Conspiracy theories aren’t just internet rabbit holes anymore — they’ve become gasoline on a fire that’s burning in real life. And unfortunately, the flames are reaching places they should never touch.

In politics today, conspiracy theories are currency. They often inspire, animate and drive the party in the Trump era. And while it might be tempting to shrug them off as fringe nonsense with little real-world consequence, reality keeps proving otherwise.

Case in point: A Georgia man recently opened fire on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, killing a police officer and rattling the nation’s top public health agency. According to The Associated Press, the shooter “blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal.” This wasn’t some random act of violence — it was a direct line from misinformation to tragedy.

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