# Has the media misrepresented the incident with the Covington Cathlic kids? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 22, 2019, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210 "2019-01-22T17:23:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/281 "2019-01-23T23:04:44Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > wow I can’t believe the ladder of assumption that people climb when they see a MAGA hat. On observation from Australia it seems that if identify as right then you are a neo nazi. > > From a distance I see the MAGA hat as a natural and to be expected back lash against the far left that seems to dominate the university campuses (yes in Australia too) that is at it’s heart anti-capitalism, Marxist, man hating etc. > > So MAGA hats are on par with pussy hats. Whatever the MAGA concept was when it started (and your description is comical, at best), to be wearing one at this late date suggests you’ve quite determinedly put yourself into a fantasy world in order to cling to the tenuous idea that Donald Trump has improved, let alone greatened America. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/282 "2019-01-23T23:07:33Z")
> [@nate](#): > > Yes, but that still doesn’t explain how they came to be so close, right? I mean, me filling in the blanks in this story has the Native American walking up to the group of kids, banging the drum. Then the MAGA hat wearing kid with the smirk walks up to him as close a possible and stands there and stares. I thought this was the narrative? I’m asking if this is true. I haven’t seen a video of that part of the situation. Hahahaha. You haven’t seen the video, or followed the threads, but you’re willing to spread rumors when you feel like it. I think it’s sufficient to say that you’re mistaken. I do suggest that you question the sources of your information. It appears that they have lied to you. ---
**Author:** ![Elmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9a140/32.png) [@Elmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmore)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/283 "2019-01-23T23:31:26Z")
99.9% of the assholes flipping their shit over Nick Sandmann’s smirk are preposterous hypocrites who did far worse at his age but got away with it because we didn’t have twitter and smart phones. Has anyone pointed that out yet? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/284 "2019-01-24T00:09:46Z")
So, how did we stand on shirts vs. arson? I’m not sure that was resolved. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/285 "2019-01-24T00:10:51Z")
> [@Elmore](#): > > 99.9% of the assholes flipping their shit over Nick Sandmann’s smirk are preposterous hypocrites who did far worse at his age but got away with it because we didn’t have twitter and smart phones. Has anyone pointed that out yet? Has anyone pointed that that is silly because we are talking about a group of students that decided to troll with MAGA hats, sweaters, and other paraphernalia? Point being that this is not a lone person, but guys with a “message” to deliver. You bet that in the past wearing colors of a gang while trolling others is seen as an attempt at intimidation and it got kids into trouble, even in more recent times perfectly normal items get a sinister connotation when gangs decide to use it. Over here in Arizona I saw area codes and diamond images used as gang identifiers, again, it is the context that makes it bad and the police advises educators on what to look for. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/286 "2019-01-24T00:21:38Z")
… And that takes me to continue to criticize the ones that organized or advised the students to wear those hats, they are the ones that need a lesson, for the kids it is only a lesson on how to be weary of adults that tell them that it would be a good idea to jump off a bridge. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/287 "2019-01-24T00:25:12Z")
They gave the boys a license to act out, and act up. Adult approval, attend a demonstration, a protest. What the bleeding fuck did they _think_ was going to happen? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/288 "2019-01-24T00:43:24Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > So what is so wrong with hiring a PR firm and getting a lawyer when jerks in the media spread lies and whip up hate so much you start getting death threats? > > Would they have apologized and backpedaled without it? While the media overreacted, and people should never send death threats, the kids weren’t exactly innocent. Hopefully, someday they’ll look back and think, “fuck, I was a total asshole back then.” I’ll cut them a wee bit of slack due to their youth and because I’d like to know where the hell the adults champeroning this were. There really weren’t any winners in this one. (BTW, the Black Hebrew Israelites are, from what I can tell, the Jewish equivalent of the Nation of Islam) ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/289 "2019-01-24T01:06:15Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > wow I can’t believe the ladder of assumption that people climb when they see a MAGA hat. On observation from Australia it seems that if identify as right then you are a neo nazi. > > From a distance I see the MAGA hat as a natural and to be expected back lash against the far left that seems to dominate the university campuses (yes in Australia too) that is at it’s heart anti-capitalism, Marxist, man hating etc. > > So MAGA hats are on par with pussy hats. What you are seeing is a loosely organized and long term effort to weaponize language and symbols to a point that the ‘wrong’ symbol or facial expression (facecrime) evokes a Pavlovian response in the indoctrinated audience. Lip service to fundamental freedoms is demonstrated to be farcical when the programmed response is triggered. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/290 "2019-01-24T01:07:48Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > What you are seeing is a loosely organized and long term effort to weaponize language and symbols to a point that the ‘wrong’ symbol or facial expression (facecrime) evokes a Pavlovian response in the indoctrinated audience. Lip service to fundamental freedoms is demonstrated to be farcical when the programmed response is triggered. In several places I’ve seen it likened to Orwell’s “two minutes hate”. I find the comparison apt. ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/291 "2019-01-24T01:13:02Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Hahahaha. You haven’t seen the video, or followed the threads, but you’re willing to spread rumors when you feel like it. I think it’s sufficient to say that you’re mistaken. I do suggest that you question the sources of your information. It appears that they have lied to you. You know, instead of taking the time to write a completely worthless response, you could have just pointed me to somewhere that shows how the incident in the viral video started. The link in the OP to the full video doesn’t show who stepped into who’s personal space (at least, I couldn’t find it). ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/292 "2019-01-24T02:19:19Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > What you are seeing is a loosely organized and long term effort to weaponize language and symbols :rolleyes: Dude, you are someone who’s [on record as endorsing the actual official _banning_ of Muslim women’s headscarves and “burkini” beachwear by the French government](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19569565&postcount=191). You haven’t a leg to stand on when it comes to accusing other people of trying to “weaponize language and symbols”. I may have strongly negative opinions about the ideological symbolism of wearing MAGA hats, but at least I never advocated or condoned legally forbidding people to wear them. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/293 "2019-01-24T02:30:41Z")
It’s funny when their arguments blow up in their faces, but kind of sad when they don’t realize it. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/294 "2019-01-24T03:16:43Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > :rolleyes: Dude, you are someone who’s [on record as endorsing the actual official _banning_ of Muslim women’s headscarves and “burkini” beachwear by the French government](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19569565&postcount=191). You haven’t a leg to stand on when it comes to accusing other people of trying to “weaponize language and symbols”. > > I may have strongly negative opinions about the ideological symbolism of wearing MAGA hats, but at least I never advocated or condoned legally forbidding people to wear them. If you read what I wrote, what you say I said is inaccurate and misleading. Not that that actually matters around here. You are taking my support for a general principle and then applying it, very inaccurately to a general case. The general principle is that nations can take action that disproportionately impact religion. I left the statement general on purpose in my response to BigT. I can agree that in the US it’s the role of citizenry to have a plebiscite (in jurisdictions where that is done) to decide a contentious issue even if I don’t agree with the outcome of the plebiscite. These aren’t hard concepts. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/295 "2019-01-24T03:21:55Z")
Now it’s turning around and lawsuits for libel appear to be coming out. GOOD. Sue some fuckers pants off. This bullshit call-out culture shit has got to stop. “I want names!! Ruin these fuckers lives!! Ruin their parents lives!!”\* \*Note, I don’t believe I’ve seen this here. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/296 "2019-01-24T03:41:28Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Now it’s turning around and lawsuits for libel appear to be coming out. …LOL. Just casually googling I’m seeing that the “lawsuits for libel” articles are appearing on breitbart and rollcall and the dailywire and I wouldn’t click on them if you paid me a hundred dollars. (I would click for two hundred.) But I did click on a Talking Points Memo link, and it turns out the lawyer wants to sue Maggie Haberman, whom he affectionately calls “Haberstam.” This is what the lawyer considers libel: hold onto your hats, this is will be an absolute “slam dunk.” > [@Haberman](#): > > There are dozens of students laughing and egging on the behavior. Will be interesting to see if anyone is actually expelled, as officials suggest is possible > [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/lawyer-repping-covington-kids-vows-sue-maggie-haberman-others-libel](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/lawyer-repping-covington-kids-vows-sue-maggie-haberman-others-libel) What a fucking joke. He’d be laughed out of court. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/297 "2019-01-24T03:50:36Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > You are taking my support for a general principle and then applying it, very inaccurately to a general case. The general principle is that nations can take action that disproportionately impact religion. You were very specific in [offering your interpretation](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19565476&postcount=173) that “many Muslim men treat women as less than human and sometimes the state needs to step in and correct that balance of power”. That is, you had no qualms about identifying standard Muslim items of clothing, such as the headscarf and burqini, as symbols of inhuman oppression, in order to justify the government’s engaging in religious discrimination by banning those items. I repeat: If you think modern society is excessively inclined to ideologically “weaponize language and symbols”, you first need to direct your criticisms to the guy in the mirror. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/298 "2019-01-24T03:56:36Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …LOL. > > Just casually googling I’m seeing that the “lawsuits for libel” articles are appearing on breitbart and rollcall and the dailywire and I wouldn’t click on them if you paid me a hundred dollars. (I would click for two hundred.) But I did click on a Talking Points Memo link, and it turns out the lawyer wants to sue Maggie Haberman, whom he affectionately calls “Haberstam.” This is what the lawyer considers libel: hold onto your hats, this is will be an absolute “slam dunk.” > > [https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1086777325356752897?ref\_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1086984625711341568&ref\_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftalkingpointsmemo.com%2Fnews%2Flawyer-repping-covington-kids-vows-sue-maggie-haberman-others-libel](https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1086777325356752897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1086984625711341568&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftalkingpointsmemo.com%2Fnews%2Flawyer-repping-covington-kids-vows-sue-maggie-haberman-others-libel) > > [Lawyer Repping Covington Kids Vows To Sue Maggie Haberman, Others For Libel - TPM – Talking Points Memo](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/lawyer-repping-covington-kids-vows-sue-maggie-haberman-others-libel) > > What a fucking joke. He’d be laughed out of court. Would you like a friendly wager as to whether or not a major publication will lose a libel lawsuit or settle out of court regarding this situation? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/299 "2019-01-24T04:02:38Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > You were very specific in [offering your interpretation](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19565476&postcount=173) that “many Muslim men treat women as less than human and sometimes the state needs to step in and correct that balance of power”. > > That is, you had no qualms about identifying standard Muslim items of clothing, such as the headscarf and burqini, as symbols of inhuman oppression, in order to justify the government’s engaging in religious discrimination by banning those items. > > I repeat: If you think modern society is excessively inclined to ideologically “weaponize language and symbols”, you first need to direct your criticisms to the guy in the mirror. What symbol am I looking to ban? What you are linking is completely irrelevant and off topic. Link appropriate stuff and characterize it accurately. It’s telling you don’t actually quote it directly. But let’s address your so-called gotcha. If a subset a of a class b were treating another subset violently would you or would you not argue that the state has a legitimate role in preventing or considering the prevention of that violence or exploitation? Your extrapolations and projections and assumptions are flat out wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/300 "2019-01-24T04:02:47Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Would you like a friendly wager as to whether or not a major publication will lose a libel lawsuit or settle out of court regarding this situation? …nope. I don’t make wagers and would politely refrain you asking me that question ever again. And no a major publication is not going to lose a libel lawsuit and they aren’t going to settle regarding this. If you actually believe this not to be the case: would you care to share some examples of major publications that you think have crossed the line? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210.md?page=16)