News outlets including the Associated Press and The New York Times took comments from Trump regarding MS-13 gang members out of context Wednesday, misleading readers to believe he referred to immigrants generally as “animals.”
When these outlets and journos were called out for their extremely misleading reporting, many of them chose to defend MS-13 rather than walk back their criticism of Trump. This is a gang with the motto, “kill, rape, control.”
Let’s take a stroll down the walk of shame, shall we?
First we have CNBC journalist John Harwood who was responding to conservative columnist Bethany Mandel, who called the misleading reporting “disturbing.”
however repugnant their actions, MS-13 gang members are human beings IMHO
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 17, 2018
Then we have MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell who insisted that Jesus Christ would “condemn” President Trump for calling MS-13 “animals” and that other Christians who don’t condemn him “don’t understand their own religion.”
Trump: “These aren’t people. These are animals.”
No one would condemn these words more than Jesus Christ.
Christians who don’t condemn these words don’t understand their own religion. https://t.co/VJwrbYdKne
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) May 17, 2018
Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin went further, saying “Even if he was referring to the tiny percentage of immigrants who commit crimes,” calling any human being an “animal” to her is “repulsive.”
Even if he was referring to the tiny percentage of immigrants who commit crimes, his efforts to conflate criminals with all illegal immigrants is repulsive, as is calling any human being an “animal.”
https://t.co/rgoY34lfxh— Jen "get knocked down, get back up " Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) May 17, 2018
CNN commentator Keith Boykin blasted the president for using a “dehumanization tactic” and linked him to “slave traders and slave owners” who justified the oppression of black people for centuries.
Trump referring to human beings as "animals" is the same dehumanization tactic used by slave traders and slave owners to justify the oppression of black people for hundreds of years. https://t.co/6LY6XJwFH4
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) May 16, 2018
Vox correspondent Dylan Matthews insisted MS-13 members are “still human” and that it’s “bad” to call them animals.
https://twitter.com/dylanmatt/status/997115712757026816
Will Wilkinson, who is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and a columnist for Vox, believes “every member” of MS-13 is “human” and that they have “dignity that demands respect.”
"But Trump was talking about MS13!" is evil.
Why does he talk about MS13? To identify immigrants with criminals. The point of calling them "animals" is to identify immigrants with animals.
But every member of MS13 is human. Every human has dignity that demands respect.
— Will Wilkinson (@willwilkinson) May 17, 2018
Social justice advocate and author Amy Siskind accused President Trump of “dehumanizing” MS-13 and hinted to Congress that he should be impeached.
“These aren't people. These are animals.”
This story needs to get more attention. When you can dehumanize this way, you are a danger to us all. He should not be in leadership Congress! #notnormal https://t.co/Ew7p3qel5a
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) May 17, 2018
Even Democratic lawmakers stuck their necks out for MS-13. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) denounced how Trump views the MS-13 and called on “vigilant citizenry and the rule of law” to protect these murderers and rapists from deportation.
Murderers, rapists, and animals. This is how the President views undocumented immigrants. These degrading words are also how despots around the world dehumanize those they persecute.
The only protection? A vigilant citizenry and the rule of law. https://t.co/hSATf0OxCV
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 17, 2018
His colleague from the same state, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), tweeted to his followers that if they are a “decent person” and were in a meeting with Trump, they would denounce him immediately.
IF you are a decent person and were in a meeting where @realDonaldTrump called immigrants “animals,” you will denounce him NOW. Otherwise, what makes you any different?
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) May 17, 2018
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tweeted that our “great-great-grandparents” weren’t animals when they came to America, and members of MS-13 “aren’t either.”
When all of our great-great-grandparents came to America they weren’t “animals,” and these people aren’t either.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 16, 2018
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) also believes MS-13 gang members are not “animals” and that Trump’s remarks were “deeply offensive and racist.” She added that these thugs are “our family and friends” that “make significant contributions to our country.”
Immigrants are not “animals.” The president’s statement was deeply offensive and racist. Immigrants are our family and friends and they make significant contributions to our country.
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) May 17, 2018
You can’t make this stuff up.
Let’s pause for a moment. Are we expected to believe that all these anti-Trumpers are actually defending the criminals of MS-13? No, but by their standards for how they described Trump’s remarks about violent illegal immigrants, the tables can easily be turned on them. And that’s a tactic neither the left nor the right should embrace.
It’s one thing to vehemently oppose this president, but to be brainwashed by your own hatred for Trump that you’re purposefully manipulating his remarks about MS-13 so that it appears that he was referring to all immigrants is truly appalling and absolutely shameful.
