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
— Rep. 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 ? (@EasternViolet) February 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/voodoodaddie/status/833042719161217024
https://twitter.com/notapirateben/status/833041229092843524
https://twitter.com/Mom101/status/832720866647478274
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
https://twitter.com/rankled2/status/833047601025056768
United Nations News Centre – One journalist killed every four days in 2016, UN agency finds. #NotTheEnemy https://t.co/t0HgQSdJIw
— Kathy Horn (@ChangemakerPR) February 18, 2017
McCain: Dictators 'get started by suppressing free press'#NotTheEnemy #truth https://t.co/U6KNV5MrCD
— RecoveringRepublican.???? (@kevinfla3) February 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/Lilyachttty/status/833065492164202496
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 (@itsalexberg) 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
— Alex TC (@aturcioscruz) 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 (@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 (@ItsReallyMarkCM) 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.