Primary election rivalries just took a scary turn for the worst among an anonymous group of people who clearly dislike Bernie Sanders and his supporters. If you've seen a post titled "How to Make Bernie Sander's Glowsticks" that's gone viral on Facebook and Twitter, beware. In reality, the Bernie Sanders' glowstick recipe will conjure a dangerous chlorine gas bomb. Contrary to what this atrocious meme is trying to suggest, the election is not a war.
In the midst of the 2016 presidential race, which involves a Democratic socialist and a reality television celebrity, heated political disputes have become more commonplace than ever before. Civility isn't a given, and we've been conditioned to barely blink when politicians make personal jabs at one another. Without a respect for varying points of view, however, democracy wouldn't be possible. Tricking political dissenters into making a bomb is just one indicator of how people, as a society, have forgotten that.
The conspirators suggest that Sanders' supporters mix isopropyl alcohol with a chlorine tablet. The little concoction will not glow. As the ingredients are shaken, they begin to turn yellow, bubble, and emit heat, creating a small bomb instead. According to Buzzfeed, the post originally appeared on Ponychan, a message board dedicated to adult lovers of My Little Pony.
It's not just the explosion that's a problem. The chlorine gas itself is highly toxic. In fact, chlorine gas was used as a chemical weapon during World War I and can cause damage in the upper and lower respiratory tracts. The scam's author surely knew that exposure to it is also accompanied by a burning sensation in the lungs, hence the "Feel the Bern" reference. Because they have the intent to injure people, the glowstick recipe's creators are far worse than the common Internet troll.
Although these amateur "scientists" believe they're outsmarting everyone who's #FeelingTheBern, little did they realize, there are some noticeable flaws in the post.They misinterpreted Bernie's surname as "Sander — well, either that, or they forgot how to use possessive nouns. As you read further into it, it becomes painfully apparent that this ploy is an uneducated, dangerous, ill-willed attempt at eliminating people who think differently than the meme's creators. In other words, it's just not funny. Never will be.
