Meemaw Capital: People have been trying to identify persons who were part of the mob in the aftermath of last week’s insurgency at the Capitol building in Washington, DC, on the internet.
Many of the rioters in viral images have already been identified and charged, but meemaw Capital at the Capitol, a woman captured in a snapshot taken on Jan. 6, has instead become a meme.
On the day of the DC riot, one Twitter user tweeted a larger image with a statement about white privilege, showing an elderly woman dressed casually, smiling at the camera, and carrying a flag, phone, and drinking cup.
Meemaw Capital: People Have Been Trying To Identify Persons
(Many have contended that officials treated Trump supporters, who are primarily white, differently from Black Lives Matter demonstrations.)
The post was subsequently retweeted by another user, who zoomed closer on the woman. His post was shared tens of thousands of times after that.
People were immediately curious about the so-called meemaw (an affectionate name for a grandmother) and how, despite her age, petite size, and ostensibly nice but confused manner, she had somehow assisted in storming the Capitol.
Other nicknames appeared as well, including ones that were disparaging.
The meme has one major flaw: the woman was not present in the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 6.
Instead, she was in Topeka, Kansas, for another demonstration halfway across the nation.
There are several important indicators that the photograph was not taken in Washington, D.C.
First, in contrast to the violent and destructive images we saw in DC, where thousands were participating, the pro-Trump marchers appear to be standing around silently.
Second, the “Arrival of the Railroad” mural behind the woman on the right is in the rotunda of the Kansas State Capitol.
Third, the woman may be seen in profile in a photograph taken at the Kansas State Capitol by local news station KSNT.
KSNT photographer Keith Horinek told BuzzFeed News, “I remember her, but I don’t know her.” “I don’t know who she is.”
Unlike the spectacles in DC, the Topeka protest on January 6 was completely peaceful and legal.
According to KSNT, after approximately 250 people gathered outside, several dozen protestors marched into the building around 1:15 p.m. local time, dispersing about 90 minutes later.
Sean McCoy, the protest organiser, told BuzzFeed News that he had obtained permission to protest both inside and outside the Kansas State Capitol.
Security vetted him and other Trump fans, he added, and they responded courteously.
The group “entered the Statehouse calmly through its security checkpoint, one-by-one or in small groups,” according to Fox 4, another local station.
“They meandered around at first, looking at historical displays and sitting on benches,” Fox 4 reported, equating the ambiance to that of a family reunion.
In comparison to DC, authorities in Kansas complimented the calm march, which saw no arrests.
Captain Amber Harrington of the Kansas Highway Patrol told Fox 4 that “I couldn’t ask for a better protest.” “Everyone has the right to express themselves and protest, but I believe it must be done quietly, and this group did an excellent job.”
So, who is this mysterious lady?
She’s a 66-year-old Christian woman who came to the Kansas protest to pray for the country, according to BuzzFeed News.
(The woman begged not to be identified because she feared for her privacy.) McCoy set up the call with the woman and listened in, claiming to be her advocate and guardian.)
“We were really just there to pray at the Capitol, and that’s really our aim every time we go there — simply cover the whole Capitol with the presence of the Lord,” she explained.
The woman, who grew up on a wheat farm in central Kansas, said she had no idea she’d been misrepresented online until a friend in DC contacted her.
“He said he’d seen a photo of me and was wondering if I was at the [US] Capitol, and I assured him I wasn’t,” she explained. “I was quite a far away.”
I couldn’t be in two places at the same time! she added.
The woman, who claims she doesn’t have any children or grandchildren of her own (and thus isn’t a meemaw), expressed optimism that speaking with BuzzFeed News would clear the air.
“[Those who post on the internet] are completely incorrect. I was a long way away, and all I could think was, “Oh my goodness!” How did they even come upon a photo of me to use?” she stated “I don’t even have a Twitter account.” I’ve never used Twitter before
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