This time it’s about the violence in Colorado….
The narrative is this: Those Tea Party people and talk radio people are dangerous,violent extremists. The media sell this narrative as fast as they can in any situation where they think it might work. The technique was most visibly displayed in the Giffords’ shooting in Arizona. But if you watch the first news report on many violent incidents, you see the media rush to the desired narrative… only to have the narrative undercut when the facts come out.
Sometimes, when the false narrative has been sold well enough, it sticks even when the facts come out. Many people know, for example, that Sarah Palin was partially responsible for the Giffords shooting. Rush Limbaugh, too.
Here is how Brian Ross reported on the Colorado shootings on Good Morning America:
“There is a Jim Holmes of Aurora, CO, uh Paige, on the Colorado Tea Party site as well, talking about him joining the Tea Party last summer. We don’t know if this is the same Jim Holmes, but it is Jim Holmes of Aurora, Colorado.”
Here is what goes through the minds of propagandists like Ross:
We have some violence by a white guy. Great opportunity! Is there any way at all that we can tie this violence to Tea Party people or talk radio people? Let’s rush to that story first and hope it’s true. It’s going to be so exciting if it’s finally true this time. Let’s call the President and see if he wants to get ready for a solemn speech about loving one another. We’ll put him on prime time. And then we’ll have some solemn commentary afterward to condemn those Tea Party bastards.
Breitbart was right. The media are the enemy.