On Friday Donald Trump posted one of his most offensive tweets to date. And that’s saying something. The Twitter president continues to use the social media site as a means of lashing out against his critics. His latest tweet sinks to a new low by calling some of those critics “enemies.”
The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2017
To be clear, Trump is referring to the people who practice the only profession explicitly protected in the Constitution. He is maligning thousands of dedicated truth-seekers who gave their lives to expose corruption, brutality, and deception. For all its flaws, and there are many, the press is an indispensable component of liberty in a democratic society. The toxic repulsiveness of his comment cannot be understated.
The fundamental value of the media is something that Donald can never understand. Either that or he understands it all too well, which explains his hostility toward it. His repulsive tweet stirred responses from Twitizens who were justifiably outraged. Here a re few of those responses aggregated under the trending hashtag #NotTheEnemy:
JFK on the press, and the presidency, in a free society. Watch. pic.twitter.com/dsr61wEeo4
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 18, 2017
This is Woodward and Bernstein. Nixon called them the enemy. They proved that no president is above the law. #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/ekxoiBZis1
— Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) February 18, 2017
This is Michelle Lang, the first Canadian journalist to die in Afghanistan reporting the truth. #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/I8KiFKudcg
— Heather Todd (@EasternViolet) February 18, 2017
The REAL enemy #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/HsHI32XjUc
— manno (@voodoodaddie) February 18, 2017
This is Tim Hetherington he died in April of 2011 covering the Libyan Civil war #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/BD5yqDVWVA
— Ben Joyal (@notapirateben) February 18, 2017
This is journalist James Foley, @realDonaldTrump. He was a journalist beheaded by ISIS in 2012. He is #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/91RJrrL79b
— Liz Gumbinner (@Mom101) February 17, 2017
Khizr Khan:Have u read the constitution?Don't think @realDonaldTrump has read yet. Freedom of press part of the 1st Amendment #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/GbhiGtgLHy
— Jane A (@JaneA2020) February 18, 2017
I love that King Klown has rallied the true patriots to defend freedom of the press. The press is #NotTheEnemy. People who attack it are.
— tanya rankle (@rankled2) February 18, 2017
United Nations News Centre – One journalist killed every four days in 2016, UN agency finds. #NotTheEnemy https://t.co/t0HgQSdJIw
— RoadrunnerTalent PR (@RoadrunnerTalen) February 18, 2017
McCain: Dictators 'get started by suppressing free press'#NotTheEnemy #truth https://t.co/U6KNV5MrCD
— glasshalffull (@kevinfla3) February 18, 2017
The Media is #NotTheEnemy
– Donald Trump is Americas enemy pic.twitter.com/htgzXoG3ZQ
— Chris Smith (@Lilyachttty) February 18, 2017
This is Chauncey Bailey, an Oakland journalist, murdered in 2007 as a result of his reporting on corruption in his community #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/BEDwAXySqe
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) February 18, 2017
Why does Trump always speak as if he missed civics class in elementary school? Free Press is Not Our Enemy #NotTheEnemy
— Robert Conway (@RobertMConway) February 18, 2017
American heroes. Guardians of democracy. Journalists. #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/oky4jElNmD
— Kathleen Bade (@KathleenFOX5) February 18, 2017
This is Marie Colvin. She died covering the siege of Homs in Syria and was a lifelong war reporter. #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/8bwk2tX5KG
— Alex Berg (@AlexfromPhilly) February 18, 2017
I am the enemy of people who call Americans the enemy of the American people. #NotTheEnemy
— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) February 18, 2017
The press is #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/cO7eq5IYyK
— Alexandra Cruz (@Alexandra_Cruz_) February 18, 2017
This is my dad Terry Anderson, @realDonaldTrump. He was kidnapped in Lebanon & held for 6 1/2 yrs #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/tkiwzdQsps
— Sulome Anderson (@SulomeAnderson) February 18, 2017
"We have to uphold a free press and freedom of speech because, in the end, lies and misinformation are no match for the truth." #NotTheEnemy pic.twitter.com/NgSX7kFdka
— Mark #TheResistance (@MarkCM07) February 18, 2017
Nuff said.
How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.