In case you haven’t seen any posts on the subject yet, memes, events, and graphics about storming Area 51 have been circulating online. Here’s a brief background:
Area 51 is a United States Air Force facility located in Nevada. The surrounding area of the place has become a popular tourist attraction, mainly because of the conspiracy theories surrounding it. The absence of details on Area 51 in books and websites have stirred quite a buzz among not just US residents, but the world, especially those who thrive on what-if’s and out of this world (literally) theories, such as the place being a research facility for the extraterrestrial and other similar discoveries. It’s been discussed so much that even movies feature the facility as the go-to for alien research. Surrounding tourist attractions have banked on the idea of Area 51 being a research facility for aliens, so much that items inspired by the theories are being marketed.
To make things even more interesting, the US Government didn’t acknowledge the existence of Area 51 (also known as Groom Lake) until 2013 which means rumors and theories have been circulating for decades. The Air Force and the government confirm that Area 51 supports nothing but aircraft and weapons systems development and testing. Thousands of questions have been raised, even about the name of the facility. Why is it named Area 51 and why is there a need to be secretive about its purpose and the activities that transpire within it?
It’s not easy tracing the root of the Area 51 meme, but to give you an idea, here’s an example of a post gone viral:
The event name and the number of users who clicked on “Going” or “Interested” have prompted the military to issue a warning, one that’s not to be taken lightly despite the humor people find behind the event and the memes going around. Admins of pages with over a million likes participating in sharing memes and inviting users to the event have attempted to play it safe by pinning posts that explain how it’s all just a joke and a tactic to go viral.
The US Air Force does not see the humor in it. “Area 51 is an open training range for the U.S. Air Force, and we would discourage anyone from trying to come into the area where we train American armed forces. The U.S. Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets,” a spokesperson of the facility, approached by The Washington Post, explained.
It may sound ridiculous to most users but with good reason and for the best intentions, officials have also made clear that in the event thousands, maybe even millions, do decide to storm Area 51, the Air Force stands ready. After all, there have been many close encounters from curious folk, intruders, and the like.
There’s a fine line between a funny joke and a bad one, and this particular one that’s gone viral is leaning towards the latter. The warning issued by the US Air Force is more than just a response to a popular internet joke – it’s a reminder to be responsible social media users and to not use the medium for spreading potentially harmful ideas.
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