The establishment media are parroting former President Barack Obama’s comments on the controversy surrounding Virginia’s embattled Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), which he dismissed as “fake outrage” and “trumped-up culture wars.”
“We don’t have time to be wasted on these phony trumped-up culture wars, this fake outrage, the right-wing media’s pedals to juice their ratings,” Obama said while campaigning for former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Saturday.
Since then, the establishment media appears to be doing Obama’s bidding, suggesting that the outrage in response to the sexual assault in Loudoun County is merely political.
In an article published on Wednesday, Business Insider referred to the sexual assault in Loudon County as a “GOP talking point” when reporting on Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)’s comments to Attorney General Merrick Garland during a recent hearing.
“Cotton reiterated the GOP talking point on Wednesday by linking a prominent report of an alleged sexual assault at a school in Loudoun County, Virginia, to Garland’s directive,” reads the report by Business Insider.
An “alleged sexual assault,” @BusinessInsider? You’re a bunch of rape apologists.
“Cotton reiterated the GOP talking point on Wednesday by linking a prominent report of an alleged sexual assault at a school in Loudoun County, VA, to Garland’s directive.” https://t.co/qYbosxDXl7
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) October 27, 2021
Meanwhile, NBC News reported on the Loudoun Country controversy by giving a platform to people who claimed it was “created chaos,” and suggested it is only being talked about now because of Virginia’s upcoming gubernatorial race.
“Some in the school community say the voices at board meetings don’t speak for the majority of parents, and that some may be trying to sway the governor’s race,” NBC News reported.
“One Loudoun teacher saying while there should be accountability on the assaults, she questions the timing,” NBC reported.
NBC went on to suggest that people should question the timing of the story blowing up. They accuse Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin and the GOP of trying to exploit the rapes, suggesting it was “created chaos” and Loudoun was the GOP “proving ground” for 2022. pic.twitter.com/PlveBJ8UFv
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) October 27, 2021
Holt then immediately segued to stating: “Now, it’s a hot button issue in the state’s very tight governor’s race.”
Washington Post reporter Justin Jouvenal described Monday’s sexual assault ruling by the Virginia judge as “a case at [the] center of political firestorm.”
Jouvenal also took to Twitter on Monday to proclaim that the victim had “met a classmate for consensual sex in the girls’ bathroom of a Loudoun County high school before,” but “was sexually assaulted” during a separate encounter in May.
A teen testified she met a classmate for consensual sex in the girls’ bathroom of a Loudoun County high school before, but in a May encounter she was sexually assaulted. New details in the case at the center of a firestorm https://t.co/wON6Y7EpRD
— justin jouvenal (@jjouvenal) October 26, 2021
Twitter users quickly took to the comment section of Jouvenal’s post to lambast the reporter over the manner in which he described the incident.
“Oh look… the Washington Post victim blames teens who were raped now,” wrote Washington Times columnist Tim Young.
“Are you implying only virgins can be raped? That consenting to one sexual encounter is automatic consent for another? What does this mean?” inquired YouTuber Lauren Chen.
“So what you’re saying is ‘she asked for it’?” asked Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). “Shame on you and shame on @washingtonpost.”
“Delete this now, unless you’re actually intending to blame the victim here. No means no,” another Twitter user advised.
Content created by Alana Mastrangelo
What are your thoughts on the story? Let us know in the comments below!
