No hiding for MSNBC and Chris Hayes: Repugnant remarks spark 'MSNBC Heroes' hashtag; Update: Hayes apologizes

As Twitchy reported yesterday, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes mentally stroked himself by disgracefully saying that calling our fallen “heroes” makes him “uncomfortable.” He’s totally intellectual and sophisticated and stuff, you rubes! Oh, yeah, and morally bankrupt.

He subsequently tried to backpedal and failed, miserably.

Twitter users refuse to let MSNBC and Hayes hide from this and the hashtag #MSNBCheroes is now taking off. Leave it to Twitter to teach someone a much-needed lesson. Media accountability, baby! Hayes made the mistake, in a fit of deplorable moral relativism, of saying out loud what the Left thinks and believes. At least admit it, MSNBC.

#MSNBCheroes Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.

— Fishing With Fredo (@FishingwFredo) May 28, 2012

#MSNBCheroes PFC Bradley Manning

— Fishing With Fredo (@FishingwFredo) May 28, 2012

#MSNBCHeroes John Kerry

— Linda (@LinNoOne) May 28, 2012

#MSNBCheroes Code Pink #ResistWeMuch

— KLouR (@KatheeLu) May 28, 2012

#MSNBCHeroes Oliver Stone #tcot #vrwc #HayesHeroism

— Linda (@LinNoOne) May 28, 2012

https://twitter.com/paazky/status/207149807930834944

https://twitter.com/museofhistory/status/207157192321798144

https://twitter.com/museofhistory/status/207157487042953216

https://twitter.com/ConanTheGamer/status/207159857210605568

#MSNBCHeroes Harvard Professors

— Mike Leonard (@MikeLeonard_biz) May 28, 2012

#MSNBCHeroes The guy on the corner with the organic, guaranteed non-GMO weed

— Earl Bradshaw (@ebradshaw80013) May 28, 2012

On Sunday, in discussing the uses of the word “hero” to describe those members of the armed forces who have given their lives, I don’t think I lived up to the standards of rigor, respect and empathy for those affected by the issues we discuss that I’ve set for myself. I am deeply sorry for that.

As many have rightly pointed out, it’s very easy for me, a TV host, to opine about the people who fight our wars, having never dodged a bullet or guarded a post or walked a mile in their boots. Of course, that is true of the overwhelming majority of our nation’s citizens as a whole. One of the points made during Sunday’s show was just how removed most Americans are from the wars we fight, how small a percentage of our population is asked to shoulder the entire burden and how easy it becomes to never read the names of those who are wounded and fight and die, to not ask questions about the direction of our strategy in Afghanistan, and to assuage our own collective guilt about this disconnect with a pro-forma ritual that we observe briefly before returning to our barbecues.

But in seeking to discuss the civilian-military divide and the social distance between those who fight and those who don’t, I ended up reinforcing it, conforming to a stereotype of a removed pundit whose views are not anchored in the very real and very wrenching experience of this long decade of war. And for that I am truly sorry.

Reactions were mixed.

Chris Hayes apology is 100% the right thing to do. His apologists should take note. He knew he was wrong and said so. Thank you for that.

— Chris Barron ?? (@ChrisRBarron) May 28, 2012

@GottaLaff thanks. @chrislhayes as a living Veteran appreciate your apology but my unit lost kids not even 21 yet. They never had a chance

— Wht (@whitj1966) May 28, 2012

I don't think @chrislhayes owes an apology for saying what he thinks. I like that he was honest about his progressive views. #caring

— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 28, 2012

Leaving aside that it wasn't an apology, @chrislhayes represents progressive values & beliefs – and I'm glad he's revealed them openly.

— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 28, 2012

MSNBC host "apologizes" http://t.co/bZXFUQJS The methane emissions from the backside of a cow smell better than that apology.

— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) May 28, 2012

As far as apologies go, it's well written. It takes responsibility for the consequences of his choices. There's that. http://t.co/Euqy7mnl

— Jay (@OneFineJay) May 28, 2012

Nice apology, Chris Hayes. Really poignant. And seemingly forced. And perhaps a bit more of an explanation of your argument than apology.

— Calvin (@Calvintastic) May 28, 2012

https://twitter.com/Conservative4MI/status/207248554136322051

And then, well, there’s The Nation‘s Katrina vandenHeuvel, off in a class by herself:

Chris Hayes' statement of apology is respectful & empathetic.But shouldn't humane & questioning talk be a vital part of media & USA's DNA?

— Katrina vandenHeuvel (@KatrinaNation) May 28, 2012

Face, meet palm.