Don’t Laugh at Rick Perry’s Pathetic Instagram Gaffe
The energy secretary’s ignorance points to a far more insidious problem
It’s bad enough when your kooky uncle shares painfully obvious conspiracy theories on social media. It’s a whole other level of exasperating when the United States energy secretary does it.
Former governor and current Secretary Rick Perry shared a widespread and unconvincing Instagram hoax on Tuesday, the usual “I don’t consent to a changing policy” text post. “Instagram DOES NOT HAVE MY PERMISSION TO SHARE PHOTOS OR MESSAGES,” the message read. He was met with online ridicule and a number of embarrassing headlines, many of which pointed out that Perry controls America’s nuclear arsenal. We can only hope the next hoax doesn’t trick Perry into pushing the big red button.
But beneath the jokes about Grandpa Rick, there’s something nefarious and frightening at play: Our most powerful leaders are displaying profound ignorance about our digital world. Their cluelessness threatens our economy, our freedom, and the sanctity of our democracy.
Perry is certainly not the first high-profile politician to embarrass himself on the internet. On the relatively harmless end of the spectrum, there is Ted Cruz’s “accidental” liking of a pornographic tweet. President Donald Trump…
