Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell became the catalyst of a new meme on Sunday centered around — what else? — feral hogs.
Though it sparked some hilarious tweets and even made it to Twitter’s trending page, the meme was rooted in the tragedy of the deadly El Paso and Dayton shootings.
It all started with Isbell’s tweet about assault rifles: “If you’re on here arguing the definition of ‘assault weapon’ today you are part of the problem. You know what an assault weapon is, and you know you don’t need one.”
The tweet generated more than 1,000 replies, but user William McNabb’s caught the attention of the Internet: “Legit question for rural Americans – How do I kill the 30-50 feral hogs that run into my yard within 3-5 mins while my small kids play?”
Legit question for rural Americans – How do I kill the 30-50 feral hogs that run into my yard within 3-5 mins while my small kids play?
— William McNabb (@WillieMcNabb) August 4, 2019
Isbell responded with “If you have dozens of hogs chasing your children around your yard, you have problems no weapon will fix.”
If you have dozens of hogs chasing your children around your yard, you have problems no weapon will fix. https://t.co/5OmRjg8evw
— Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) August 4, 2019
McNabb did not stop there, tweeting countless replies to Isbell and other Twitter users that questioned his dilemma, including a video explaining the feral hog phenomenon.
I’m for the first amendment.
For those that say I should eat my kids, not have children, advocate the state taking them away from me, the ones who are driving by my home, taking aerial photos of my house, googling where I work, etc.
This is why I’m for the 2nd Amendment.
— William McNabb (@WillieMcNabb) August 4, 2019
Even though people have threatened my kids, taken pics of my home, driven by my house, my job and threatened me – I’m still a fan of your music.
And I never said my situation was applicable to the entire country.
It’s real. —-https://t.co/Gp2PUGVn3H
— William McNabb (@WillieMcNabb) August 5, 2019
But when Isbell later reassured his followers that he didn’t believe McNabb to be serious, he quipped back with: “No sir – I am.”
No sir – I am.
— William McNabb (@WillieMcNabb) August 4, 2019
Twitter then took the phrase “feral hogs” and ran with it. See the best tweets about it below.
maybe the real 30 – 50 feral hogs were the friends we made along the way
— Adam Wilson ????? (@theleanover) August 5, 2019
stages of Feral Hog Twitter
1. confusion seeing everyone tweet “30 to 50 feral hogs”
2. find the tweet & assume it’s satire
3. read the tweet again & realize it’s for real
4. like and RT only feral hog tweets for 12 hrs straight
5. become 30 to 50 feral hogs— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) August 6, 2019
My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, nevermind it’s 50 feral hogs.
— sarah schauer — (@SJSchauer) August 5, 2019
Welcome to the jungle
We’ve got fun and games
We’ve got thirty feral hogs
Or fifty, in that range— Ryan Nanni (@celebrityhottub) August 6, 2019
The 47 in AK-47 stands for the number of feral hogs it kills per minute this is canon now.
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) August 5, 2019
Lizzo’s “Boys” as 30-50 feral hogs, a thread:
— Gremlin Lad is Trying His Best (@notthecoolaaron) August 6, 2019
good morning 30-50 feral hogs. lets get these children in 3-5 minutes
— –Nate– (@SpookiiNate) August 6, 2019
One day, when I came home, at lunchtime, I heard a funny noise.
Went out, to the the back yard, to find out if it was 30 to 50 feral hogs.— Luke Cutforth (@LukeCutforth) August 6, 2019