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Is Fox News Trying To Start A Range War?

Posted by Ellen -7859.80pc on April 10, 2014 · Flag

ranch_standoff.png

Fox News has been sympathetically hyping the case of a Nevada rancher who is threatening a range war with the U.S. government. Last night, Sean Hannity asked if this might be "another Waco situation." He also mentioned that "Ruby Ridge has come up in some articles." Hannity sounded more hopeful than concerned. Today, more Fox News shows and Fox Nation have deliberately inflamed the situation.

Media Matters has the backstory:

Cliven Bundy, a cattle rancher in Nevada, has been fighting the government over grazing rights on public land for nearly a quarter century. In 1993, Bundy began refusing to pay government fees required to allow his cattle to exploit public lands. In 1998, the government issued a court order telling Bundy to remove his cows from the land, as part of an effort to protect the endangered desert tortoise located there. And in July 2013, a federal court ordered Bundy to get his cattle off public land within 45 days or they would be confiscated. The confiscation began this month, and the cattle will be sold to pay off the $1 million in fees and trespassing fines Bundy owes.

Conservative media have held the confiscation out as a big government invasion of private property rights and have repeatedly hyped the rancher and his family as victims being intimidated by a heavily armed force of federal agents who are escalating the situation into the realm of notorious and deadly standoffs like Ruby Ridge and Waco.

Hannity fell right in with his conservative brethren. In an interview with Bundy last night, Hannity all but started cheering for a range war in his "questions." Two of many examples:

This is public land, it’s not being used… In my mind, and I’m not a rancher, but I would think the federal government might be thankful ‘cause you’re cutting the lawn for free.

...You talked about a range war with the federal government. There’s a lot of people out there - now that they’re taking your cattle - that are fearful that this is another Waco situation. Ruby Ridge has come up in some articles. What do you mean "range war?" How far are you willing to take this?

The same story has been hyped on Fox & Friends and Your World. Media Matters found a number of other right-wing media outlets that are also deliberately “throwing gas” on the dispute.

"America loving" Fox Nation is also demonizing the federal government with inflammatory language. The Fox News website has made the "standoff" its top story:

Range_War_Fox_Nation.png

Video below from last night's Hannity show. 

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Jerry Waddle commented 2014-04-17 10:40:41 -0400 · Flag
Sean Hannity is a domestic terrorist.
Ellen commented 2014-04-11 22:21:14 -0400 · Flag
Yes, I have given Fox credit. I tweeted recently that Megyn Kelly did a decent job on the Nevada range war story that Hannity is very irresponsibly trying to inflame. And I have posted many times when I felt it was a) warranted and b) noteworthy.

However, I do not feel the need to go searching through the archives to prove it. I think the commenter was just trying to inflame and be belligerent. In the first place, either what I write makes sense or it doesn’t. In the second place, if the reader is so interested in what I write, he or she can go digging himself.
Antoinette commented 2014-04-11 16:39:58 -0400 · Flag
If the Bushman was still in office, the Fox “News” frauds would have ignored this story. They are using this story to pin against President Obama. That’s how these cafeteria Catholics senior producers, producers and hosts roll.

Alan, the producers at this so-called “news” network are a bunch of amateurs. They have no idea how to produce a show, especially that little blonde bimbette who works with one of the male hosts. Community college stations are better than this “network.”
Bemused commented 2014-04-11 04:19:53 -0400 · Flag
Continuing: my impression is that the Newshounds are willing to bend over backwards to provide FNC with some positive encouragement to live up to their self-proclaimed slogan of being “fair and balanced”. Not their fault if FNC continues to be hell-bent on being about as slanted as they can be without falling over.
Bemused commented 2014-04-11 04:18:14 -0400 · Flag
@alan: Actually, there was a thread not too long ago, where Ellen was delighted to give credit where credit was due: Methinks it was Bill O’Reilly, but I don’t remember the theme (Ellen ??).
The trolls were so shocked they pouted for several days before going into denial.
mj - the same one commented 2014-04-11 02:41:25 -0400 · Flag
Is Fox News Trying To Start A Range War?

Wouldn’t surprise me — hell, they’ve tried to start every other war

- War on Christmas
- War on Easter

what’s one more . . . especially when they don’t have to participate, chickenhawks that they are . . .

.
Jerry Waddle commented 2014-04-11 02:30:41 -0400 · Flag
Fox News routinely broadcasts textbook examples of irresponsible journalism. It provides the raw, red meat that is the sustenance of their rabid, radical, conservative viewer base. The many daily opinion shows beginning with Fox & Friends in the morning through Hannity in the evening and on to Red Eye for those late night viewers, give us all a daily dose of conservative spin, misrepresentation, distortion, deceit and outright lies and hate designed to create, dissatisfaction and distrust of and action towards our current governmental policy and authority. The Machiavellian dictates of Roger Ailes and their fulfillment by his stable of lackeys often borders on treason and Sean Hannity’s actions in this rancher’s case is a perfect example. Roger Ailes would be very extremely if there was a “range war”. Then it could ALL be blamed on the black man in the white house.
Jerry Waddle commented 2014-04-11 02:04:55 -0400 · Flag
It’s like he thinks the government should provide food stamps for his cattle. The rancher first refused to pay for his grazing rights, his cattle’s feed, over 20 years ago. I think the federal government as given him plenty of opportunity and plenty of warning of intended action and yet he continues to flaunt the law. Would the IRS or The Justice Dept. give you or I twenty years to comply with their law? I think not.
truman commented 2014-04-11 00:30:57 -0400 · Flag
@ez. My thoughts exactly.
Joseph West commented 2014-04-10 22:24:41 -0400 · Flag
Alan, you could always look at the situation like this: If NewsHounds DOESN"T cover a FoxNoise story, then that is probably one that NewsHounds agrees with. Of course, that would require FoxNoise to (1) be reporting in an honest way without deliberately intending to inflame passions on any side and (2) be telling the truth in all their stories. Since FoxNoise is incapable of either point in the majority of cases, NewsHounds will take FoxNoise to task for their LIES.

Let’s also take this story as a typical case in point: Here is a WHITE MAN who is deliberately ignoring Government requirements in order to procure a service. Now, what do you think FoxNoise’s take would be if a “person of color” refused to follow Government requirements to get food stamps or to vote? Do you think FoxNoise would applaud that person’s behavior, even giving him or her “moral support” or do you think FoxNoise would be attacking that person for trying to “circumvent the law?” The Government has specific guidelines for how “public” lands can be used (and NOT used) but you’ve got a man here who thinks “he’s above the law” and FoxNoise is supporting him.
mlp ! commented 2014-04-10 22:18:12 -0400 · Flag
For the last 5-1/2 years, Fox has tried to make headlines out of non-stories and issues. Bloodshed in Nevada because some moronic sovereign citizen insists on displaying his patriotism by claiming that he has the right to EVERYTHING because he does not acknowledge the the government of the USA may be exactly what they want. In fact, I’d bet on it.
NewsHounds posted about Is Fox News Trying To Start A Range War? on NewsHounds' Facebook page 2014-04-10 19:41:43 -0400
Does Fox want another Ruby Ridge or Waco? They're sure acting like they do.








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