They say there is no such thing as bad publicity and a fringe candidate for the US Senate seat occupied by corrupt Democrat Bob Menendez, made news headlines and got millions of exposures on social media simply by saying something ridiculous.
Meanwhile, serious Democratic primary contenders Lawrence ‘Larry’ Hamm and Patricia Campos-Medina are struggling to gain any kind of coverage but the Star-Ledger, Gannett newspapers, Atlantic City Press and online news sites like Patch and New Jersey Monitor has largely ignored their campaigns in favor of the big money establishment contender, warmongering Congressman Andy Kim.
In the aftermath of the recent magnitude-4.8 earthquake that shook New Jersey and other parts of the northeastern United States, Green Party candidate Christina Amira Khalil gained notoriety with a social media post suggesting that the seismic event was linked to climate change.
In the face of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, Khalil’s unfounded assertion quickly drew criticism and ridicule from various quarters. The bizarre claim garnered over 600,000 views in just a few hours.
Khalil’s initial post on social media, which has since been taken down, read, “I experienced my first earthquake in NJ. We never get earthquakes. The climate crisis is real. The weirdest experience ever.”
This statement went viral, attracting millions of views as users mocked and criticized Khalil for her uninformed claim.
As each one weighed in, highlighting the absurdity of Khalil’s statement, the candidate garnered significant attention on social media, and various right-wing news outlets piled on, among them Fox News, The Blaze, the New York Post, and USA Today.
About 116,700 views were generated after Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw, of Texas, ridiculed the progressive Green Party candidate’s post, writing, “Holy crap. I was just joking about people blaming climate change and then this genius pops up. A Senate candidate no less!”
Comedian Robert X George remarked, “It’s true. Stupidity knows no ideology,” in a post that garnered another 200,400 views and Talking Points Memo founder Josh Marshall reposted the message, sharing it with almost 45,000 people, one of whom said: “In Europe, Green Parties are about clean energy, recycling, biking to work, with some science-deficient hippie elements but generally still grounded (pun intended). Why is the US Green Party that much weirder?”
More serious contenders could be green with envy after being confronted by a dismissive fourth estate in the wake of Virginia Republican Tammy Murphy’s exit from the primary competition. Hamm and Campos-Medina have been getting remarkably little attention from corporate-owned media outlets and even some public interest news channels have dubbed warmongering Congressman Andy Kim the ‘presumptive Democratic nominee.
In response to the backlash, Khalil attempted to deflect criticism by accusing climate deniers of being obsessed with her.
“I will never understand why climate deniers are so obsessed with me,” said Khalil, in a subsequent social media post. “Your emails and messages don’t get read, they get deleted, you get blocked, and I still live my best life.”
However, her misguided remarks continued to draw widespread condemnation, with many questioning her understanding of scientific principles.
Environmental strategists emphasized the importance of combating misinformation, noting that Khalil’s remarks could hinder efforts to address the urgent challenges of climate change.
“Climate change is certainly a fact. It is caused by human industrial output that has infused the atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, but it is unrelated to earthquakes,” said progressive Democratic strategist James J. Devine, a former New Jersey Environmental Federation organizer. “Christina Khalil will have a negligible impact on the election but uninformed remarks like hers can hinder the ability of people who are combatting both disinformation and intentional deception motivated by politics and profit.”
Scientific experts have debunked Khalil’s claim, reaffirming that earthquakes are primarily caused by tectonic processes within the Earth’s crust, rather than climate phenomena.
Alan Buis of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory published a 2019 article that explained that while certain climate variables, such as changes in surface water, may influence seismic activity on a small scale, there is no evidence to suggest a direct connection between climate change and earthquakes.
Despite Khalil’s advocacy for environmental issues on her campaign website, her misinterpretation of scientific evidence has raised questions about her qualifications and understanding of complex environmental issues.
While climate change undoubtedly poses significant threats to the planet, attributing unrelated natural phenomena to it only undermines efforts to address the real challenges.
As discussions surrounding climate change and its impacts continue, it is crucial to rely on evidence-based information and expertise to inform policy decisions and public discourse.
Khalil’s episode serves as a reminder of the importance of scientific literacy and responsible communication, particularly in environmental advocacy.
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