# 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:** 4
**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 22, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/61 "2019-01-22T20:45:09Z")
For what it’s worth, I’m okay with saying that the wearing of a MAGA cap fairly supports a default assumption that the wearer is stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/62 "2019-01-22T20:47:37Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Racism doesn’t suddenly become okay because there were some other people provoking you. > > There is additional context that was left out originally, but none of it changes the primary reason to be upset at these college students. > > They wore MAGA hats despite that having nothing to do with their supposed purpose, which was a pro-life protest, and then acted like exactly what MAGA does mean, telling different colored people to go back to their own country and otherwise pushing racist slurs. > > It is ridiculous how the news organizations are backpedaling, rather than simply pointing out the additional context. They are not only overcompensating, but making attacks on their veracity (by places like Fox) look legitimate. > > Do they not understand the “fake news” battle, and how their integrity is under attack? You don’t give in and grant them a win when you were perfectly accurate. Don’t give them more ammunition. But it was NOT accurate. Their were NO racial slurs. The only persons telling people to go back where they came from were the NA activists telling them to go back to Europe. Hell yes they should backpedal. Not only that, they should bring the kids onto their program and apologize and admit they had a bias. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/63 "2019-01-22T20:48:17Z")
Ok as soon as Fox news admits that they have a bias. Deal? ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/64 "2019-01-22T20:50:40Z")
> [@EscAlaMike](#): > > [Julie Irwin Zimmerman](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/01/julie-irwin-zimmerman-i-failed-covington-catholic-test/580897/) of _The Atlantic_ has apologized. I’m not sure if she is considered right or left wing, or neither. I don’t think anyone writing for the Atlantic is considered ‘right wing’ unless the person considering it is pretty far to the left. It made waves when the Atlantic hired (and quickly fired after Twitter mob action) the ‘Never-Trump’ conservative writer Kevin Williamson. Whether everyone writing for the Atlantic is ‘left wing’ might again be a matter of interpretation but in general the publication is definitely on the left side of the divide. Now, just like there’s recrimination now on the right against people who harshly condemned the HS kids based on the initial portrayal of this incident, there could be recrimination on the left whether the further evidence really requires totally changing their mind or apologizing. Everybody generally on the left doesn’t have to agree with this lady in apologizing; maybe for one thing they didn’t make intemperate comments about it. But I personally think the lesson isn’t even to ‘wait for all the facts’, though that’s not a bad idea. To me it points to the manifest non-necessity of having any opinion about each and every such twitter event. But in this case as usually nowadays you can’t tell if potentially important context is omitted from the initially publicized versions of viral videos. Just wait until CGI makes it impossible to tell if what’s depicted is real at all. That’s coming fairly soon from what I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/65 "2019-01-22T20:51:38Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > … They are not only overcompensating, but making attacks on their veracity (by places like Fox) look legitimate. … That’s because attacks on their veracity _are_ legitimate. They screwed the pooch on this one almost as bad as Buzzfeed screwed the pooch on the Cohen story last week. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/66 "2019-01-22T20:52:24Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > Ok as soon as Fox news admits that they have a bias. Deal? Nice way to turn it all around. Still dont see the blatant bias in this? Ok, they dont have to admit bias. But they should at least bring the kid on the show and apologize. Attacking a student was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/67 "2019-01-22T20:52:29Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Do you feel that the other parties involved should also get “real backlash from it all” / “be held accountable for their part in the escalation of those events”? Or is that sort of punishment you’d prefer to see reserved exclusively for the white male(s)? You’re making _exactly_ the mistake I warned against in the first sentence of my post: the assumption that if one party is wrong then the other party (parties) is right. I didn’t say give the rest of those involve a pass and just punish the students. In fact, that’s _specifically_ contrary to what I said. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/68 "2019-01-22T20:54:55Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Nice way to turn it all around. Still dont see the blatant bias in this? > > Ok, they dont have to admit bias. But they should at least bring the kid on the show and apologize. > > Attacking a student was wrong. Who is they? You have this way of viewing every journalist and every news organization as one entity. Why do you do this? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/69 "2019-01-22T20:55:47Z")
> [@MrKnowItAll](#): > > You’re making _exactly_ the mistake I warned against in the first sentence of my post: the assumption that if one party is wrong then the other party (parties) is right. I didn’t say give the rest of those involve a pass and just punish the students. In fact, that’s _specifically_ contrary to what I said. Is a strait-forward answer to this question too much to hope for? > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Do you feel that the other parties involved should also get “real backlash from it all” / “be held accountable for their part in the escalation of those events”? … ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/70 "2019-01-22T20:56:31Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > No, this board is pretty carefully watched for that kind of behavior. > OTOH, many in the lame street media have. I hope they get sued. “Many”? How about some cites? If there are “many” it shouldn’t be problem to list 10 of them; can you? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/71 "2019-01-22T21:03:14Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The belief wasnt to just back down because some jerk doesnt like them. Their only “crime” was being white and wearing a politically incorrect hat. And your cite for that being their belief is…? > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > They should be admired for showing such restraint. What “restraint”? You aren’t being clear here. > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > No, the Chiefs dont need to. Yes; they do. To not do so is racist. > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > They were not stopping him from passing. Yes, they were. > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > He was being an asshole walking into their midst beating his stupid drum. No, he wasn’t. Characterizing him as an asshole for doing something in public is prejudicing the discussion. He had every right to be there and to bang his drum. He did not impede anyone’s travels, but his were impeded. > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > They let him thru. Only after they prevented him from walking thru. > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > But his intent wasnt just “walking thru” he was their to confront and anger. Cite? Don’t worry: I know you’re talking out of your ass here and have no cite other than what’s in your head. Unfortunately for you, that isn’t a valid cite. > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The kids at first didn’t know what to make of it and actually started to chant with him. No, they didn’t. Now you’re trying to re-write an incident that is on video? Good luck with that. > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > So what should he have done if some asshole was yelling at him beating his drum inches from his face? Would you have had such restraint? Ah, see: you’ve already made your mind up and you don’t even know the facts. And hey: this isn’t about me. It’s about those kids and that guy, and since you started this thread, it’s also about your defense of those kids. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/72 "2019-01-22T21:10:42Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > Its “the blacks”, you know that’s what he’s going to say, why even ask! Of your last 5 posts including this one, three have gotten mod notes. I really want to give the benefit of the doubt and not construe this as trolling, but I’m finding that a bit of a challenge. I suggest you make more of an effort to engage in actual discussion going forward, else this interpretive generosity will end. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/73 "2019-01-22T21:15:06Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Is a strait-forward answer to this question too much to hope for? The answer was in my original post. But since you apparently need it spelled out, then the answer is "yes’. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/74 "2019-01-22T21:18:44Z")
> [@MrKnowItAll](#): > > The answer was in my original post. But since you apparently need it spelled out, then the answer is "yes’. :rolleyes: Thank you, I appreciate you making your position clear. 🙂 ---
**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 22, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/75 "2019-01-22T21:21:07Z")
Jesus Christ guys. ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/76 "2019-01-22T21:22:53Z")
Holy crap! Teenagers made fun of someone…and they weren’t even PC about it? I am just shocked. 3 odd groups in one place and they all managed to be non - violent. I’d call it a win. I hate making fun of anyone, regardless of the circumstances. Three days of news about it… Geesh. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/77 "2019-01-22T21:24:49Z")
Yeah I know it’s getting embarrassing. First the left was like SEE! And now the right is like SEE! And I’m sitting here like see what, that everybody needs to calm the hell down? ---
**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 22, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/78 "2019-01-22T21:29:41Z")
> [@Littleman](#): > > Holy crap! Teenagers made fun of someone…and they weren’t even PC about it? I am > just shocked. > > 3 odd groups in one place and they all managed to be non - violent. I’d call it a win. > > I hate making fun of anyone, regardless of the circumstances. > > Three days of news about it… Geesh. I’m pretty exhausted. Heres a short clip of a Vietnam vet being harassed. Heres two hours of footage Ooops he wasn’t a Vietnam vet. Here’s a woman being harrassed…oh wait she edited it and WOW HER PAST TWITTER HISTORY, she’s a virulent racist. Here’s some kids in blackface…sorta… Here’s the kids making racist “OK signs”…oh wait they’re signalling three pointer. For fucks sake Gizmodo alone could have solved the Kennedy assassination if they put this much effort into it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/79 "2019-01-22T21:37:57Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > HAHAHAHAHAHA > > Oh Fox news reports the “media” showed bias do they? Are you aware that Fox news is part of the media? Would you say Fox news has a bias? I’m reminded of the bible verse about pointing out a mote in someone else’s eye and ignoring the beam in your own. The right wing media creed: “It’s not fake news when we make it up.” ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210/80 "2019-01-22T21:46:16Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > … And I’m sitting here like see what, that everybody needs to calm the hell down? Ain’t nobody got time for that. There are schools to nuke from orbit and animals to crush and woodchippers to feed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-media-misrepresented-the-incident-with-the-covington-cathlic-kids/828210.md?page=5)