The Trump White House is suggesting that there is a difference between innocent and “non-innocent” journalists, and only innocent journalists don’t deserve to be shot.
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Conway said on Fox News, “It’s a horrible tragedy. What we’re trying to — us being all of America, is piece together that this person, shooter, murderer had some kind of grievance against the paper. He filed a lawsuit and lost it and active on social media. The very threatening it seems to me, about this paper and went in yesterday and did what he did. The president expressed his sympathy and continues to be briefed by the F.B.I. And others and we’ll continue to talk about this as the different facts develop. Obviously people who go to work every day, innocent Americans should not have this as an occupational hazard. I think as our press secretary made clear last night an attack on innocent journalists and Americans is an attack on all of us.”
Conway was referring to this tweet by Sarah Sanders:
Strongly condemn the evil act of senseless violence in Annapolis, MD. A violent attack on innocent journalists doing their job is an attack on every American. Our prayers are with the victims and their friends and families.
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 28, 2018
Journalism is not a crime in America
This is the United States of America, and we have a free press. There is no such thing as a non-innocent journalist. Journalism is not a crime. All journalists are innocent. The fact that the Trump White House insists on implying that some journalists are innocent and others are guilty, with the presumption being that guilty ones deserve to be shot, is deeply troubling. The Trump administration has waged a relentless campaign against the free press.
Just as there are no Americans who deserve to be shot when they go to work, school, church or the movies, there are no journalists who deserve to be shot for doing their jobs and practicing journalism.
The Trump administration is sending a dangerous message that there are innocent and non-innocent journalists and the bad ones deserve to be shot.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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