After backlash, NYT journalist deletes tweet calling Trump supporters ‘enemies of the state’
The media is taking advantage of the politically hostile climate they created by increasingly pushing the boundaries as to what they can get away with by demonizing conservatives. New York Times Reporter Katie Benner sparked a backlash Tuesday when she became overzealous in this effort and called Trump supporters “enemies of the state.”
Benner, who covers the Justice Department for the newspaper, sent this vile sentiment while tweeting about the Jan.6 committee hearings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.
“Today’s #SelectedCommittee underscores America’s essential natsec dilemma today: working to combat legitimate threats to national security now involves calling a politician’s supporters enemies of the state,” the Times the reporter wrote, in tweets since deleted.
It should also be added that Benner was recently named a contributor to MSNBC, so her rhetoric was certainly in line with the net. If the parties were backwards and she was on Fox News, one could imagine the outrage.
In subsequent tweets, he was concerned that the January 6 committee hearing would not resolve the “dilemma” that Trump supporters are a threat to national security because Trump had survived two impeachments and the Russia investigation:
As Americans, we believe that state power should not be used to work against a political figure or political party. But what if a politician appears to threaten the state? If the politician continues to do so out of office and his entire party supports that threat?
…
This dilemma was not resolved by the Russia investigation and 2 political trials. Given that many Republicans deny the reality of the January 6 attack, I doubt that the January 6 Committee will not resolve it either. That leaves it up to the voters, making free and fair access to the polls even more essential.
Of course, a journalist who suggested that anyone who did not vote for the media’s preferred candidate should be seen essentially as a terrorist, did not sit well with many:
2018: New York Times denounces Trump for calling him “enemy of the people” as “incendiary” and dangerous. https://t.co/4fYaYdwZp9
2021: New York Times reporter calls for all Trump supporters to be declared “enemies of the people.” https://t.co/ne0MA1jyXh
– Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) July 28, 2021
Hearing someone describe a traumatic and violent experience provokes emotions – even for police officers. That’s what today is for.
But the 1/6 fixation is about exactly this: classifying Trump supporters as enemies of the state for political gain and state security power.
– Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 27, 2021
Those in places like him @New York City Times who demonize people like my mother and father, have become what they pretend to hate. They are the enemies of those who have cherished and fought and died for our freedoms. How did @New York City Times enabled this culture of hate? https://t.co/KQAtnRZvNZ
– Eric Metaxas (@ericmetaxas) July 29, 2021
A few hours later, Benner came back and unapologetically deleted his tweet, claiming they weren’t “clear.”
“I deleted the unclearly worded tweets about the January 6 committee hearing,” he said. tweeted.
Except his sentiment was very clear and that’s exactly what sparked the outrage.
