter.com/MrNashington/status/781200222538100736
We shall shitpost on 4chan, we shall shitpost on Reddit, we shall shitpost on Twitter. We shall never surrender. #TheWarOnMemes pic.twitter.com/kvftFNbCNU
— Allum Bokhari (@LibertarianBlue) September 28, 2016
They won't stop at Pepe the Frog.
You're waifu is next. https://t.co/fD8QkGsH3g— Allum Bokhari (@LibertarianBlue) September 28, 2016
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington or like his page at Facebook.
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