As the standoff with the insurrectionists in Oregon continues, the "mainstream" media continues to have difficulty coming out and labeling these armed, traitorous yokels as just that. Paul Farhi at the
Scott Wilson, The Washington Post’s national editor, said the paper is using the terms “occupiers” and “militia members” when those involved identify themselves that way.
“We believe these terms most precisely describe what is taking place, the tactics being used and those involved,” he said. “Further, terrorism is a tactic meant to instill fear in a population or group. In this case, the occupiers, though armed, are not terrorizing, but rather occupying a government building in protest or solidarity.” [snip]
Fox News, on its website, noted that the protest was touched off by the sentencing of the Hammonds, which it said “touched a nerve with far right groups who repudiate federal authority.”
The New York Times also said that Cliven Bundy “previously galvanized conservative critics” with his stand against federal authorities.
The Post noted all this background but avoided using the terms “conservative” or “right wing” to describe the occupiers. Wilson, the national editor, said the paper will “likely try to avoid [such labels] unless we have evidence to support one of those characterizations.”Great Caesar's Ghost! When even Fox "News" website is referring to these criminals as "far right groups," we think it might be time for Scott Wilson to put on his big boy pants and act like something other than a cowering wordsmith. Until then, he's a damn fool.
Meanwhile, Janell Ross, who writes on race, gender, immigration and inequality at the Bezos Bugle, has this take on media outlets using delicate terms to describe the takeover and the insurrectionists:
Not one seemed to lean toward terms such as "insurrection," "revolt," anti-government "insurgents" or, as some on social media were calling them, "terrorists." When a group of unknown size and unknown firepower has taken over any federal building with plans and possibly some equipment to aid a years-long occupation — and when its representative tells reporters that they would prefer to avoid violence but are prepared to die — the kind of almost-uniform delicacy and the limits on the language used to describe the people involved becomes noteworthy itself.
It is hard to imagine that none of the words mentioned above — particularly "insurrection" or "revolt" — would be avoided if, for instance, a group of armed black Americans took possession of a federal or state courthouse to protest the police. Black Americans outraged about the death of a 12-year-old boy at the hands of police or concerned about the absence of a conviction in the George Zimmerman case have been frequently and inaccurately lumped in with criminals and looters, described as "thugs," or marauding wolf packs where drugs are, according to CNN's Don Lemon, "obviously" in use. [snip]
Deliberate language choices are always a wise and reasonable move. That is especially true when telling stories of conflict with government and political protests. But the incredibly limited and relatively soft range of words in wide use Sunday seems to extend beyond all of that. The descriptions of events in Oregon appear to reflect the usual shape of our collective assumptions about the relationship between race and guilt — or religion and violent extremism — in the United States.This is a serious and potentially deadly situation, and it does no good for the media to soft- soap what's going on. Right there, in the Bugle's front page story is the assessment of someone in authority on the front line in Oregon, Harney County Sheriff David M. Ward. Perhaps the delicate souls in the media could use his help to accurately describe what's going on there:
“These men came to Harney County claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers,” Ward said in a statement Sunday. “When in reality these men had alternative motives, to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States.”BONUS: Here are some more useful tags for the sagebrush moocher terrorists (a lot more have been suggested since):
Roundup:
#YallQueda
#YeeHawd
#VanillaISIS
#YokelHaram
#CowTippingTerrorists
#FailQueda
#Infantada
#WhiteSIS
#SaturdayNightTreason
More?
— David Roberts (@drvox) January 3, 2016
