What A Weekend for Media Accuracy

 

On Friday, the news exploded with the news of what would have been the end of the Trump presidency, a BuzzFeed story about how Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen was instructed to lie to Congress. For the individuals giddy at the prospect, the news spread like wildfire. For the rest of us, alarm bells went off immediately.

And then, came this equally large bomb:

Later reporting further sunk BuzzFeed’s boat:

One would think media consumers would’ve learned their lesson about immediately believing narratives involving Trump. You would be wrong.

Later in the weekend, we saw this:

For journalists who spent just a few minutes doing some research before trying to destroy the lives of high school kids and their school, the story fell apart.

https://twitter.com/robbysoave/status/1087088839447977984

Nobody burst Oliver Darcy’s bubble.

 

 

Published in Journalism
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  1. danok1 Member
    danok1
    @danok1

    Neil Hansen (Klaatu) (View Comment):

    EJHill (View Comment):
    Now, on to the act of contrition itself. The apology needs to be made to both the subject of the piece and the reader.

    The editorial decision to acknowledge the post was published with incomplete information and to retract itwas proper. The multiple pieces now on NR compliment and reinforce the acknowledgment.

    The reader was not harmed and is owed nothing more than an acknowledgement of error and retraction. The subjects of the piece were harmed and the apology for the harm should be offered to those harmed.

    Neil, I agree that in general, a personal apology should be offered privately.

    However, in this case Frankovitch smeared and libeled the boys in public. NRO should put an apology to the boys on their home page, and offer personal apologies in private. It’s simply the correct thing to do.

    • #91
  2. Bethany Mandel Coolidge
    Bethany Mandel
    @bethanymandel

    Mike "Lash" LaRoche (View Comment):

    There should be serious repercussions for those pundits and celebrities who called for the students to be doxxed or attacked.

    You’ll enjoy this week’s That Sethany Show :)   https://t.co/YnVDf3kjpS

    • #92
  3. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Neil Hansen (Klaatu) (View Comment):

    Instugator (View Comment):
    Something like that I suppose. You know, a real apology, not just a retraction.

    An apology is owed to the kids and I pray one is given. It should be private and personal.

    It should occur in the same forum where the insult was offered.

    Private and personal apologies should follow as well.

    • #93
  4. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    The hat is the story.

    No hat, no story.

    I disagree. Being a white Catholic boy from the South is plenty for the media to assume he fits their narrative (per the media, 4 characteristics of evil).

    They are most certainly not mutually exclusive. And together … explosively combustible.

    • #94
  5. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    The hat is the story.

    No hat, no story.

    I disagree. Being a white Catholic boy from the South is plenty for the media to assume he fits their narrative (per the media, 4 characteristics of evil).

    True. Those are certainly marks against him as far as the media (left and alleged right) are concerned.

    I see it like this. The hat triggered the Black Hebrew Israelites to start harassing the boys. The hat triggered the Native American to approach them and start drumming in their faces. The hat triggered him to lie that they boys were chanting “Build the Wall!” The hat made for great Twitter video! The hat got the attention of the mass media.

    And the hat caused all the Trump-haters (on the left and the alleged right) to slander these boys as racists, as evil, as doing the equivalent of spitting on the cross.

    No hat, no incident. No incident, no story.

    Once again, it’s hysterical anti-Trumpism that lies at the root of this story.

    • #95
  6. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    It’s all about the hat.

    • #96
  7. Dominique Prynne Member
    Dominique Prynne
    @DominiquePrynne

    As a parent of a 19 year old white man, I am fearful for the future for him.  I am concerned that the current environment will create either (1) young men who just give up and “check out” or (2) young men who gravitate to the worst of what is projected on to them because, well, why not?…if that is what you are thought of as already.  I have raised my son to respect all, to protect those who are weak and to make the world better.  Does he live up to my expectations all the time?  No, but he’s doing pretty good and getting better every day.  Mamas, grandmas, sisters, wives and daughters need to be standing up for the men they love.  My heart hurts for these young men in the middle of this.  Adults confronting these kids in strange ways (banging a drum near his face) and then the media fall out.  I wonder if the media will be proud of the “scalp” they take (pun intended) when some young person suffers a breakdown or worse over this type of situation?  

    • #97
  8. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    And the Washington Post, having helped peddle a lie, decides in the aftermath to double-down!

    • #98
  9. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    Dominique Prynne (View Comment):

    As a parent of a 19 year old white man, I am fearful for the future for him. I am concerned that the current environment will create either (1) young men who just give up and “check out” or (2) young men who gravitate to the worst of what is projected on to them because, well, why not?…if that is what you are thought of as already. I have raised my son to respect all, to protect those who are weak and to make the world better. Does he live up to my expectations all the time? No, but he’s doing pretty good and getting better every day. Mamas, grandmas, sisters, wives and daughters need to be standing up for the men they love. My heart hurts for these young men in the middle of this. Adults confronting these kids in strange ways (banging a drum near his face) and then the media fall out. I wonder if the media will be proud of the “scalp” they take (pun intended) when some young person suffers a breakdown or worse over this type of situation?

    I cannot ‘like’ this comment enough. And with the power and righteousness of a Momma Bear.

     

    • #99
  10. Dominique Prynne Member
    Dominique Prynne
    @DominiquePrynne

    Also, the “smile” on the young man’s face is exactly the “smile” my son puts on when one of his sisters is flipping out on him and getting in his face.  I’ve seen that “smile” a thousand times.  It’s a “smile” of “I want to yell, retaliate, tell-you-where-to-get-off”, but I know I better not so I will “smile” at you while I curse you in my head.

    • #100
  11. danok1 Member
    danok1
    @danok1

    Dominique Prynne (View Comment):
    As a parent of a 19 year old white man, I am fearful for the future for him. I am concerned that the current environment will create either (1) young men who just give up and “check out” or (2) young men who gravitate to the worst of what is projected on to them because, well, why not?

    From an article on Status451.com:

    In 209 BC, two Qin Dynasty army officers, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, were ordered to lead their troops on a march to provide reinforcements. Massive flooding delayed them. They couldn’t make their rendezvous time. In the Qin Dynasty, this carried the death penalty. No excuses.

    “What’s the penalty for being late?”

    “Death.”

    “What’s the penalty for rebellion?”

    “Death.”

    “Well — we’re late.”

    And that’s the story of the Dazexiang Uprising.

    How does full-on streetfighting start in the United States of America? My guess is: pretty much like that. “What’s the penalty for kicking the living sh** out of Leftist protestors?” “Oh, Jesus, we’d be demonized as Nazis.” “…what’ll they do if we don’t kick the living sh** out of Leftist protestors?” “They’ll — hmmmmmmm….

    I fear the author is very much correct. Especially since the kid’s school and church immediately abandoned them. Young men see that happened.

    • #101
  12. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Dominique Prynne (View Comment):

    Also, the “smile” on the young man’s face is exactly the “smile” my son puts on when one of his sisters is flipping out on him and getting in his face. I’ve seen that “smile” a thousand times. It’s a “smile” of “I want to yell, retaliate, tell-you-where-to-get-off”, but I know I better not so I will “smile” at you while I curse you in my head.

    The smile was short-lived. It fits with his version of events, that at first they thought Phillips was approaching them legitimately, so he was smiling because he thought, hey, this is kind of cool. But then it got awkward as Phillips kept banging the drum in his face. And then you can see on the video that he’s starting to think “what the heck is going on here” and the smile disappears very quickly. 

     

    • #102
  13. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    DrewInWisconsin: The smile was short-lived.

    My periodic reminder that a modern photograph represents 1/30th of a second and the viewpoint shared by horse with blinders on.

    • #103
  14. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    The hat is the story.

    No hat, no story.

    I disagree. Being a white Catholic boy from the South is plenty for the media to assume he fits their narrative (per the media, 4 characteristics of evil).

    True. Those are certainly marks against him as far as the media (left and alleged right) are concerned.

    I see it like this. The hat triggered the Black Hebrew Israelites to start harassing the boys. The hat triggered the Native American to approach them and start drumming in their faces. The hat triggered him to lie that they boys were chanting “Build the Wall!” The hat made for great Twitter video! The hat got the attention of the mass media.

    And the hat caused all the Trump-haters (on the left and the alleged right) to slander these boys as racists, as evil, as doing the equivalent of spitting on the cross.

    No hat, no incident. No incident, no story.

    Once again, it’s hysterical anti-Trumpism that lies at the root of this story.

    I agree.  The hat made the story.  Otherwise nothing would have been assumed or reported.

    • #104
  15. Brian Wyneken Member
    Brian Wyneken
    @BrianWyneken

    Dominique Prynne (View Comment):

    Also, the “smile” on the young man’s face is exactly the “smile” my son puts on when one of his sisters is flipping out on him and getting in his face. I’ve seen that “smile” a thousand times. It’s a “smile” of “I want to yell, retaliate, tell-you-where-to-get-off”, but I know I better not so I will “smile” at you while I curse you in my head.

    I’ll offer an alternative perspective.

    I recall being screamed at . . . “what are you smiling about!” This yelling preceded the beatings (yes, beatings) from “teachers” back in the days when we didn’t fuss so much about these things.

    When you’re a kid (yes, even a 17 year old) and you don’t know just what is happening, or how to react, nervous smiling as associated with embarrassment is not uncommon. That’s how I perceived the original still photos of this story.

    Having seen more video now, I’m amazed at this kid’s composure.

    • #105
  16. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    And the Washington Post, having helped peddle a lie, decides in the aftermath to double-down!

    That narrative about the Catholic Church “shameful history with Native Americans” is absolute hogwash.  The Catholic Church has been helping and educating Native Americans for centuries.  There are dozens of Catholic Charities that continue to help provide Native Americans in remote locations.  St. Katherine Drexel endowed a good part of her fortune to Native American causes.  It’s almost as if people have forgotten Catholics had a history of supporting the Democratic Party for most of American history.  Of course that was a Democratic Party that was not radically left, but that centrist vision of the Dems has long disappeared.  

    • #106
  17. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    I think this quote is helpful in this discussion: “The better part of good manners is to be silent and invisible except to the extent that it’s helpful to others for you to be heard and seen.”

    That’s from Nicholas Frankovich. He would have been better off to follow his own advice this weekend.

    • #107
  18. Freesmith Member
    Freesmith
    @

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    The hat is the story.

    No hat, no story.

    Wrong. It’s his white skin.

    Brett Kavanaugh didn’t have to wear a MAGA hat to be seen by the Left exactly the same way and with exactly the same hate.

    • #108
  19. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Freesmith (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    The hat is the story.

    No hat, no story.

    Wrong. It’s his white skin.

    Brett Kavanaugh didn’t have to wear a MAGA hat to be seen by the Left exactly the same way and with exactly the same hate.

    While true, I’m pretty sure that neither the Black Hebrew group or the Native American group would have approached the kids if it hadn’t been for the Hat. The hat said “These kids are fair game for harassment.”

    After all, isn’t that what Democratic Members of Congress have been calling for?

    • #109
  20. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    Freesmith (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    The hat is the story.

    No hat, no story.

    Wrong. It’s his white skin.

    Brett Kavanaugh didn’t have to wear a MAGA hat to be seen by the Left exactly the same way and with exactly the same hate.

    While true, I’m pretty sure that neither the Black Hebrew group or the Native American group would have approached the kids if it hadn’t been for the Hat. The hat said “These kids are fair game for harassment.”

    After all, isn’t that what Democratic Members of Congress have been calling for?

    The incoming Speaker of the House, the head of the DNC, a US Senator who calls himself Spartacus and a truly nutty congresswoman who will now head of the Financial Services Committee of our House of Representatives … all are bat**** crazy and are specifically calling for … in the full few of the American public … riots and physical violence on anyone who does share their political beliefs.

     

    • #110
  21. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Freesmith (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    The hat is the story.

    No hat, no story.

    Wrong. It’s his white skin.

    Brett Kavanaugh didn’t have to wear a MAGA hat to be seen by the Left exactly the same way and with exactly the same hate.

    Clarence Thomas was just as savaged, if not more so.  It had nothing to do with his skin color.  It had to do with being associated with the right, and a MAGA hat is the recent symbol of such an association.

    • #111
  22. Freesmith Member
    Freesmith
    @

    Dominique Prynne (View Comment):

    As a parent of a 19 year old white man, I am fearful for the future for him. I am concerned that the current environment will create either (1) young men who just give up and “check out” or (2) young men who gravitate to the worst of what is projected on to them because, well, why not?…if that is what you are thought of as already. I have raised my son to respect all, to protect those who are weak and to make the world better. Does he live up to my expectations all the time? No, but he’s doing pretty good and getting better every day. Mamas, grandmas, sisters, wives and daughters need to be standing up for the men they love. My heart hurts for these young men in the middle of this. Adults confronting these kids in strange ways (banging a drum near his face) and then the media fall out. I wonder if the media will be proud of the “scalp” they take (pun intended) when some young person suffers a breakdown or worse over this type of situation?

    You need to speak to as many other women as you can and make them aware of your legitimate concerns. Make them see the light of the dangerous dawn on the horizon.

    The attack on young Sandmann, like the attack on Brett Kavanaugh, is a clear sign of what is in store for white Christian males – and therefore for you – if the intersectional and anti-white Left ever gains power. Lindsey Graham said it just a few short months ago, but it seems that many have already forgotten his warning.

    The Left hates you and they want you gone. There isn’t a Russian or Chinaman anywhere in the world who hates white Christian males as much as people on the Left do. We have to unite and defeat them, or lose western civilization.

    For 30 years we have been lead by “Kowtow Conservatives,” men and women who are comfortable both with the Brave New World the progressives are making and with ambling along behind, trying to keep up with fashionable opinion. This “Covington Incident” has revealed several of them for all to see. They’ll attack their own children if the correct line is put forward by the Ministry of Truth, even though multiple videos exist. 

    Think what they’d do to that boy if there weren’t any conflicting videos!

    Just like there is no reason to follow journalists who lack the elementary journalistic attribute of skepticism when confronted with a story that fits leftist narratives, so is there no reason to follow pundits when the the fruits of their “Kowtow Conservatism”  have been unameliorated cultural decay and a shrinking electoral map for conservatives.

    White women have been too slow to apprehend the danger. Please spread the word.

    • #112
  23. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    Manny (View Comment):

    Freesmith (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):

    The hat is the story.

    No hat, no story.

    Wrong. It’s his white skin.

    Brett Kavanaugh didn’t have to wear a MAGA hat to be seen by the Left exactly the same way and with exactly the same hate.

    Clarence Thomas was just as savaged, if not more so. It had nothing to do with his skin color. It had to do with being associated with the right, and a MAGA hat is the recent symbol of such an association.

     

    • #113
  24. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    DrewInWisconsin (View Comment):
    Such an awful public smear demands a public apology.

    I agree.

    • #114
  25. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    Neil Hansen (Klaatu) (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    In the age of the internet, “Retraction” doesn’t (or at least shouldn’t) mean to memory-hole it. The offending post should remain up with a prominent disclaimer at the very beginning.

    In the age of print media, the original story remained available, and a retraction was published in a subsequent edition. The same should be true on the web.

    I see no benefit to the reader or the subject in that. It seems the editors at NR agree.

    The benefit is that a new reader can see the original thing that his buddies around the water cooler might be discussing, but can see it with the disclaimer and apology at the top.  That way the apology can get out more effectively – he can participate in the discussion with knowledge, and pass on the update.

    Also (and I’m sure this is what they are trying to avoid), a new reader can begin to develop better tools to evaluate news stories, having a before/after example of media malpractice laid out in front of him.

    • #115
  26. Basil Fawlty Member
    Basil Fawlty
    @BasilFawlty

    All that needs to be said:

    https://www.steynonline.com/9148/the-drumbeat-of-the-mob

    • #116
  27. toggle Inactive
    toggle
    @toggle

    Basil Fawlty (View Comment):

    All that needs to be said:

    https://www.steynonline.com/9148/the-drumbeat-of-the-mob

    Indeed.

    [Steyn] : Yet, instead of a prudent skepticism, my former colleagues at National Review joined the stampede and decided to get way out in front of the story. My old friend Jay Nordlinger was anguished: “The images of those red-hat kids surrounding and mocking that old Indian are unbearable. Absolutely unbearable. An American disgrace.”

    Surprised only half of the podcasters from Need to Know was also drooling in the pile-on.

    • #117
  28. toggle Inactive
    toggle
    @toggle

    Speaking of Bill Buckley’s NR, the author and namesake of “O’Sullivan’s First Law” had a prominent voice there (O’Sullivan currently resides in Budapest). Good times.

    • #118
  29. DrewInWisconsin Member
    DrewInWisconsin
    @DrewInWisconsin

    toggle (View Comment):

    Surprised only half of the podcasters from Need to Know was also drooling in the pile-on.

    Just wait until Thursday!

    • #119
  30. Freesmith Member
    Freesmith
    @

    Here’s another Catholic high school male smirking after standing in the way of Chiefs’ advancement.

    View this post on Instagram

    W

    A post shared by Tom Brady (@tombrady) on

    • #120
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