While controversy raged over the death of a Cincinnati Zoo gorilla who was shot and killed in order to save a tot who fell into his enclosure, Fox & Friends helped demonize the child’s African American parents. Even though the father was not there, Fox repeatedly cited his “lengthy criminal record” and somehow left out the fact that he seems to have turned his life around.
Raw Story caught the race baiting this morning:
On at least four occasions, Tuesday’s edition of Fox & Friends brought up a Daily Mail report that detailed the criminal history of Deonne Dickerson, the father of the 4-year-old boy who climbed into a Gorilla enclosure, eventually leading to the animal’s death.
However, the show did not mention that the report found that Dickerson “appears to have turned his life around to become the proud father of four.”
As a photo of the parents appeared on the screen, Fox’s Abby Huntsman announced, “According to the Daily Mail, the father has a long rap sheet, including drugs and kidnapping charges.” Her voice rose to emphasize “kidnapping charges,” just to demonize him a little further. “In 2006, he was sentenced to a year behind bars and protesters and animal lovers have been standing outside of the zoo, calling for the parents to be prosecuted.”
“What’s your message for the parents, because people are blaming the parents now,” cohost Ainsley Earhardt asked her wildlife expert guest. “Some say the parents need to be charged, bringing up the dad’s past criminal history who wasn’t even there at the zoo at the time.”
“You’ve got to watch your children,” he replied. “There’s just a million different ways that if you’re not watching your child, the child can get into trouble.”
Cohost Brian Kilmeade did his part by working in the father’s irrelevant past in a question to animal expert Jeff Corwin: “Some blame the parents of the child, calling them neglectful as reports surface the father has a lengthy criminal history. Is someone to blame here or was this just a tragic accident?”
But here’s what "fair and balanced" Fox News overlooked about father Deonne Dickerson in the Daily Mail report:
But in numerous pictures posted on Dickerson’s Facebook site in recent years he appears to have turned his life around to become the proud father of four.
Indeed, the majority of his postings to the social media site are updates of his children and his working life.
In others pictures he has uploaded his friends congratulate him and Michelle on the birth of their fourth child last January.
Meanwhile, the “civil,” “tolerant” Fox Nation community erupted in more blatant racism (h/t reader Barbara S):
Watch excerpts from the May 31 Fox & Friends, below, via Raw Story.
I’m a greenie most of the time but the ones who decry the decision to choose the child over the gorilla are a pitiful and misinformed lot, completely clueless as to what could have been a credible alternative strategy. People who are actually actively involved in the protection of endangered species agree that the only safe decision for the child was the one that was taken. Misguided greenies should remember that the people who work in zoos and animal preserves are usually pretty fond of their charges.
So, curvy couch bobbleheads, how many times have you featured children of your NRA fan base accidentally killed by a gun in the home? Have you ever screeched for the [white] parents to be prosecuted for this sort of accidental gun violence?
I’m not taking about drive by shootings in black neighborhoods, a favorite topic of yours.
I’d heard this tragic story many times on the news but it wasn’t until I witnessed FOX News that I learned of their race. Figures.
I won’t even comment on bigot magnet FOX Nation. It makes me want to vomit!
