Let's Not "Both Sides" Fascism

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://medium.com/wajahatmali/lets-not-both-sides-fascism-adaa921cd697


Fascism will be welcomed and normalized in America as long as it delivers good ratings, money, and access to power.

Most American institutions, especially corporate media, have refused to learn anything from the past five years in which the GOP and the entire right-wing ecosystem have become a radicalized and weaponized authoritarian movement that views them as oppressive instruments of “the deep state.” If that seems like hyperbole, then I recommend watching clips of MAGA supporters overtaking the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2020, at the behest of their orange lizard king and his big lie.

But why let a violent insurrection get in the way of profit margins?

CNN’s leadership is allegedly courting Republican viewers in an attempt to return to what it deems “journalism first.” According to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, this means creating a news network “where everybody can come and be heard,” which includes Republicans and Democrats. If he’s sincere, that means he’s willing to give a platform to individuals who openly use fascist terms to deride his own news network as the “enemy of the people.” It means platforming Republican officials who are climate change denialists and actively promote dangerous anti-Semitic and white supremacist conspiracy theories that the FBI now considers a national security threat.

It means CNN is voluntarily choosing to put its own journalists at risk of being threatened, intimidated, and potentially harmed by an unhinged, right-wing base that sees them as actively peddling disinformation against Donald Trump. Zaslav should ask his CNN staff to tell them how it felt to evacuate their New York City headquarters in 2018 upon receiving a suspicious package. He should do some research on Cesar Sayoc, a fanatical Trump supporter, who was convicted for sending 16 homemade mailbombs to critics of Trump, including prominent Democrats. CNN was included on his list of intended victims.

None of this gave pause to CNN’s new CEO Chris Licht, who went to Washington, DC, to shamelessly kiss up to Republican lawmakers. Even though Licht met with both parties, he was more invested in winning over Republicans. He allegedly told them that CNN wants to “win back your trust.” Maybe Licht should simply concentrate on reporting the news instead of asking elected officials about how to set CNN’s discourse and agenda? (I know, I know. I talk crazy sometimes.)

*snip*

[Hermit-The-Prog]

1. Break up the conglomerates so we can have some competition outside of billionaires.