Fox & Friends' promotion of ignorance and bigotry isn't just for adults. Some of its messaging is directed towards inculcating American kids with the same myopic and paranoid views, especially about Islam which, for Roger Ailes, is a very scary thing. Thus, last year, Gretchen Carlson swooned over a kids coloring book (which contained terrorist trading cards) that linked Islam to "freedom hating terrorism." So it isn't surprising that patriotic publisher Wayne Bell, whose publishing house has produced Tea Party coloring books that are described as "kiddie propaganda art," would be back on Fox & Friends to push his newest propaganda screed with Brian I-was-forced-to-apologize-for-saying-all-terrorists-are-Muslims Kilmeade on an adult propaganda show!
The segment was part of what appears to be a new meme: "The Rise of Islamic Extremism." Covers of three coloring books were shown as Kilmeade explained that we were looking at coloring books "meant to teach kids about terror threats facing our nation." A visual of a sanitized version of an ISIS crucifixion was shown. He explained that these books, which have been described as "disaster porn," have been re-released "with new pages so children can understand what ISIS is all about" and described the books as "teaching tools." After asking why the publisher is receiving "nasty notes from the White House," he introduced the publisher Wayne Bell. (Note, Bell made the same unfounded claim, about having received negative comments from the White House, on last year's Fox & Friends.)
To Kilmeade's question about "why update," Bell spoke about how ISIS is "such a difficult problem" for parents and educators. He spoke about how his first two books, "The True Faces of Evil" and "We Shall Never Forget 9/11" teach a "very difficult subject." Bell claimed that the books are "accurate and fair." He didn't mention that Islamic groups, in citing how "nearly all mentions of Muslims are accompanied by the words 'extremists' or 'terrorists'," felt that the books "reinforced negative stereotypes that repeatedly damage the reputation of the Muslim American community."
Bell claimed that the White House referred to the books as "trash." (If true, an astute observation!) As he spoke, the chyron declared, as Fox Fact, that the books are "Teaching About Terror, Coloring Books Educate Kids about Terrorism." He made another claim that parents want kids to be taught about terrorism and these books provide them with "something to give to their children to explain to them what this terrorism is all about."
Kilmeade mentioned that the books include the Bowe Bergdhal prisoner exchange which Kilmeade, who never served let alone be taken captive, "found abhorrent." (The book says Obama "broke the law" by exchanging prisoners.) He asked if that was "too sophisticated for five and ten year olds." Bell kept blithering about how this was the best way to "teach about a super difficult subject" and how awesome his books are. He then claimed that when kids watch TV they learn that Christian kids are being "cut in half" in Iraq. While I can't vouch for the veracity of his claim that Iraqi kids are being subjected to atrocities, the reality is that ISIS is perpetrating atrocities mainly towards other Muslims. So much for accuracy! He added that while they don't put the above cited atrocity in the book, they do include crucifixions! Kilmeade did admit that these things could "cause nightmares" but kids "will be educated at the same time" and if teachers did their jobs we wouldn't need these books.
Under the Crucifixion scene (showed throughout the piece) the last words are "what are you going to do when they come for you" which is, of course, from "Bad Boys," written by the reggae group "Inner Circle" with a cover done by the awesome Bob Marley; but I don't know if Bell knows that. You Just Can't Make This Up!!!! Oh, right this is Fox & Friends....Talk about "abhorrent!"
Of course, given what the police have become, it was a fine choice for teh theme song.
The Pubbies are dreadful at propaganda, odd given how much time they’ve spent catapulting it.
Of course we know this is mostly BS. But we were at war then and this sort of thing was pretty common. We are not at war now and there is no excuse under any circumstances to peddle that kind of nonsense to anyone, especially kids.
Um, Priscilla, if you’re referring to the song I think you are, that’s NOT Bob Marley. The song, which I think you’re talking about, is the one that was used as the theme song from the TV show “COPS”—that song was by a group called Inner Circle.
Bring one to a school board meeting or PTA, and get the parents’ reaction on video. Post the video on YouTube for the world to see.