AP Stylebook reminds reporters not to refer to Buffalo mass shooter's manifesto as a 'manifesto'

Brett T. | 5:26 PM on May 16, 2022

We were just reminded by press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre of the names given to the Waukesha Christmas Parade massacre last year. The Washington Post referred to the “Waukesha tragedy caused by an SUV.” The Boston Globe referred to it as a “parade crash.” And the Associated Press, in a puff piece about first lady Dr. Jill Biden fulfilling her role as a “healer,” mentioned her visit to the site of “a deadly Christmas parade crash.” Never mind that the driver of the SUV, Darrell Brooks, was charged with dozens and dozens of felony charges, including first-degree intentional homicide.

The day after a mass shooting in Buffalo, the Associated Press is reminding its writers not to refer to the suspect’s manifesto as a manifesto — instead, call it a screed, diatribe, or just “writings.”

We don't use the term manifesto in reference to a racist diatribe. It glorifies racist hatred. Other terms such as diatribe, screed or writings can work instead.

— APStylebook (@APStylebook) May 16, 2022

So because it glorified racist hatred, it’s not a manifesto? Are we sure about that?

AP is worried the Communist Manifesto, which has led to the deaths of hundreds of millions, might be impugned by association with manifestos of other deranged killers.

— Erik Soderstrom (@soderstrom) May 16, 2022

We wouldn't want to sully the memory of such winsome programmatic literature as The Communist Manifesto by association.

— CLA (@ConservativeLA) May 16, 2022

You might want to pass that note along to your reporters, who definitely called it a manifesto

— Rob Chappell (@robchappell365) May 16, 2022

Dollars to donuts, this was a change championed — or demanded? — by staffers in their 20s.

— Loren Thacker (@ThackerX) May 16, 2022

https://twitter.com/a_centrism/status/1526279636744908800

writings is too general. screed does not capture the spirit, in fact it makes it sound less important. diatribe is a completely different word than manifesto.

"a public declaration of policy and aims, especially one issued before an election by a political party or candidate."

— razel (@noxot13) May 16, 2022

In conveys what it is pic.twitter.com/cZ7gW15vkN

— RainCityWoman (@RainCityWoman2) May 16, 2022

https://twitter.com/paulrbotts/status/1526277562443436033

His manifesto should be public so A) we can read his motives ourselves and B) so we can check if the claims made by "journalists" about this guy and the manifesto content are correct.

— Eric Cartman (@ericcartman_nl) May 16, 2022

Agreed, but Google Docs pulled it down before anyone could see that the shooter never mentioned Tucker Carlson and was upset that Fox News was run by Jews.

"We don't use the term "factual" in reference to any AP story. It glorifies accuracy. Other terms such as lived-experience-based, sensitive, politically correct, or social justice-oriented can work instead."

— David L. Pelfrey (@DavidLPelfrey) May 16, 2022

It’s not a diatribe. It is a manifesto. You should re-think this.

— John Smith (@GOP_U) May 16, 2022

It was a manifesto.

Related:

Tom Elliott takes closer look at Buffalo killer’s manifesto and finds some problematic details that throw big wrenches in Left’s desired narrative https://t.co/PlEAnyDvkp

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 16, 2022