After Tuesday’s horrific attack in New York, in which a man claiming to be inspired by Isis drove a truck through a Manhattan bicycle path and killed eight people, CNN’s Jake Tapper addressed the Islamophobia that often comes out in times like these. Tapper commented that “The Arabic chant ‘Allahu Akbar’ [which the attacker yelled], God is great, sometimes is said under the most beautiful of circumstances. And too often, we hear it being said in moments like this.”
The message that Islam is not synonymous with terrorism is, unfortunately, one that far too many Americans need to hear. Fear can easily lead to hateful, dangerous ignorance. Which, wouldn’t you know it, is exactly how Fox News responded to Tapper’s words. After some heavy editing, here’s how they presented his statement:
Yeah, that’s not what he said. They know it, Jake Tapper knows it, we all know it.
Fox News is lying. I said it can be said at beautiful moments (wedding, birth) and too often at times like this (horrific terrorist attack). https://t.co/rQx3r0za6I
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 1, 2017
“Allahu Akbar” is a prayer; if we don’t understand how radical Islamic terrorists justify their evil using religion, West cannot defeat it
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 1, 2017
.@FoxNews chooses instead to deliberately lie about what I said. Following the slime-coated path of @DailyCaller and @infowars. Disgusting.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 1, 2017
And yes, I know they do this all the time. Still, literally the day after this horrific attack that they would launch this smear — it’s sick
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 2, 2017
Fox News has removed the tweet and Jason Chaffetz has sort of apologized, but the article still remains up on Fox’s website, and Sean Hannity decided to double down on the misleading wording. With no trace of irony or self-awareness, Hannity suggested Tapper “tell your audience the truth.”
Hannity is continuing Fox's lies and smears by attacking @jaketapper for saying "Allahu Akbar" is a prayer sometimes said at "beautiful moments"
Hannity: "Maybe that's why you have low ratings" pic.twitter.com/JgsYIPU3R9
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) November 2, 2017
This manipulative framing epitomizes the level of propaganda Fox News churns out.
https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/925873705653297152
If post didn't meet standards for Twitter, and @jasoninthehouse acknowledges it was unfair, why is it still up on Fox News' website?
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) November 2, 2017
They knew they were twisting his words in an effort to fan viewers’ fear-rage, both against Muslims and the “liberal media.” They are counting on their audience’s fear and ignorance and political divisiveness for ratings, and fueling both to maintain that line into future rating.
It pains me to say it, but I actually agree with Mike Cernovich about something.
https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/925924797581639681
Not the “insulting to Fox news viewers” thing, but the “taking a liberal’s words out of context and applying them to a larger group of people originally indicated and using that to misrepresent said liberal’s views on an entire unmentioned demographic” thing. In that way, sure, what Hillary Clinton said about some Trump voters is very similar to what Tapper said about Muslims. Thanks for the perspective, Mike.
(image: screencap, Fox)
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