In its ongoing attempts to divide America by creating hatred of those not deemed "real" Americans, Fox News frequently employs the fear factor, particularly on Fox & Friends. The patriotic hosts on Fox's morning hate chat show have been instrumental in fomenting fear of Islam (and Arabs), especially during the Murdoch media enabled "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy. Another card in Fox & Friends' fear deck is fear of "illegal" immigrants, a card that plays well to their white, xenophobic audience. Recently, the show promoted unfounded nativist hysteria about TB and other diseases running rampant among the undocumented children at the border. And today, Brian, "all terrorists are Muslims," Kilmeade advanced the latest bit of wing hysteria about how 'illegals' are flying without proper TSA identification. And we know it's true because his guest, Bo Dietl, says so!!!!
Yup, when you want some serious credibility for anything, Bo Dietl is the person you want. Who better to provide some serious insight than the guy who leaked personal information about Rupert Murdoch's former wife, Wendy Deng and who thinks that Google street view is part of a "big brother" conspiracy? Yesirre, if you want a lucid discussion on any matter of national importance, Dietle is your go-to guy!
Brian Kilmeade started off his piece with the inflammatory tease, "no papers, no problem." He reported AS FACT that "the homeland security administration is allowing illegal immigrants, we understand, to breeze through the TSA and board commercial planes with only their "notice to appear" documents." He added that because this paper is printed on computers, it "could easily be reproduced." He pulled out the fear card: "So is this procedure putting our security at risk and what about you flying with them." He introduced his guest, "super private investigator," Bo Dietl. The chyron reinforced the propaganda message as Fox Fact: "No photo ID, no problem, illegals using 'notice to appear' at airports."
Dietl said that when he heard about this he "went crazy." (Ahem!) He claimed that this is happening all over the country and asked "how many people with ill will are coming through, how many gangs, drug dealing gangs they get dressed up from Honduras, how do you know who they are, no photo ID." When he said that the rest of us have to show a photo ID, Kilmeade interjected "you can't get on." More agitprop Fox Fact in the accompanying chyron: "Ticket to fly, rpt. ICE letting illegals fly commercial."
Dietl then played the fear of "illegals" carrying disease with his lie that these "tropical countries" don't require vaccinations when, in reality, children from the countries with universal health care are "more likely to be vaccinated" than children in Texas. Kilmeade quoted a spokesperson from the National Border Patrol Council (recently under fire for a racist tweet) who made the claim which Kilmeade is advancing. He then read the TSA response which clearly said that the Border Patrol Council's (the only union approved by Fox), assertion is not true because those immigrants, who are returning to Mexico, can be granted a presumed nationality certificate from Mexico. Kilmeade scoffed at the response: "We're depending on them to screen them."
Dietl said he was scared because of the possibility of health problems which will be spread on planes. He thanked God for Rick Perry for securing the border and brayed about Mexican gang leaders are pretending that they are the fathers of the kids. After he claimed that some of the immigrants are terrorists, he shouted as he asked "when are we going to close our borders down and protect American citizens. His face was red as he expressed his fear of how the government is allowing (they're not) people to fly without a photo ID.
Kilmeade said that he wants more law enforcements people, like Dietl, to get outraged because "your job is to protect" American citizens. Dietl: "Doesn't it upset you when you hear this." Kilmeade: "Absolutely." Dietl suggested that ICE and TSA should go on strike over this.
This story, which has been hot in the rightwing hateosphere, has now been given a national platform on Fox News. But the TSA says "these reports are false. A notice to appear is not an acceptable form of I.D. at the T.S.A checkpoint." But hey, who are you going to believe, the TSA or Bo Dietl!
Be afraid, be very afraid...
It’s not what’s coming over our borders that I find to be a threat, but what’s leaving our borders.