Today of all days is probably not the day for CNN to try to take a nuanced look at post-9/11 America. And yet, that’s exactly what John Avlon did today:
Is this real? pic.twitter.com/PdnxyvCxgf
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) September 11, 2019
Oh boy.
No way
— ?????? (@ChuckEChaves) September 11, 2019
That has to be shopped. It can't be real. But even as I'm telling myself that, a part of me is thinking "yeah that sounds exactly like CNN."
— ?ThatChosenOne? (@ThatMichiganGir) September 11, 2019
This is the sort of hot take we’ve come to expect from CNN …
Ho Lee Crap it’s real….
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) September 11, 2019
It is indeed.
actual quote: “Here's a startling statistic: since 9/11, right-wing terrorists killed more people in the United States than jihadist terrorist.”
Ah, yes. they are the worst if you discount the worst.
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) September 11, 2019
Wow. Just wow.
— Druw (@chidiscourse23) September 11, 2019
Insane.
— Mr. Nuclear Cocaine (@MrNukemCocaine) September 11, 2019
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) September 11, 2019
Now, to be fair, the “Right-Wingers Are America’s Deadliest Terrorists” bit is not from Avlon himself, but from an August Slate piece based on a study by New America. Here’s the full “Reality Check” segment for context:
>> @JohnAvlon: "To truly learn the lessons of 9/11 is to resolve not to let hate win, or fear define us" pic.twitter.com/A1kvpYPwcr
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 11, 2019
Still, though, 18 years later, this really isn’t all that helpful. Giving oxygen to the tiresome “since 9/11, right-wing terrorists are the deadliest terrorists” BS adds nothing constructive to the discussion (not to mention conflating white supremacists with right-wingers). And constantly focusing on the division is a pretty surefire way to ensure that division persists.
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