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Analysis
An image circulating across Twitter has some convinced that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has only three toes on both of her feet. But rest assured, the conservative lawmaker’s lower appendages do not match those of a sloth.
In an image shared to Twitter on Feb. 27 by the user “#JusticeIsComing,” the congresswoman can be seen with former national security advisor turned QAnon guru Michael Flynn. A zoomed in section of the photo shows Greene wearing exposed shoes with what appear to be just three toes sticking out on both sides.
“I’ve got the answer! Finally I found it! You think MTG is off, well you’re right!” the account wrote. “Maybe after she’s voted out in months, we can study her mutation! It appears while she may be short in the chromosome department, SHE DEFINITELY IS short in THE TOTAL TOES DPT! Go ahead Count em! WTF.”
In response, some users expressed disgust at the image.
“If I had feet like that I certainly wouldn’t wear open-toed shoes,” one commenter wrote.
“Why would you wear open toed shoes if your feet looked like that?” another user questioned.
Others debated over whether the alleged abnormality was genetic or linked to a serious accident.
“Wow she really is spork foot… wonder what happened,” a third commenter said. “Farming accident? Hunting accident??? Did she shoot her own toes off???”
Some accused the politician of “inbreeding” while others tagged Fox News in an attempt to bring more attention to the discovery.
Yet, as you have likely come to learn, such fantastical stories are rarely true. A simple search for the original image shows that Greene does in fact have five toes on each foot.
The original image began circulating shortly after, although it’s unclear how many people are now convinced that Greene may be sporting the feet of an emu.
Other photos of Greene’s feet, whether you like it or not, are readily available online and also show five toes on each foot.
Incredibly, the 3-toed rumor isn’t even new and circulated online last year as well.
If you’re asking yourself how you ended up reading about easily-debunked rumors regarding a controversial lawmaker’s apparent lack of digits on their feet … Well, this column is called “One Dumb Conspiracy” for a reason.
Why it matters
What can be said about a society that is being thrust head first into the age of AI and deepfakes but still can’t decipher whether a photo of a politician with three toes is real?
Given that it is Monday, we can’t be too dark in our assessments of the future. Let’s all find solace in the fact that humans are highly-adaptable to their surroundings, much like a three-toed sloth.
