While Fox News advances the meme that those who dare to advocate for minority rights are part of the "grievance industry," they provide a platform for any and every right wing group claiming to have been aggrieved by the forces of evil secularism and the evil liberal agenda. Fox & Friends, in particular, is always eager to host a pity party involving persecuted Christians, patriotism under attack, and so forth. And when young Republicans have a grievance, the gang on the curvy couch is there to provide warm affirmation. Such was the case, this morning, when yet another aggrieved young Republican whined about how those nasty, bad liberals, at the University of North Carolina, have cut their funding while nasty, bad liberal groups get more than their fair share. That, of course, wasn't really the full story; but then, this is Fox & Friends. Anyway, poor conservative students. Somebody call me a whambulance!
The piece opened with pounding music and a visual of school lockers over which was the great, big, patented graphic, "The Trouble With Schools." An upset Steve Doocy reported that the poor college Republicans at UNC, Chapel Hill "are facing a major financial set-back this fall" (awww) because the Student Congress slashed their funding due to budget cuts but - wait for it - "liberal student groups [Doocy sneered] got more money." (awww) The chyron set the propaganda message for the one sided piece: "One Sided Slash, College Republicans See Budget Cuts."
After introducing his guest, Peter McClellend, president of the UNC College Republicans, Doocy said he was "concerned" that "the funding was chopped and the liberal groups actually got more money." McClellend described how the Student Congress cut the money allotted to his group from $8,000 to $3,000 which was less than what they got last year. The chyron: "Reducing Republicans Budget, Conservative Group Cut Back By 75%." As the Fox chyron set, as Fox Fact, "Biased Budget, Liberal Groups Received Extra Funding," McClellend claimed that this bias is a "trend" which is happening to campus right wing groups. Doocy framed the propaganda message, quite adeptly, in the form of a "reach around" (question designed to elicit a desired response) question: "Would you say that it's hostility toward your group and others on your side?" (Oh, yes, Steve, conservatives are so oppressed.)
Not surprisingly McClellend agreed and complained about how a campus pro-gun group had its "legislation" shot down by student government. Once again, the chyron stated, as Fox fact that "Conservative Tarheels Targeted, UNC College Republicans Told To Cut Back." Doocy did more reach around with his patented "explanation" that McClellend's "group got slashed while liberal groups got more money." Doocy asked "don't they understand, you know, we talk a lot about this
how you need to hear both sides the story and unless you and your group are allowed to bring some conservative speakers, kids there aren't going to hear both sides."
McClellend whined about how only his group stands up for funding guidelines. Doocy reported that a nasty feminist group got $5,100 and an anarchist group got $4,000 and the poor college Republicans got $3,000.
Doocy has got some major cohones to talk about "both sides" in that his piece conveniently omitted the other side. According to the article, on Fox News.com no less, a school spokesperson said that the fine, young Republicans have gotten funding for four out of five requested conservative speakers (Including Ann Coulter) since 2010. A Student Finance committee member said that funding, which is limited, is not cut based on politics but on the size of the grant request. Neither Doocy nor McClellend mentioned that the anarchists initial request was for $15,000. Neither did they mention that last spring, the fine young GOPPers got $12,743. Doocy didn't provide a quote from another Finance committee member who said that the anarchists got the alloted money because it's "new and needs the money to survive" while the Young Republicans are well established.
The funds cut were those requested for speakers. The College Republicans asked for $8,000 for two speakers one of whom is Fox Contributor Katie Pavlich; but the duly elected Student Congress felt that that was too high a price for those speakers; hence, the $3,000 that was allotted.
Right Steve, you need to hear the other side of the story - but ya won't hear it on Fox & Friends.
“…or you can do it the new fashion way of crying to Fox News and wait for some Republican sugar daddies to make contributions…”
In other words, the Koch brothers and Herr Goebbels II (i.e. Rupert Murdoch), three of the BIGGEST Republican sugar daddies alive today.
Now I know why.
With all my mumbo-jumbo,
Aunty Headly