Recently while thumbing through Facebook I came across an article from NPR about Pepe the Frog. I know that I live in my own little world most of the time, but I do like to think I have a pretty good idea of what is going on outside of my world. After reading this article I am beginning to think my world might be a little smaller than I thought.
From what I could find during a very brief Google search the above image, done by Matt Furie in 2004, is the original created as part of a comic.
Fast forward 12 years and the Anti-Defamation League now considers Pepe the Frog to be a symbol used to spread hateful messages.
I didn’t know Pepe existed. I didn’t know that the ADL has a database of images that they believe spread hate. I don’t understand why Pepe has been chosen as the posterchild (postermeme?) for white supremacy. I just don’t get it. Even after reading several articles about Pepe and his racists connotations that were created by different groups. I just don’t get it. I don’t think I ever will.
NPR is the only news outlet that I have seen covering this story. I don’t feel comfortable speculating how other outlets would approach Pepe. He has had a varied history and his future will continue to evolve. Currently, he is a symbol, at least to some, of white supremacy. Maybe Pepe’s future will not be so dark.
English 3360 
Your blog post is so interesting—I too had no idea that this meme was being used as a platform to spread hate. I thought your last sentence was brilliant—stylistically it seems to comment on both the binary of light/dark skin tones and personalities. NPR never disappoints, and neither did your discussion of meme development in popular culture.
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