Megyn Kelly’s exclusive interview with Infowars.com head Alex Jones aired on Sunday night on NBC News, but ultimately faced more criticism than praise.

The much-anticipated interview drew 3.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings, putting it even with a rerun of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and two million viewers behind a rerun of “60 Minutes.” Kelly’s two previous shows earned 0.7 and 4.9 million viewers respectively.

Kelly and NBC faced plenty of criticism prior to the airing from those upset with the national platform given to Alex Jones, a famous right-wing personality who is often accused of spreading false facts and conspiracy theories. He is perhaps most infamous for claiming that the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School was a hoax.

Critics accused Kelly of promoting Jones, a man who many blame for spreading fake news and riling up his angry, right-wing supporters. These complaints were only fueled by the fact that the interview aired on Fathers Day. Many pled with NBC to not air the segment, but only NBC affiliates in Connecticut, where the Sandy Hook shooting occurred, elected not to show the interview.

Kelly, a former Fox News host, has long been under public scrutiny and her transition to NBC has made her more mainstream. Many at NBC put their faith in Kelly, believing she was destined to be a “super star” but one anonymous television executive believes her ceiling is as a “cable star,” according to CNN. So, many were upset that she was using her new platform to normalize Jones and his radical, oftentimes racist, theories.

Plenty of advertisers withdrew their sponsorship in response to the interview, including JPMorgan Chase, according to The Hill. On a local scale, several ads were pulled from the air, according to CNN. JPMorgan Chase CMO Kristin Lemkau “requested that its local and digital ads not be placed adjacent to any broadcast or stream of the segment,” according to Jezebel.

As an advertiser, I’m repulsed that @megynkelly would give a second of airtime to someone who says Sandy Hook and Aurora are hoaxes. Why? https://t.co/luwyCwP7Ti

— Kristin Lemkau (@KLemkau) June 12, 2017

In order to make up for this issue, NBC ran several public service announcements, normally reserved for less desirable time slots, according to Variety. Additionally, there were an unusual number of NBC promotions and repeated advertisements during the broadcast, indicative of the network’s scramble to fill ad breaks.

Those upset with the interview were emboldened when Jones released audio of Kelly promising him that the interview wouldn’t be a “gotcha hit piece” and that it would leave “the left” impressed. But it’s traditionally against journalistic ethics to promise interview subjects that you will make them look as good as possible.

In the end, Kelly’s interview with Jones may have caused more trouble for NBC than it was worth. Now it will matter if these ramifications will have a long term effect. Will big advertisers, like JPMorgan Chase, return to NBC and Kelly’s show specifically? As for Kelly’s ratings, they peaked with her pilot episode and haven’t come close to those levels since.

NBC expected big things out of Kelly when she moved from Fox, but after a tumultuous first month she may be in more trouble than expected. Nowhere to go but up…right?

Josh Schmidt

Josh Schmidt is an editorial intern and is a native of the Washington D.C Metropolitan area. He is working towards a degree in multi-platform journalism with a minor in history at nearby University of Maryland. Contact Josh at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Megyn Kelly’s Interview with Alex Jones Sparks Negative Reactions appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Trump’s Travel Ban Loses…Again

A second federal appeals court has shut down President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco rejected the ban that would limit travel from some Muslim countries yesterday, saying that the president exceeded his authority by making decisions about national security regarding immigration without sufficient justification.

Last month, the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond reached the same decision but with different reasoning. That court said the ban is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment. Team Trump has asked the Supreme Court to review that decision, and seems determined to keep fighting to ban some citizens from visiting the U.S.

Well, as predicted, the 9th Circuit did it again – Ruled against the TRAVEL BAN at such a dangerous time in the history of our country. S.C.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 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.

The post RantCrush Top 5: June 13, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Kathy Griffin apologized for going “way too far,” after a photo surfaced online of the comedian posing with a bloodied decapitated head, modeled to look like President Donald Trump. In a 30-second video posted to Twitter late Tuesday, Griffin said that she “sincerely” apologizes.

“I’m a comic,” she said. “I cross the line. I move the line, then I cross it. I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people. It wasn’t funny. I get it…I am going to ask the photographer to take the image. I went too far. I made a mistake and I was wrong.”

I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong. pic.twitter.com/LBKvqf9xFB

— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 30, 2017

The images leaked to TMZ were shot by controversial photographer Tyler Shields. Griffin was reportedly inspired by a 2011 episode of “Game of Thrones,” which featured a severed head modeled after former President George W. Bush.

Griffin initially defended the photo, likening it to Trump’s controversial comments about Megyn Kelly’s menstrual cycle.

“1/ I caption this “there was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his…wherever” Also @tylershields great Photog/film maker,” she wrote. “2/ OBVIOUSLY, I do not condone ANY violence by my fans or others to anyone, ever! I’m merely mocking the Mocker in Chief.”

According to TMZ, Griffin even “joked that she and Tyler would need to move to Mexico once the pics got released, for fear they’d be thrown in prison,” during the photo shoot.

Trump responded to the image Wednesday morning on Twitter, saying Griffin “should be ashamed of herself,” and that Barron was “having a hard time with this.”

Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017

The first lady also had some choice words for the comedian.

“As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing,” Melania Trump said in a statement. “When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it.”

The image managed to unite much of the country, receiving bipartisan outrage on social media.

This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president. https://t.co/zIiuKoMyFw

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) May 30, 2017

Disgusting but not surprising. This is the left today. They consider this acceptable. Imagine a conservative did this to Obama as POTUS? https://t.co/QdghcbIjS7

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 30, 2017

This Kathy Griffin thing is so upsetting and disgusting. Jesus–what is wrong with people today? Have we lost all our humanity?

— Soledad O’Brien (@soledadobrien) May 30, 2017

All of it frankly makes me sick. And seeing these actions only through a lens of partisanship or self is bizarre to me.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 31, 2017

Our politics have become too base, too low, & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin’s post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 30, 2017

Following the backlash, Griffin, who has been the longtime co-host of CNN’s annual New Years Eve coverage, was fired from the network Wednesday.

CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year’s Eve program.

— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) May 31, 2017

Anderson Cooper, Griffin’s friend and NYE co-host for the past decade, condemned the photo on Wednesday.

For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.

— Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) May 31, 2017

There’s no word yet as to whether or not this will affect her other partnerships, or upcoming comedy tour.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Kathy Griffin Apologizes for Bloody Anti-Trump Photo Shoot appeared first on Law Street.

Megyn Kelly has announced a move from Fox News, her home for over a decade, to NBC, where it is rumored she will join the morning talk shows. Her Fox program, “The Kelly File,” was ranked consistently as one of the most popular cable news programs, with over 2.7 million viewers last year. Sources have stated that NBC is giving Kelly a daytime show that will fill the slot currently running the third hour of the “Today” show, as well as an anchor spot on a Sunday night news program. Kelly’s departure leaves a seat open in a critical late-night time slot, and there is already a flurry of speculation over who will replace her. There are also questions about whether her move will inspire Bill O’Reilly, Fox’s most profitable anchor, to jump ship when his contract ends later this year. Fox currently has no female host in prime time, which bodes ill for a network still reeling from a massive sexual harassment lawsuit.

Kelly has stated her decision to leave Fox is focused around the work-life balance available at NBC. Yet it is impossible to ignore her clash with Donald Trump in the wake of his incendiary comments about her after the Republican primary and the environment created by Roger Ailes, who Kelly called out for sexual harassment. In the wake of Trump’s inflammatory comments questioning her journalistic integrity, Kelly became symbolic of a righteous crusade against Trump. She was profiled in numerous magazines, gained more attention for her show and became a symbol of strength in the face of sexism.

However, the positive press that Kelly received after the debate can be largely categorized as beneficial to her personal brand rather than beneficial to women in journalism as a whole. In the rush to lift her up to icon status, the public seemed to forget the often blatantly racist tone of “The Kelly File” and the fact that, until the Republican primary, she produced the same rhetoric that the rest of the Fox News team does. Kelly was a frequent target of “The Daily Show” under Jon Stewart’s reign and was lambasted for holding shouting matches rather than interviews on her show.

So which version of Megyn Kelly did NBC sign up for: the pundit who railed against the “War on Christmas,” and defended racist emails in the Ferguson police department, or the heroine who was, according to some, the only Republican woman to stand up to Trump? Unfortunately, Kelly’s inflammatory statements from her Fox years will probably come with her to NBC–after all, Kelly claiming that Michelle Obama promotes a culture of victimization will get more clicks and comments than a clip of her calmly reporting the news or interviewing an actor on a press tour for their latest film. Kelly may have moved to a new network and a new time slot, but her star power is wrapped up in the persona she built at Fox News–and that persona demands drama.

Jillian Sequeira

Jillian Sequeira was a member of the College of William and Mary Class of 2016, with a double major in Government and Italian. When she’s not blogging, she’s photographing graffiti around the world and worshiping at the altar of Elon Musk and all things Tesla. Contact Jillian at Staff@LawStreetMedia.com

The post What Should We Expect from Megyn Kelly at NBC? appeared first on Law Street.

It’s hard getting back to a normal routine after two weeks of holiday fun. But hey, it’s only a four-day workweek and after today you’re halfway through! Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Megyn Kelly is Making a Switch

Yesterday, Fox News host Megyn Kelly announced that she is leaving the network to go to NBC instead. According to Fox News her last day on air is Friday. Her motivation for making the move? According to Kelly, one factor was that she’ll now be working during the day, and will have more time to spend with her three young children.

She will play several roles at NBC, including hosting a daytime program and a Sunday evening news show. Kelly was with Fox News for over 12 years and became one of TV journalism’s biggest voices, especially during the 2016 presidential campaign when she sparred with President-elect Donald Trump.

An ending, and a new beginning… pic.twitter.com/clyKaDpQTW

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) January 3, 2017

This will probably be a hard blow for Fox News, after months of drama surrounding its founding chairman Roger Ailes. Multiple women, including Kelly, have accused Ailes of sexual harassment. Ailes denied all of the accusations but eventually resigned.

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.

The post RantCrush Top 5: January 4, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

New Kids in Town?

Today, Donald Trump is expected to announce many of his picks for high-ranking positions in his new government. According to the rumors, he will name Michael Flynn as national security adviser, Representative Mike Pompeo as CIA director, and Senator Jeff Sessions as attorney general. The pick of Sessions is controversial, as he is known for his hard-line and very conservative views on immigration, same-sex marriage, and marijuana legislation. He was denied a position as a lifetime tenured federal judge in the 1980’s because of his views on race, an inappropriate joke about the KKK, and a series of other incidents.

Trump: I’ll make KKK supporter Jeff Sessions attorney general!!

Trump Supporters: I don’t get why minorities make everything about race.

— America’s Henchman (@TheDailySchmuck) November 18, 2016

Trump voters wanted change, well, you got it. With the appointment of “Jeff Sessions” we’ve changed back the 1950’s, Jim Crow South.

— Kilgore Trout (@CohibaSmkr) November 18, 2016

Pompeo is a former Army officer and was a sharp critic of Hillary Clinton when the whole Benghazi saga was going on. Flynn is a registered Democrat, but he likes Russia a lot and does not like Islam at all. In February he tweeted that it is RATIONAL to be afraid of Muslims.

Fear of Muslims is RATIONAL: please forward this to others: the truth fears no questions… https://t.co/NLIfKFD9lU

— General Flynn (@GenFlynn) February 27, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: November 18, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

Since his win, President-elect Donald Trump may have tried to calm people who are worried about his presidency by preaching goodwill and by encouraging those inciting violence to stop. But many of his supporters are doing the opposite. On Wednesday night, Trump supporter Carl Higbie appeared on Fox News and cited the Japanese internment camps during World War II as a “precedent” for a Muslim registry, which many Trump supporters have proposed.

Higbie, a former Navy SEAL and spokesman for the pro-Trump Great American PAC, told Megyn Kelly that a registry is perfectly legal–“We did it during World War II with Japanese”–and that we need to protect America. Kelly seemed taken aback at the comment and did her best to challenge him, saying, “That’s the kind of stuff that gets people scared, Carl.”

About 120,000 people of Japanese descent were relocated from their homes to internment camps by force in 1942. Of those, 62 percent were citizens, and taken away based only on their ethnicity. This happened on orders from President Roosevelt, and in 1944 the Supreme Court upheld the order. It still stands, because no similar case has come before the court since then, but it is hard to believe something like that could ever happen again. Late Justice Antonin Scalia has said it was one of the most shameful mistakes in the Court’s history. Justice Stephen G. Breyer has said it has been “so thoroughly discredited” that it is “hard to conceive of any future court referring to it favorably or relying on it.”

Watching people repeat platitudes about “coming together” while Trump representatives are literally referencing Japanese internment camps.

— Cora Harrington (@lingerie_addict) November 17, 2016

Higbie said that people from other countries have no constitutional rights in America. He didn’t seem to understand that when you gain legal permanent residency or citizenship, you do. According to Slate, even an illegal immigrant has basic human rights in the U.S. For example, the right to a just, public and speedy trial, as defined under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments.

.@CarlHigbie: “People outside of this country are not protected under the same constitutional rights as we are in America.” #KellyFile

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) November 17, 2016

However, immigration law is separate from criminal law, that is why immigrants who commit crimes could be deported instead of going jail. But even then, they are entitled to a hearing and a lawyer. Yet Higbie stood by his opinion that immigrants have no rights.

@ryepolisciguy @megynkelly wrong

— Carl Higbie (@CarlHigbie) November 17, 2016

One famous voice who has talked about the atrocities of internment camps for Japanese citizens is George Takei, who held a TED Talk about it.

When @GeorgeTakei was 5 years old, he was taken to a Japanese internment camp. Hear his powerful story: https://t.co/Dkr9DkYAQt

— TED Talks (@TEDTalks) November 17, 2016

Trump himself hasn’t commented on Higbie’s statement or what he thinks about internment camps. But in December of last year he claimed that he didn’t know if he would have opposed to the camps in the U.S., saying “I would have had to be there at the time to give you a proper answer.” This doesn’t sound promising.

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.

The post Trump Supporter: Japanese Internment Camps are Precedent For a Muslim Registry appeared first on Law Street.

Newt Gingrich and Megyn Kelly Go At It On Fox News

Here at RantCrush we love rants and tirades of all kinds. Especially ones involving Trump surrogates and news anchors who just don’t give a damn. Newt Gingrich and Megyn Kelly went at it last night after Kelly pressed Gingrich on Trump’s sexual assault accusers. So, Gingrich accused Kelly of being “fascinated with sex.”

via GIPHY

This is when things started to get not so sexy…you can watch for yourself here:

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: October 26, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

Last week’s top stories on Law Street included food stamps and a whole lot of Trump! Mary Kate Leahy weighed the pros and cons of selling food stamps for cash, Sean Simon critiqued Megyn Kelly’s soft interview with Donald Trump, and Alec Siegel opposed Trump’s crass response to EgyptAir’s downed plane. ICYMI, Check out the top stories from Law Street below.

1. Entrepreneurial Spirit?: Behind the Sale of Food Stamps

In an effort to both prevent hunger and to protect the American work ethic we reformed assistance programs to eliminate cash benefits and to tie receiving benefits to work or the search for work. It has led many recipients of SNAP assistance, more commonly referred to as food stamps, to sell their benefits for cash rather than using them for food. This is a crime and may carry fines, jail time, and a loss of benefits. One that we spend a lot of time and effort trying to eradicate. But should we? Or should we be turning a blind eye to, or maybe even encouraging, the sale of food stamps for cash? Read the full article here.

2. Donald Trump Interviewed by Megyn Kelly, Former “Bimbo”

Donald J. Trump makes enemies handily and frequently, dispensing insults more often than insight. It may be a smart publicity move–after all, nothing sells tickets like a historic feud. That’s why Trump’s incendiary comments about Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, paired with his refusal to participate in a Fox News debate, have garnered world-wide attention.

Kelly represented conservative media taking a stand against Trump’s hijacking of the Republican party, which is why it’s so disappointing to see the two kiss and make up after nearly no effort from Trump to reconcile his former behavior. Read the full article here.

3. When the World Sees Grief, Trump Sees Gain

Historically speaking, when a nation suffers a tragedy–a mass shooting, a terrible earthquake, a humanitarian disaster–world leaders offer condolences. They attempt, at the very least, to assuage fears, to pray, to be the sympathetic speak piece for their citizenry. In a time of calamity, presidents and prime ministers show solidarity with one another and with their respective peoples. Ironically, tragedies connect people, as people grieve for other people, no matter the flag they wave. Everyone recognizes loss.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Donald J. Trump makes enemies handily and frequently, dispensing insults more often than insight. It may be a smart publicity move–after all, nothing sells tickets like a historic feud. That’s why Trump’s incendiary comments about Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, paired with his refusal to participate in a Fox News debate, have garnered world-wide attention.

Kelly represented conservative media taking a stand against Trump’s hijacking of the Republican party, which is why it’s so disappointing to see the two kiss and make up after nearly no effort from Trump to reconcile his former behavior.

This event took place on Tuesday, when Trump sat down with Kelly–allegedly to clear the air. Trump even tweeted in anticipation of the pre-taped event that he was hopeful he would be treated fairly.

I look forward to watching @megynkelly tonight, 8 PM ET. It will be interesting to see how she treats me—I think she will be very fair.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 17, 2016

What ensued was a Donald Trump love-fest, in which Trump was offered softball after softball about his family, his love life, and essentially anything but his proposed policies. “Have you been emotionally hurt before?” was actually a question asked to the presumptive GOP nominee, leaving positions such as his “America First” foreign policy undiscussed.

Promoted like a boxing prize fight, the Kelly-Trump interview briefly held Trump accountable for his insulting and demeaning Twitter presence. Trump tried to weasel out of his own words, asking if he had called Kelly a ‘bimbo” before. In one of the special’s rare critical moments, Kelly told him that he had indeed used that word several times.

Trump deflected each criticism lobbed at him, refusing to ever apologize. When asked about his retweet poking fun at Heidi Cruz’s appearance, Trump said “he could have done without it,” but he never let the word “mistake” escape from his mouth.

Kelly, a woman who’d previously held Trump accountable for his misogynistic comments, fell in line with so many other mouthpieces like Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly, and Piers Morgan. Essentially she gave Trump free fluff-piece airtime.

I will be live tweeting my interview with @megynkelly on the Fox Network tonight at 8! Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/nlJssZeIWm

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 17, 2016

Sean Simon

Sean Simon is an Editorial News Senior Fellow at Law Street, and a senior at The George Washington University, studying Communications and Psychology. In his spare time, he loves exploring D.C. restaurants, solving crossword puzzles, and watching sad foreign films. Contact Sean at SSimon@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Donald Trump Interviewed by Megyn Kelly, Former “Bimbo” appeared first on Law Street.

Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has officially announced that he won’t be participating in the Republican Debate tomorrow, due to his (totally not sexist and unreasonable) dislike for moderator Megyn Kelly. Trump’s decision has been confirmed by both his campaign, as well as Fox News. So, given that the big-mouthed millionaire has been dominating the debates thus far, who will step up to fill the vacuum?

Trump not being present for the debate may change the overall flavor of the night by quite a bit. It certainly could have an impact on disappointing not-so-prodigal son Governor Jeb Bush, who has had many of his most memorable and heated campaign moments while taking jabs at Trump. It also could affect Senator Marco Rubio, who is currently coming in third in most polls, and has been pretty critical of Trump in past debates.

But, it seems like most eyes will be on Senator Ted Cruz, who has been coming in second to Trump in most of the recent polls, although those second place results have been by quite a wide margin. In national polls, including CNN/ORC, Fox News, NBC News, and other leading news outlets, Trump has seen a lead over Cruz that ranges from about 13 percent to 22 percent. However, in Iowa, which will be the first state to caucus next Monday, Trump holds a far slimmer lead–ranging from about 2-11 percent. In New Hampshire–the second primary–the gap between Trump and Cruz looks only slightly smaller than national results. Given that the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries are so soon, this may Cruz’s last chance to make up some of that ground.

However, Cruz’s success will depend on whether or not he also shows up tomorrow night. He has now challenged Trump to their own, one-on-one debate. However, it could be a mistake for Cruz to sit this one out, given that everyone will be looking to him to see how he handles a Trump-less stage.

So, Law Street readers, what do you think? Will Cruz dominate tomorrow night’s debate? Or will it be a missed opportunity for the man currently in second in most GOP polls?

Cast your vote in the poll below:

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post With Trump Out of the Debate, Who Will Dominate? appeared first on Law Street.

Hey y’all!

We’ve all seen the news coverage about the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. Not just the shooting, but also the aftermath that has turned a tiny town into a rioting disaster. Just in case you didn’t hear, Michael Brown was a young black man who was shot several times and killed on August 9 by a white police officer. But did you hear about the young man in Utah who was also shot and killed by a police officer? No? I’m not surprised. Twenty-year-old Dillon Taylor was shot to death by a black police officer two days after Michael Brown.

Where is the outcry filled with blinding rage in Utah that has filled the streets of Ferguson? Why have there been no reports of Dillon Taylor’s death, except a few small pieces found here and there on random news sites? No mention on CNN, MSNBC, or any well known 24-hour news station.

Dillon Taylor, described as white and Hispanic, was shot right outside of a 7-11 on August 11 by a black police officer. I hate to quote Rush Limbaugh because I’m not a huge fan of his, but he said it best on his radio show: “In the current climate in the United States, a black person can never be the oppressor, and a white person can never be a victim.” Truer words have never been spoken. I realize that history has shown that white people oppressed blacks and other races. But the same has happened to whites, obviously not in the same way and not as widely remembered, but everyone has been oppressed in some way at some point in history. Why is the life of this young black man more important the life of a young white and Hispanic man?

The biggest point I want to make is that both of these young men should have the same amount of coverage, but they don’t and it is all based on race double standards. If you take a step back and look at the context of both of these shootings you would realize that there is no real difference except the color of their skin and that of the police officers. When will people stop and think about the bigger picture, not everything should be about color. It is about right and wrong. And for that matter we don’t even know who is right and wrong until all of the facts are released and the police officers who did the shootings have been investigated.

—

Allison Dawson (@AllyD528) Born in Germany, raised in Mississippi and Texas. Graduate of Texas Tech University and Arizona State University. Currently dedicating her life to studying for the LSAT. Twitter junkie. Conservative.

Featured image courtesy of [DonkeyHotey via Flickr]

Allison Dawson

Allison Dawson was born in Germany and raised in Mississippi and Texas. A graduate of Texas Tech University and Arizona State University, she’s currently dedicating her life to studying for the LSAT. Twitter junkie. Conservative. Get in touch with Allison at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Race Double Standards – It’s the American Way appeared first on Law Street.