Fake news is definitely a thing. And while Macedonia plays a role in creating and disseminating this stuff, some of it is made in the USA. As we saw on yesterday's Outnumbered, Fox News is doing its patriotic best to promote this newest gross domestic product. But then they've been doing that for a long time....
In her intro to the piece, Cohost Sandra Smith opened up a can of snark when she reported that the Virginia Military Institute "is sparking controversy over a program for its cadets." She explained that the school "is offering activities like coloring books stations to help them relax for studying for finals." As giggling was heard in the background, Smith said that "critics" say that this is "embarrassing." She read a quote from the Washington Free Beacon (a right wing site) in which an anonymous person, claiming to be a graduate, trashed the students for going along with this "type of crap." She showed a school flyer (sourced from the Free Beacon) which had a list of "stress busters."
The Fox message was that this is political correctness run amok. Cohost Taya Kyle, wife of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle and Fox contributor, said, "Practically speaking, giving them coloring books is idiotic." cohost Meghan McCain opined, "This is borderline absurd." She offered that the best stress relievers are "leave" during which "they can do what they want." Never wasting an opportunity to smear those hated liberals, she described it as "leftist school ideology being put on men and women in the military."
The show's #OneLuckyGuy Judge Andrew Napolitano, said that even though the coloring books are "absurd and ridiculous," he doesn't care. But cohost Harris Faulkner provided the requisite validation with her comment, "Taking out a coloring book and deciding your palette for the moment, is not how you prepare a soldier for war." She added that if you don't give soldiers "tools for war," you're making them "weaker."
Wow, isn't it just awful that VMI cadets are being offered coloring books as stress relievers? But here's the thing: According to the VMI Superintendent J.H. Binford Peay III, "Recent social media postings have inaccurately portrayed the 'stress busters' program as including coloring books."
In a statement on the school's website, published a day before the Outnumbered segment, Peay explains that the cadets are able to participate in an optional three-hour stress relief program before final exams. "Pamphlets on stress relief techniques, tobacco cessation tips, sleep hygiene, nutrition tips, fitness tips, health and wellness etc, are available to the students." Peay notes, "There is nothing mandated or required of any cadet … it is simply a set of resources that are available to them." He notes that some students do weights and others, yoga. So memo to Meghan McCain: The students can do "what they want."
But here's the most important part of Peay's statement: "There are no coloring books available or distributed. There is a one sheet handout with an intricate design that may be used to color, within discreet, small lines as part of the information packet along with other modalities that are recognized as ways to reduce stress. This technique has been used in programs across the nation and is backed by data as to its effectiveness."
So there you have it. Fox News takes a bogus story making the rounds of right-wing blogs and gives it national attention. Fox News - Fair & Balanced & Fake!
Note: The Free Beacon claims that VMI scrubbed the coloring book references from its webpage which describes cadet peer educators. The screen shot of the original has this text: "This event often includes such activities as yoga, therapy dogs, coloring book stations..." Another article has a screen shot of a flyer, on what appears to be a shower stall, for the "stress busters" program which cites a "coloring station." The flyer does not show any identifying marks. The Free Beacon sources are all anonymous.
Watch it below from the December 8th Outnumbered,
Recall the endless gnashing of Fox News teeth over Obama “victory laps”? So what’s Fox News’ take on The Donald’s victory lap across America to feed his narcissism over his victory? Pure hypocrisy I bet!