Rep. Greene's Weather Claim Sparks Online Storm

U. S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has found herself in the middle of a social media storm after claiming that "they" can control the weather. This statement came as multiple states, including her home state of Georgia, were reeling from Hurricane Helene's devastation. Greene tweeted on Thursday night without specifying who "they" were, but it was enough to spark a flurry of responses and mockery online. The hurricane, which made landfall in Florida on September 26, has already claimed the lives of at least 215 people. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia have seen some of the heaviest casualties. Greene and others with similar beliefs have taken to social media platform X to share their unconventional theories about what caused Helene to form and wreak such havoc. The response on X was swift and often humorous. Actor Ellen Barkin, for example, jokingly claimed that she, as a Jew, indeed controlled the weather. Pekka Kallioniemi, an author known for his work on Russian misinformation campaigns, replied with "JEWISH SPACE LASERS," a reference to Greene's past statement about California wildfires being caused by space lasers operated by Jewish bankers. Atlanta-based weatherman Ryan Maue, who holds a Ph. D. in Meteorology, joined the conversation to debunk Greene's claims. He stated that while many conspiracy theories do turn out to be true, this particular weather modification theory was not one of them. Greene has previously faced ridicule for her statements about natural disasters being signs from God meant to make Americans repent. Her recent post on X showed a map indicating how hurricane devastation might affect the election, with red states (typically Republican-leaning) depicted as the most heavily impacted. Supporters of Greene have defended her stance, claiming that they too believe weather can be manipulated by malevolent forces. This isn't the first time Greene has made headlines for her unconventional beliefs, and it likely won't be the last.