Where Did The Phrase 'Firebomb A Walmart' Originate, And Why Is It So Divisive Online In Internet Leftist Communities?

Internet users often joke about how no one argues with leftists more than other leftists, and Firebomb a Walmart is a prime example of this phenomenon. The phrase is part of a longer quote that mocks vocal leftists who often advocate for violence that they never personally intend to participate in while turning their noses up at "liberal" ideas like voting for a candidate they don't fully support.

@LinkOfSunshine's post is oft quoted online, but it also has its detractors. Some people think that the viral post has set back leftist discourse by decades, while an entirely different sect of people find humor in what they think is inane, inconsequential, and chronically online infighting. Here's a recap of the drama.

Where Did The Catchphrase 'Firebomb A Walmart' Come From?

Back in November 2023, X (formerly Twitter) user @arcanecovet replied to a tweet asking for recommendations on achieving a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict with a meme of an American eagle labeled "Bad Government? Vote Them Out KILL THEM."

The dramatic and violent solution posted by @arcanecovet drew the ire of X user @LinkofSunshine, who wrote, "People on twitter will really be like 'you believe in voting? that pales in effectiveness to my strategy, firebombing a Walmart' and then not firebomb a Walmart." The post went semi-viral in online leftist communities, and even had it's visibility limited for a short time after being mass reported for "hateful conduct."

How Did The Phrase 'Firebomb A Walmart' Spread Online?

The catchphrase gained traction on X / Twitter in late 2023, with pro-Israeli and anti-leftist users using the catchphrase to mock self-professed leftists and anarchists who advocate for politically motivated riots and violence without participating in it.

Tumblr user @hivemind made a direct reference to the phrase "firebomb a Walmart" in a post from late December, while economist Matt Darling of the think tank Niskanen Center tweeted a version of the catchphrase, replacing "voting" with "anti-malaria nets."

Why Do People Criticize The 'Firebomb A Walmart' Post?

Many left-wing users on Twitter / X criticized the catchphrase as it garnered virality in 2024, including X user @muke10101. The user responded to the catchphrase by claiming the logic stops working "the moment you replace 'firebomb a walmart' with 'burn down a police station,'" a reference to the BLM protests of 2020.

In April 2024, X user @JihadalHaqq criticized the catchphrase by referencing a Martin Luther King Jr. quote claiming that "…the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride to freedom is… the white moderate…," while Twitter comic artist Haus of Decline called the post, "one of the dumbest tweets that has ever been made."

For the full history of Firebomb A Walmart, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.