Yesterday, University of Miami professor and MSNBC analyst Fernand R. Amandi shared with his nearly 95,000 Twitter followers that Miami Beach was the “center of the #COVIDIOTS universe,” offering up this photo as proof:
Today’s center of the #COVIDIOTS universe is Miami Beach, Florida. pic.twitter.com/Wo8JeNfDFa
— Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) March 21, 2021
How could Florida Gov. Ron DeathSantis let this happen? He really is the worst!
Well, he and the #COVIDIOTS, that is:
If you insist on being #COVIDIOTS please #WearAMask for our sake. pic.twitter.com/f4gvJZrztd
— Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) March 21, 2021
Follow-up: If you insist on shaming #COVIDIOTS, make sure you’re not the actual #COVIDIOT first. Not just for our sake, but for yours as well:
— Siraj Hashmi on the lam (@SirajAHashmi) March 22, 2021
Pretty confident that the center of the #COVIDIOT universe are Twitter accounts that post pictures from 2019 to try to shame people for engaging in normal and safe activities. pic.twitter.com/YwiYQCxmSO
— AG (@AGHamilton29) March 22, 2021
This picture from 2019 is misinformation. Shame on you.
— Jay (@OneFineJay) March 22, 2021
Periodic reminder that whatever your opinion of journalists – it can and should be lower.
This pic is lifted directly from a 2019 sun-sentinel article. https://t.co/2gnGaMfC2a https://t.co/IyUP1oKwSs
— Byakkotacotaco (@RummaTumTums) March 22, 2021
I did a reverse image search of this picture and found that it's been used in a few articles — ALL from 2019.
There's almost no way Fernand got this image without KNOWING it was from a year before the pandemic. https://t.co/snrh96wAAi
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) March 22, 2021
This is so misleading (the picture is from 2019, as @AGHamilton29 pointed out) that I'm surprised it wasn't tweeted by Aaron Rupar. https://t.co/ZbZA8hJZ1k
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) March 22, 2021
Liar.
— I got your #Unity right here (@jtLOL) March 22, 2021
The photo is from 2019. This is a major news outlet analyst and University of Miami professor. Lying to you. https://t.co/9E1Z5Xb80G
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) March 22, 2021
A professor and MSNBC analyst with 95,000 followers shared a photo from a beach in 2019. He's racked up over 10,000 shares in the process. Nothing will happen to this account for knowingly spreading disinformation. https://t.co/1mXBFMaU4N pic.twitter.com/ep6UfsxAXg
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 22, 2021
And it gets even better:
Another contributor to MSNBC with over 200K twitter followers is now pushing out the beach photo from 2019. https://t.co/EKYvReOozq
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 22, 2021
Like Fernand R. Amandi, Morgan State journalism professor Dr. Jason Johnson is an MSNBC political contributor — a and liar and/or moron:
This is why schools won't open again this fall https://t.co/EaUFL1zTEc
— Dr. Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) March 22, 2021
Further proof that the blue checkmark is not an indicator of credibility or intelligence.
Schools won't open again in the fall because teachers' unions are afraid of photos from 2019? https://t.co/1HEeYa1oId
— Varad Mehta (@varadmehta) March 22, 2021
That picture is from 2019, idiot.
— I got your #Unity right here (@jtLOL) March 22, 2021
If you’re wondering why no one trusts the media, here’s a professor of journalism, and MSNBC contributor spreading misinformation. https://t.co/gGtzrFZ5bo
— Fiscal Therapist (@BigLifeMark) March 22, 2021
Just another day ending in “y.”
Hey have you apologized for using a photo from 2019 to represent the current situation yet? https://t.co/9E1Z5Xb80G
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) March 22, 2021
No. And if we were you, we wouldn’t expect an apology.
It has come to my attention that the picture in the original tweet isn’t from this week, but that does not change the fact that Miami Beach has been overrun by thousands of maskless Spring Breakers who are not abiding by the CDC pandemic guidelines as these recent photos confirm. https://t.co/eTpCQFLeO9 pic.twitter.com/S9ksr4DurC
— Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) March 22, 2021
My tweet was wrong and dishonest but it still stands!
It does change the fact. The fact is you collected thousands of retweets for a false tweet with false information, and you should delete it (you won't) https://t.co/5ufFtKdSnB
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 22, 2021
Of course he won’t.
And of course Jason Johnson isn’t sorry, either:
Thanks for highlighting that it was an old photo. Doesn't change the fact that most colleges are not prepared to re-open safely during #COVID.
— Dr. Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) March 22, 2021
“Fake, but accurate.”
Amazing. I guess "I got duped and I'm sorry" doesn't have the same ring to it. https://t.co/sxMbFkFDnE
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) March 22, 2021
Professor of journalism: 'Yes, I shared a misleading photo to perpetuate a false narrative, but what matters is I am morally correct.' pic.twitter.com/YOadZcTiYb
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) March 22, 2021
This is why people view journalists with disdain.
— Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) March 22, 2021
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional text and tweets.
***
Update:
Of course Joy Reid got in on it, too:
MSNBC host @JoyAnnReid yesterday spread disinformation far and wide by posting a 2019 photo of a crowded Miami Beach and claiming — based on the falsehoods of another MSNBC contributor — that's it from this week.
(No notation yet from Twitter: don't expect one.) pic.twitter.com/NVWXHBHl9U
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) March 22, 2021
Meanwhile, Jason Johnson — the journalism professor, recall — is making it abundantly clear that he doesn’t care about disinformation:
Not sure why you alt-right types are obsessed with a 2 year old photo when there is literally video and news from unmasked crowds in Miami this past weekend. https://t.co/yAr7CbgRkc https://t.co/s4diC00LDM
— Dr. Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) March 22, 2021
Me – You don't have your facts straight. You're spreading misinformation and using your status and following to hide behind pushing an agenda that is not fact based, Journalism professor @drjasonjohnson – You're a Nazi.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 22, 2021
Large crowds of people in close proximity for hours not wearing masks is a #COVID health hazard and you're alt-right. Not exactly sure where the debate is, but either way – Have the day of your choice ? https://t.co/kitSJKKz8z
— Dr. Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) March 22, 2021
Schools won't open this fall because of misleading tweets of photos from 2019? Bad news if true. https://t.co/VDy8TZHKUv
— Ramesh Ponnuru (@RameshPonnuru) March 22, 2021
You aren't prepared for this conversation. Please stop now. I don't want to make time for you today…. https://t.co/H7GOmwZWUr
— Dr. Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) March 22, 2021
Dr. Johnson couldn’t make time even if he wanted to … he’s far too busy journalisming.
***
Related:
Join the conversation as a VIP Member