‘You’re promoting illegal voting’: Cute and cuddly Moo Deng is accused of sticking her snout in the voting booth
Who would’ve thought Pygmy Hippos could vote? Let’s be honest: if Moo Deng ran for president, she’d win by a landslide regardless of her age or citizenship.
Moo Deng became an internet sensation after her handler from Khao Kheow Open Zoo posted her cute and relatable expressions online. Needless to say, her adorable likeness inspired many internet memes and fan art. Recently, the @vote.pa account on Twitter used Moo Deng to illustrate voting through mail-in ballots. Moo Deng was drawn to vote, sealing her vote and signing the envelope.
Twitter users were quick to joke about this voting Pygmy Hippo. User @Tyler_The_Wise says, “Foreign hippos are rigging our elections.” It’s a hilarious and loaded quip because of allegations of foreign interference in previous elections. Other Twitter users also joked about Moo Deng’s ineligibility to vote due to her citizenship as a hippo from Thailand.
Unfortunately, this is the internet—good things don’t last, not even cute memes. There are direct replies to the meme that seriously accuse the account of voter fraud. How did these people connect Moo Deng to vote-rigging? They either don’t know how to take a joke or are allergic to fun. One of these Twitter users even accused the account of promoting voter fraud. “Pennsylvania will be happy to let her vote multiple times,” among other absurdities.
These memes should be criminalized
It’s not enough for some of these people to hate Moo Deng’s promotion of mail ballots. Some made Moo Deng memes that showed her getting grilled or eaten. Weirdly enough, Trump supporters are encouraging others to vote, or else Moo Deng would be eaten by the Harris-Walz alliance. I’m all for memes and jokes, but I’m missing the punchline in these memes.
We can have our disagreements, but not with Moo Deng. She’s an icon, and you will respect her as one. If your camp is making you hate a cute baby hippo, then maybe you should rethink who you’re supporting.
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