While Fox & Friends is ostensibly a happy morning chat show, it is, as described in a Rolling Stone article, one of Roger Ailes "primary vehicles to inject his venom into the media bloodstream." Much of that venom is reserved for our educational system which, according to Fox & Friends, is a veritable bastion of liberal, commie pinkos. Thus, Fox & Friends is always willing to provide warm support for conservative students and professors who fight the Marxist power. Last week, Steve Doocy validated a conservative professor who wasn't, as Doocy claimed, "suspended" from Marquette. Today, Doocy was back with a persecuted conservative student who obviously doesn't think that liberal professors should have the same free speech that conservatives are supposedly being denied.
Doocy began his patented "Trouble With Schools" segment by employing a popular Fox propaganda strategy in making something into a very big deal when it isn't: "A professor at the University of Michigan is making headlines with the headline of her own. In a piece written for an on-line magazine, Professor Susan Douglas writes, quote, I hate Republicans." Doocy read more from the first paragraph of her article which is an honest expression of her feelings for our current crop of Republican leadership who support policies which she doesn't.
Less than 12 seconds into the piece, Doocy lied. The original title of her article was "We Can't We All Just Get Along." It was changed, without her permission, to "It's OK to Hate Republicans," which is the title Doocy used. However, as reported LAST MONDAY, her title has been restored.
After noting that the "controversial comment sparked debate on campus," Doocy, introduced his guest, U. of Michigan freshman *Grant Strobl. Doocy asked if "this teacher crossed the line." In answering his own question, Doocy followed with "you say she crossed the line, why Grant?" Strobl whined about the nasty "vitriol" (Oh, the irony!) hurled by this professor. He employed the tired right wing trope about how if her comments were made against liberals, "the response would be much different." The chyron provided more irony: "Teaching Intolerance, UM Professor Says It's OK To Hate Republicans." Even more irony when Doocy said that her comments, during a Power Point presentation that Fox "got their hands on," resemble "talking points" for the Democratic Party or Media Matters. Without citing any specifics, he claimed that she is wrong on her facts. (Oh, the irony!)
After Doocy asked if she "is a committed leftist," Strobl whined about how, she was the moderator of a discussion about "the Republican war on women" and "the university is still defending her." Doocy bloviated that while "she is entitled to her opinion," if you're a student, you'll be scared to speak out in class." Strobl mentioned that he is "part of" Young Americans for Freedom" which "fights for freedom of speech every single day." (He is the chairman of the school's chapter of Young Americans for Freedom, a virulently right wing group that fights against nasty stuff like feminism and communism. He is also on their national board of governors.) Doocy said "sure" as Strobl whined that as an instructor, "she can intimidate students and prevent them from speaking" which is "unfair to conservatives." (Awww) Doocy provided the validation when he said that even if the school administration doesn't agree with her, "she is the university." The chyron, "Liberal Leanings."
Strobl whined about how the school should foster diverse opinions. Doocy read a statement, from the teacher, expressing her regret about any suggestion that conservative students aren't welcome in her class. Strobl urged the school to do something about the professor but he didn't say what other than "what they would do to any other professor" who "said anything about a group of people."
Funny, when Islamic critic Ayaan Hiris Ali was denied the opportunity to receive an honorary degree at Brandeis, Fox News was all free speech is being squelched. Now they want to squelch the free speech of somebody who doesn't agree with them. Oh, the irony!
*Grant is quite the right wing personality. He even has his very own website touting all his right wing bona fides!
Yeah, no kidding. In that case Fox would be touting her as a savior of free speech.