# Fox News deliberately destroying America **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 24, 2010, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256 "2010-08-24T05:58:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/21 "2010-08-24T17:22:08Z")
Let’s say, hypothetically, that a foundation based in Saudi Arabia has pledged to pay part of the cost of building a proposed Islamic commmunity center in New York City. What evil is being done, exactly? Please be specific. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/22 "2010-08-24T17:27:46Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The “publicly traded” line is what the rightards are spinning all over the web, but it’s lame, and it still doesn’t explain why the Fox News cocksuckers failed to mention that he pays their salaries, or even mention his name. How is it “lame” to rebut the inference that the association is voluntary by pointing out that anyone can buy shares of NewsCorp, even you, and there’s nothing NewsCorp can do about it? Rather than “lame,” that would seem to be a direct rebuttal of the inference - wouldn’t it? > [@](#): > > In addition to that, this same Saudi Prince has been a guest on Fox News and his Kingdom Foundation lauded in glowing terms by the network. Now that’s not “lame,” either, but it is hypocrisy at its finest. Not doubting you, but I’d like to see a cite for this. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/23 "2010-08-24T17:30:31Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Do you and other conservatives reading this, find it offensive and insulting for them to make that kind of reference , insinuating this evil figure is behind the Community Center in Manhatten, while the same man is a major stock holder? > Does it bother you at all that they will knowingly and deliberately spread lies about people and not give a crap about any damage they do as long as the controversy makes them money? Probably, but I’d sure like to see the actual Fox story. Did I miss a link? I’m not doubting you, but it would help to see the whole thing before reacting. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/24 "2010-08-24T17:31:31Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > > [@The\_Facts](#): > > > > People who watch Fox news don’t read anything. Ever. > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > Not true. > > > > But you knew that. > > Cite? My post. Literally. I watch Fox News, and I’m clearly reading and replying to this very post, and would have had to read to reply to the original post. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/25 "2010-08-24T17:36:12Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > > The “publicly traded” line is what the rightards are spinning all over the web, but it’s lame, and it still doesn’t explain why the Fox News cocksuckers failed to mention that he pays their salaries, or even mention his name. > > How is it “lame” to rebut the inference that the association is voluntary by pointing out that anyone can buy shares of NewsCorp, even you, and there’s nothing NewsCorp can do about it? > > Rather than “lame,” that would seem to be a direct rebuttal of the inference - wouldn’t it? It’s lame because he’s not just some guy who bought stock, but the largest shareholder in Newscorps after Murdoch himself. He’s a major honcho in their own company. It also doesn’t rebut the fact that they have neglected to tell their audience this. If its so innocent, why keep ita secret? > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > In addition to that, this same Saudi Prince has been a guest on Fox News and his Kingdom Foundation lauded in glowing terms by the network. > > Now that’s not “lame,” either, but it is hypocrisy at its finest. > > Not doubting you, but I’d like to see a cite for this. It was on the “Moment of Zen” in the _Daily Show_ episode last night. They showed him being brought onto a show (Cavuto, I think) where he and the Kingdom Foundation were introduced in laudatory terms. I can’t play videos right now, but I think Comedy Central has the full episodes online. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/26 "2010-08-24T17:48:29Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > …How is it “lame” to rebut the inference that the association is voluntary by pointing out that anyone can buy shares of NewsCorp, even you, and there’s nothing NewsCorp can do about it?.. True, the fact that anybody can buy shares certainly puts the lie to the insinuation that there are extraordinary ties, when, of course, anybody could be a major shareholder and that does not mean there is any exceptional connections. Except, maybe, for this: [http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/24/fox-stewart-alwaleed/](http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/24/fox-stewart-alwaleed/) **Fox Shareholder Prince Alaweed Meets With News Corp Execs To Discuss How To Strengthen The Alliance** With pictures. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/27 "2010-08-24T17:50:56Z")
Fox is trying to turn Imam Rauf into a terrorist to buttress their attempts to paint all Muslims as terrorists. His connections with one of Fox’s biggest investors is clear. Beck even interviewed Rauf and declared him a good Muslim a few years ago. But they will steamroll everyone when they get a mission from above. The Community center at ground 2 seems to be fertile ground for the elections . It allows them to paint Dems as weak on terrorism . Yet freedom of religion, which we are supposed to guarantee in America, is not as important as getting power back for the wealthy. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/28 "2010-08-24T18:10:24Z")
I read this and at first was disposed to say that Fox News might be destroying America but not deliberately because they believe what they say, but you know, I have a LOT of trouble believing that the folks at Fox News don’t know that the bulk of their news and commentary consists of mistruths, misleading stories, and outright lies. Their willingness to spew whatever garbage serves conservative political ends demonstrates that they are totally unconcerned with what they are doing and the effect it will have on America. They are, in fact, deliberately destroying American with their lies. And the things that make the extent of their lying most obvious is the rare occasion when they get things right, like Glenn Beck being the only one to back off on the story about Shirley Sherrod’s “racist” speech. All the other Fox newsies jumped on it like a starving hound on a porkchop. Gad, what a bunch of fool, liars and scumbags. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/29 "2010-08-24T18:13:31Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > > [@Bricker](#): > > > > Not true. > > > > But you knew that. > > Cite? What the hell? A cite that disproves a claim in the **Great Debates** forum that “People who watch Fox news don’t read anything. Ever.”? I watch Fox News\* whenever I’m on the road. I’ll weigh my reading and research credentials against a whoooooooooooole lot of Dopers on here any day of the week. Do you really want to metaphorically die on this hill? Seriously, we’re in crazy cuckoo land here with the absolutist statements. - I also watch CNN\*\* and C-SPAN too. It depends upon which is being carried by the hotel I’m in at the time. \*\* And I find both Fox News and CNN to be almost unethically biased\*\*\* in much of their “talk news” coverage, too. \*\*\* And I think the least biased news programme is the News Hour with Jim Lehrer. Anyone got anything against that? ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/30 "2010-08-24T19:09:06Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > True, the fact that anybody can buy shares certainly puts the lie to the insinuation that there are extraordinary ties, when, of course, anybody could be a major shareholder and that does not mean there is any exceptional connections. > > Except, maybe, for this: > > [http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/24/fox-stewart-alwaleed/](http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/24/fox-stewart-alwaleed/) > > **Fox Shareholder Prince Alaweed Meets With News Corp Execs To Discuss How To Strengthen The Alliance** > > With pictures. Wow, corporate executives took pictures with an investor, how damning. I love how liberals can accuse Fox news of being controlled by an investor because they criticize the investor. Also liberals can not understand how one host praised the investor and another host criticized the investor. Why, it is almost like each host is thinking for themselves, instead of watching Jon Stewart mug at the camera and thinking what he tells them to. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/31 "2010-08-24T19:17:32Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > I love how liberals can accuse Fox news of being controlled by an investor because they criticize the investor. Also liberals can not understand how one host praised the investor and another host criticized the investor. Why, it is almost like each host is thinking for themselves, instead of watching Jon Stewart mug at the camera and thinking what he tells them to. If the point was to provide honest criticism of their own shareholder despite a different host having praised him in the past, why didn’t they identify him as such, or even say his name? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/32 "2010-08-24T19:18:54Z")
If the “Fox and Friends” idiots were just “thinking for themselves” (and if you’ve ever seen “Fox and Friends,” you know that’s a laughable proposition. That morning show is probably the most scripted, agenda driven show on the network. It’s _pure_ talking points), then why didn’t they mention this Prince’s name? It’s extremely obvious that they were counting on the audience not to know this guy was one of their owners, and that they’d be able to make insinuations which drove their political agenda while concealing their own chummy connections to the same guy. It was completely cynical and hypocritical. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/33 "2010-08-24T19:23:02Z")
> [@The\_Facts](#): > > > [@Baboonanza](#): > > > > There area lot of people in the UK for whom The Sun is literally the only thing they ever read. They would better off if they read nothing. > > People who watch Fox news don’t read anything. Ever. I know for a fact this isn’t true. My brother-in-law reads the sports page. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/34 "2010-08-24T19:23:19Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Just because this Saudi Prince owns part of NewsCorp does not mean that he is not evil. News Corp is a publicly traded company and if this Prince wants to own a small piece of it there is very little that could be done about it. It seems to show that commentators on Fox News have editorial independence if they are willing to badmouth someone who owns so much stock. If these commentators took the opposite stance many would criticize them for toeing the company line. It does not shock me that someone who gets their news from a comedy show is being unfair but the truth is their willingness to advocate against a stockholder shows a courage that is important in media. 7 percent is not a small piece. When David Rockerfeller controlled Chase Manhattan Bank, it was with a smaller percent than that. This guy is very chummy with Murdoch and has been for decades. And because he wants to build a community center, that makes him evil? No, it is his investing in News Corp that makes his morality questionable. News Corp that lies and spends 24/7 on lying and dividing us over complete bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/35 "2010-08-24T19:55:03Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Let’s say, hypothetically, that a foundation based in Saudi Arabia has pledged to pay part of the cost of building a proposed Islamic commmunity center in New York City. What evil is being done, exactly? Please be specific. They clearly say this group and this man {who is part owner of News Corp} funds radical Madrasahs all over the world. I can only take that to clearly imply a place where Muslims learn to hate the west and want to kill us. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/36 "2010-08-24T20:08:00Z")
The prince was probably working on the basis of an old Arab proverb: "Keep thy friends close and thy enemies … closer. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/37 "2010-08-24T20:12:43Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > If the “Fox and Friends” idiots were just “thinking for themselves” (and if you’ve ever seen “Fox and Friends,” you know that’s a laughable proposition. That morning show is probably the most scripted, agenda driven show on the network. It’s _pure_ talking points), then why didn’t they mention this Prince’s name? It’s extremely obvious that they were counting on the audience not to know this guy was one of their owners, and that they’d be able to make insinuations which drove their political agenda while concealing their own chummy connections to the same guy. It was completely cynical and hypocritical. I don’t know about that. How many listeners do you think would know this guys name? To me, his name sounds like any of the 1,000 or so Saudi “princes” who make headlines now and then. Prince Alaweed? Oh yeah, he’s the guy who owns 7% of NewsCorp! Yeah, right. BTW, [The Kingdom Foundation](http://www.kingdomfoundation.org/) is a christian organization. The guest on that show got the name wrong. Alaweed’s organization is called [The Kingdom Holding Company](http://www.kingdom.com.sa/en/). Using the logic of this thread, I think we can surmise that the real intent of this episode of Fox and Friends was to smear Christians. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/38 "2010-08-24T20:19:54Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > …Wow, corporate executives took pictures with an investor, how damning… Didn’t say anything about “damning”. (I would prefer that the words that go into my mouth are mine own, if its all the same to you…) You offered the insinuation that the relationship was nothing more substantial than the one afforded Gramma McGinty, who owns six shares and rubs herself thinking about Bill O’Reilly. As it happened, by sheer serendipity, that picture was splased on the front page of ThinkProgress. You probably missed it, so I helpfully offered a link, that you may come to a fuller understanding. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/39 "2010-08-24T20:23:13Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Just because this Saudi Prince owns part of NewsCorp does not mean that he is not evil. News Corp is a publicly traded company and if this Prince wants to own a small piece of it there is very little that could be done about it. It seems to show that commentators on Fox News have editorial independence if they are willing to badmouth someone who owns so much stock. If these commentators took the opposite stance many would criticize them for toeing the company line. It does not shock me that someone who gets their news from a comedy show is being unfair but the truth is their willingness to advocate against a stockholder shows a courage that is important in media. Why didn’t they say his name and mention his connection to Newscorp. If they had talked about his ties with the company and given the explanation that you did above, I’d have a smidgeon of respect for them. Granted I’d still think that overall they were full of shit, but at least I’d respect the fact they were being straight up with their audience on this one matter. > [@puddleglum](#): > > I love how liberals can accuse Fox news of being controlled by an investor because they criticize the investor. Also liberals can not understand how one host praised the investor and another host criticized the investor. Why, it is almost like each host is thinking for themselves, instead of watching Jon Stewart mug at the camera and thinking what he tells them to. True that there’s not much you can do to stop someone from buying shares in a publicly traded company. But if he was so evil, shouldn’t the execs be shunning him, instead of making him feel welcome and taking his ideas seriously. He doesn’t have a controlling interest, they can essentially tell him to bugger off. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256/40 "2010-08-24T20:25:30Z")
Oh, and let me also add that you really need to [watch the whole interview](http://video.foxnews.com/v/4318063/ground-zero-mosque-like-jcc), which is just under 4 minutes long. The bit about Prince Alaweed was at the very end, and took up about 10 seconds, if that, of the whole discussion. The real gist of this guy’s point, right or wrong, is this MCC (Muslim Community Center) is a ruse, because there is no “community” to be served in that location, as there are where JCCs are built. He was rebutting the Imam’s wife’s claim (which I saw on one of the Sunday talk shows) that they are trying to model themselves after the JCCs. So, this guys point was that you could never raise money to build a JCC at that spot, because there is not “community” to be served. At the end, he brought up Alaweed as an outside investor, who is agenda driven from the outside (ie, Saudi Arabia), and that this isn’t a bottoms up community center like a JCC would be. Now, we can argue about this guy being a nut case, and his argument may be nutty, but this thing was not so much about Alaweed, as it was about trying to rebut the MCC = JCC argument made on the Sunday talk show. Frankly, I found the Imam’s wife to be pretty persuasive, but what the hell do I know about this whole trainwreck of a subject… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-deliberately-destroying-america/551256.md?page=3)