RantCrush Top 5: June 13, 2017

Parents of the children who were killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting have reacted with outrage after NBC revealed it will air an interview with Alex Jones. Jones is the host of the conspiracy website Infowars, and claims that the shooting never happened. Twenty-six people, including 20 children, died in the shooting. Jones has previously said that he is playing a character while on Infowars, but during his interview with Megyn Kelly, it seemed like he’s deadly serious. Parts of the interview have been released but the full version is scheduled to air on June 18. Families of the victims have called it “disgusting.”

Real Qs: Why would you legitimize this? Why would you hurt families who’ve lost loved ones by giving him a platform? What is wrong with you? https://t.co/mDGOgyuKOS

— LaToya Morgan (@MorganicInk) June 12, 2017

“When you say parents faked their children’s deaths, people get upset,” Kelly said in the clip. Jones answered, “But they don’t get angry about half-a-million dead Iraqis killed by sanctions.” NBC spokespeople and Kelly claim that their job is to inform people, and say that many don’t know who Jones is. But many others say that providing a platform to Jones could encourage others to keep up the conspiracy theories.

I promise you it’s not riveting. How you you feel if someone shot your kids, some fool said it wasn’t true- and I gave him a show? https://t.co/xma9Z30IjW

— Nelba Márquez-Greene (@Nelba_MG) June 12, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.