The New York Times faced a wave of backlash Thursday morning after announcing in a headline that “We” missed “The Rise of Right-Wing Extremism.”
The headline, for the Thursday episode of the Times’ “The Daily” podcast, was eventually changed: “The Rise of Right-Wing Extremism, and How U.S. Law Enforcement Ignored It”
But readers and journalists saw the initial headline as representative of a narrow view of “we” — and pointed out that marginalized groups in America and scores of reporters on the ground have long warned of violent right-wing extremists.
When you ask who the “we” is here, the answer tells you a lot about what raced, gendered voice is considered “objective” in American media pic.twitter.com/Hamjd2DI3b
— Judah Maccabeets? (@AdamSerwer) December 13, 2018
Ok…it’s time to have the conversation (again) about how “we missed it” really means you don’t see evidence or predictions from people of color as legitimate: a quick thread.
‘The Rise of Right-Wing Extremism, and How We Missed It – The New York Times’ https://t.co/BrrVMVJQM1
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) December 13, 2018
When "We" means "White Media," perhaps white media ought to introspect why indeed it didn't cover the rise of white supremacist terrorism, a phenomenon deeply embedded within the US, while nonwhite media & nonwhite sources repeatedly did.
6+ years ago: https://t.co/ZbFYA9nL75
— Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) December 13, 2018
You tawkinna me, NYT? Because, actually, a bunch of journos who saw this coming were ignored by most in mainstream media, which is invested in a denial-laced view of America. https://t.co/nAVt2V7c6V
— Adele M. Stan (@AddieStan) December 13, 2018
“We” ain’t me. https://t.co/lxOnRAd72w
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) December 13, 2018
Speak for yourself, @nytimes https://t.co/kxTxIR6E19
— Yes, You're Racist (@YesYoureRacist) December 13, 2018
