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22 Jun, 2019 15:26

Drones for incels? US Air Force causes stir with ‘THREAT briefing’ on frustrated internet virgins

Drones for incels? US Air Force causes stir with ‘THREAT briefing’ on frustrated internet virgins

A leaked US Air Force briefing detailing the threat posed by bitter, sexually frustrated men hating on women online has been widely mocked on social media, with some wondering if they plan to drone the “involuntary celibates.”

A leaked screenshot –complete with 4chan memes– shows that personnel at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland were recently informed about the dangers posed by the so-called “incels.” The term describes a loose online “subculture” of men struggling to find any female companionship, who seek refuge on internet forums dedicated to hating women.

Derided and mocked by nearly everybody, the ‘incels’ have finally received the attention they so desperately yearn for: not from women, of course, but from the US Air Force, which apparently views them as a national security threat.

The intelligence briefing features an internet meme popular among incels known as “Becky vs. Stacy.” The image contrasts two types of women, the “needy, average” Becky to the “luscious” bombshell Stacy.

Incels believe “they are owed attention from ‘Beckys,’” the USAF brief states authoritatively. Most of the groups’ activities, however, “fall under First Amendment protected speech,” the document notes.

An Air Force spokesperson has confirmed the authenticity of the screenshot, telling military news outlet Task & Purpose that “the intent of the brief was to educate the Joint Base Andrews commanders on the behaviors and activities attributed to the group to safeguard our Airmen/installation.” 

Several high-profile shootings and attacks have been carried out by self-described incels, but even then, social media users had a hard time taking the bizarre, meme-y Air Force briefing seriously. Many wanted to know how the military plans to deal with these social outcasts, with armchair military strategists suggesting drone strikes and targeted bombings.

Others wondered why the Air Force would try to keep such a document out of the public eye, considering the not-very-sensitive, ubiquitous nature of the “intelligence” briefing.

Perhaps the most astute observation came from a satirical blogger, who observed that the US Air Force has not yet recommended purchasing more F-35s to “effectively” combat the incel scourge – a clear sign that the basement-dwelling virgins do not pose a serious threat.

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