Turns out there is something crazier than aliens, and it’s Facebook users.
Sometime in the past few weeks you may have come across a story about renewed “Area 51” fervor, and I assure you it’s gotten wilder since then. To recap: Area 51 is a clandestine military site at the Nevada Test and Training Range that conspiracy theorists have long believed is sanctioned for the study of alien life forms. On June 27 a mysterious Facebook event surfaced inviting any and all to “storm” Area 51. “We will all meet up at the Area 51 Alien Center tourist attraction and coordinate our entry,” the page reads. “If we Naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets. Lets [sic] see them aliens.” The date is set for September 20, a Friday. So far, over a million people have RSVP’d, and the planned event has attracted the attention of the U.S. military.
Let’s check in and see how that’s been going.
Too many people
The number of attendees on the Facebook event page continues to grow. When the Cut wrote about the phenomenon last week, 400,000 people had responded to the event (impressive). Now 1.7 million people think they are definitely going and 1.3 million people are interested (scary). Frankly, it’s the “interested” people who concern me most as they appear to be taking this alien stuff very seriously. It’s like, they can’t necessarily commit to spending a weekend occupying a Nevada military base, and they don’t want to let down the nearly 2 million people expecting them, but if scheduling allows they’ll drop by.
Of course, too many people is kind of the point. How else are you going to invade a secretive government property?
One dude in particular is in way over his head
CNN reported on Thursday that California resident Matty Roberts has come forward to say he created the Facebook event as a joke and now he’s scared.
Roberts told CNN affiliate KLAS-TV, “I waited for like three days and there were like 40 people and then it just completely took off out of nowhere.” Roberts continued, “I was just like, the FBI’s going to show up at my house and it got a little spooky from there.”
The Air Force has intervened
It’s never a good look when you’re dealing with millions of people mistrustful of the U.S. military-industrial complex, but nevertheless the Air Force weighed in.
On Thursday Air Force spokesperson Laura McAndrews told ABC News in a statement:
“The United States Air Force is aware of the Facebook post. The Nevada Test and Training Range is an area where the Air Force tests and trains combat aircraft. As a matter of practice, we do not discuss specific security measures, but any attempt to illegally access military installations or military training areas is dangerous.”
Bud Light has also intervened
The aliens can absolutely take Bud Light if they want it.
The aliens are still coming though, right?
If the aliens are out there I hope they come soon, bearing socialized medicine and compelling new dance moves. Please, aliens, don’t turn the spacecraft around just because several teens and full-grown adults are addicted to social media. We’re just in it for the likes!