The media are taking advantage of the politically hostile climate they created by increasingly pushing the envelope in how much they can get away with in demonizing conservatives. New York Times reporter Katie Benner provoked backlash Tuesday when she got a little too zealous in this effort, calling Trump supporters, “enemies of the state.”
Benner, who covers the Justice Department for the paper, sent out this vile sentiment while tweeting about the January 6 committee hearings on Capitol Hill, Tuesday.
"Today's #January6thSelectCommittee underscores the America's current, essential natsec dilemma: Work to combat legitimate national security threats now entails calling a politician’s supporters enemies of the state," the Times reporter wrote, in since deleted tweets.
It should also be added that Benner was recently named an MSNBC contributor, so her rhetoric was certainly in line with the network. If the parties were reversed and she were at Fox News, one could imagine the outrage.
In subsequent tweets, she worried the January 6 committee hearing wouldn’t resolve the “dilemma” of Trump supporters being 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 a political party. But what happens if a politician seems to threaten the state? If the politician continues to do so out of office and his entire party supports that threat?
…
This dilemma was unresolved by the Russia probe and 2 impeachments. With many Republicans denying the reality of the Jan. 6. attack, I doubt the #January6Committee will resolve it either. That leaves it up to voters, making even more essential free, fair access to the polls.
Of course, a journalist suggesting anyone who didn't vote for the media's preferred candidate should essentially be viewed as a terrorist, didn't sit well with many:
2018: New York Times denounces Trump for calling it the "enemy of the people" as "inflammatory" and dangerous. https://t.co/4fYaYdwZp9
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) July 28, 2021
2021: New York Times reporter calls for all Trump supporters to be declared "enemies of the people." https://t.co/ne0MA1jyXh
Hearing anyone describe a traumatic and violent experience provoke emotions: even for police officers. That's what today is for.
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 27, 2021
But the fixation on 1/6 is about exactly this: classifying Trump supporters as Enemies of the State for political gain & Security State power.
Those at places like the @NYTimes who demonize people like my mother and father have themselves become what they purport to abhor. They are the enemies of those who have cherished and fought for -- and died for -- our freedoms. How has the @NYTimes enabled this culture of hate? https://t.co/KQAtnRZvNZ
— Eric Metaxas (@ericmetaxas) July 29, 2021
Some hours later, Benner went back and deleted her tweet without apology, claiming they were “unclear.”
“I deleted unclearly worded tweets regarding the Jan 6. committee hearing,” she tweeted.
Except her sentiment was very clear and that's exactly what provoked outrage.
