
(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – Increasing hostility against meteorologists due to baseless claims about weather manipulation has reached alarming levels, according to reports.
Experts who work to keep citizens informed and safe during hurricanes now face harassment due to conspiracy theories suggesting they control storms.
This troubling trend undermines scientific credibility and risks public safety.
Amid Hurricanes Helene and Milton, meteorologists have become prime targets for conspiracy theorists.
False claims that these weather experts manipulate storms are circulating online, prompting threats and harassment.
Professionals such as Katie Nickolaou in Lansing, Michigan, have faced threats to their lives simply for doing their job, presenting accurate weather data, The New York Times writes.
The surge in false narratives relates to past accusations that governments or meteorologists are capable of controlling weather patterns.
Meteorologist Marshall Shepherd from the University of Georgia noted increased aggression against those in his field.
This is particularly troubling during life-threatening weather events when public trust in meteorological reports is crucial.
“I have had a bunch of people saying I created and steered the hurricane, there are people assuming we control the weather. I have had to point out that a hurricane has the energy of 10,000 nuclear bombs and we can’t hope to control that. But it’s taken a turn to more violent rhetoric, especially with people saying those who created Milton should be killed,” Shepherd said.
The impact of misinformation can be felt across social media, where false allegations gain traction.
Often fueled by political polarization, such conspiracy theories claim weather manipulation as a tactic to influence elections or public sentiment.
President Joe Biden has condemned these baseless theories, urging for truth in communication.
Veteran meteorologists like James Spann express frustration over the hostility.
“I’ve been doing this for 46 years, and it’s never been like this,” he remarked, reflecting on how today’s spread of false information affects public trust in vital forecasts.
Addressing conspiracy theories only adds to the pressure during crises.
“Murdering meteorologists won’t stop hurricanes,” Katie Nickolaou, a Michigan-based meteorologist, wrote on X, cited by The New York Post.
These actions against meteorologists highlight a dangerous disregard for the truth, the report adds.
As conspiracy theories about hurricane manipulation spread, misinformation threatens both public safety and the job security of those who endeavor to keep communities informed.
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