Weigel

Five Conspiracy Theories and the Americans Who Believe Them

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A bumper sticker in a parked car near Jamul, California declares the existence of flying saucers in 2000.

Photo by David McNew/Newsmakers

Public Policy Polling trolls, and I listen.
1. If you’re a Republican, there’s a one-in-five chance you think President Obama is the Anti-Christ. Or that you think it would be funny to say so. Screen shot 2013-04-02 at 4.55.28 PM 2. If you’re under 30, you’re more likely than anyone else to believe in lizard people but less likely than anyone else to believe in a JFK assassination conspiracy.
Screen shot 2013-04-02 at 4.33.28 PM
Screen shot 2013-04-02 at 4.33.39 PM 3. If you’re Hispanic, you’re more likely than a black or white person to think a UFO was found in Roswell. Screen shot 2013-04-02 at 4.55.58 PM
4. If you’re an independent, you’re more likely than some lemming member of the partisan duopoly to think aliens are real. Screen shot 2013-04-02 at 4.57.46 PM
5. If you voted for Mitt Romney, you’re still trying to figure out whether Saddam Hussein had a role in 9/11. Maybe you’re really into the work of Laurie Mylroie. Screen shot 2013-04-02 at 5.52.00 PM
Correction, April 2, 2013: This post originally misspelled Laurie Mylroie’s last name.