Controversy Erupts Over Spouse's Comparison to Terrorist

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A West Virginia mother and military wife recently came under fire for tweeting a string of pictures in which she proudly displays her conservative ideals. Holly Fisher and her husband were recently eating Chick-fil-A near a Hobby Lobby building while Fisher wore a pro-life shirt. The couple decided to take a picture and post it online. Fisher’s tweet came with this warning: “ATTENTION LIBERALS: do NOT look at this picture. Your head will most likely explode.” Their actions came soon after a ruling allowing companies to refuse certain types of contraceptives in insurance plans due to religious beliefs.

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While Fisher did receive some attention for the photo, her displays escalated as she was goaded by friends and trolls alike. Fisher responded to a supposed death threat with a picture of herself holding a rifle with the tag, “Come at me, Bro.” Some of her fans said she could easily step up the patriotic paraphernalia, and so she took a third picture. In the final photo, Fisher holds a rifle in one hand and a bible in the other while standing in front of an American flag, and it is by far the photo that drew the most ire.

Fisher’s Twitter page immediately spun out of control. Her display of conservative and national pride offended a swathe of people, and comments ranged from questioning her intelligence to wishing harm on her and her family.  In defense of the photo, Fisher said "It was Independence Day. I'm standing in front of a flag that represents our freedom; I'm representing the First Amendment and the Second Amendment on the day that we are celebrating our independence.”

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Soon after, someone posted a side-by-side comparison of Holly Fisher and a woman clad in Islamic imagery holding a rifle and a copy of the Quran. The photos sparked debates all over the internet about whether or not there was a valid difference in the photos. The initial argument was that both women are wielding symbols of violence, religion, and patriotism in nearly identical ways. Many have inferred from the comparison that Holly’s display is too visually similar to what terrorist’s overseas display.

According to the National Review Online, the other woman is most likely Reem Riyashi, a Palestinian mother who detonated a bomb planted on her body and subsequently killed herself and four Israelis. Critics of the comparison claim that while they are visually similar, Holly has professed no belief in using violence to enforce Christianity whereas Reem did use lethal force to project national and religious beliefs.

“And they are comparing me to someone who despises this country and hates this country, and would kill all of us, if given the opportunity,” said Holly.

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