Those on Fox bray about how anti-Islamic bigots and conservative speakers on campus have the right to free speech. They have no problem with the racial epithets (and assaults) dispensed by Trump supporters because, I guess, free speech. But when Hispanic kids use their free speech to protest Trump, it gets Peter Johnson Jr.'s tighty whities in a great, big, bunch!
Ainsley Earhardt began this morning's Fox & Friends: "Left wing protesters hitting a whole new low as children as caught on camera giving the finger and cussing out Donald Trump supporters and veterans." The banner reinforced the BIG FAT FOX MESSAGE: "Tasteless Takedown, Vulgar Kids Scream Curses and Flip Off Trump." Video of sombrero-wearing children engaging in "bad behavior," was shown. A distressed Earhardt added that "in this disturbing scene," the children are joined by "clearly consenting adults." Video of adults, exercising their Constitutional right to carry anti-Trump protest signs, was shown. (The signs were NOT vulgar).
Johnson (who, in addition to being a Fox friend is Roger Ailes' personal consigliere) said that he watched the video and whined "How can this be?" He asked, "Is this America in 2016?" He continued his rant: "Those are American children, for the most part, those are children that are born in America and should be suffused with the American ethic, American value. And that's not the way we engage in the First Amendment, with the middle finger, with dropping your pants, with shouting and cursing out veterans."
Johnson, who, as far as I know, wasn't outraged about a black man being assaulted at a Trump rally, said that when he was a youth, "the notion that you would get in a public place and then curse people who proclaim that they are veterans, that they are standing up for some political candidate, that's just wrong." (Guess Johnson never went to any anti-Vietnam war, anti-Nixon rallies!) The banner: "Where are the Parents, Indiana Trump Protesters Include Cursing Kids."
Earhardt chirped, "...and then make it on national television." (Right, on Fox!) The banner reinforced the agitprop with a bit of patented Fox nativism: "Anti-Trump Tirade, Video: Kids Waving Mexican Flags Curse Trump."
He blamed the parents who are trying to "terrorize rallies." Naturally, in citing the various evil groups involved in this bad behavior, he mentioned Black Lives Matter. The banner proclaimed, "Swearing Socialists, Video: Kids Wear Bernie Pin, Curses at Trump." Earhardt whined, "We had to bleep it" and gasped about how kids were doing the middle finger salute and "yelling the F-word."
Johnson said that he wants to see Hispanic youth "holding the American flag" because "That will bring credit to who they are as Americans." After praising immigration because he is "a product of immigration," he cautioned, "There needs to be an understanding that they are Americans now and they need to act as such."
Earhardt: "Those veterans gave them the right to live in this country."
Johnson: "Totally wrong to do."
So, these Hispanic kids need to embrace their American identity while Donald Trump describes Mexicans as rapists and talks about building a wall. They need to be polite while Donald Trump talks about deporting folks who just might be related to these kids. Maybe it's Donald Trump who needs to understand that bigotry is not what America is supposed to be about and "act as such." Respect is earned...just saying.
And Pete, if you're reading this, you might want to check out the video of a nice, white Trump supporter telling an anti-Trump protester to "go back to Auschwitz." Wanna talk "totally wrong..."
Prior to Trump you would be called a ‘racist’ and the argument was thus settled.
Now the issue is actually discussed.
Trump represents an old fashioned view of the First Amendment, that Free speech is not about cream pies on the internet, that Free speech is about discussing issues which matter to the country without being shouted down.