A Critical Eye: Why Fox News Is a Potent Brew of Fearmongering and Christo-Fascist Propaganda

There was a time when I took the word of Fox News as gospel. I saw their headlines, felt riled up, and fueled my anger against what I perceived were enemies of America's purported greatness. Today, I see it for what it truly is - dangerous propaganda adding to the widening chasm of division within our nation and it terrifies me.

Let's begin with a story they recently ran with, "VP Harris claims she ‘made clear’ fracking position in 2020 — but transcript tells different story". An attack on a female leader, nitpicking over semantics, rather than discussing the real issue: the environment. It's a diversion from challenging the true power - those benefitting from fracking at the expense of the planet. Fox News directs our ire at politicians instead of confronting the corporate fat cats who are endangering our earth, our children's future, for their gain.

Then there was "Governor’s office under fire for ‘imagination’ response to video of Venezuelan gang members...City on high alert as violent migrant gang described as 'MS-13 on steroids' surges into US". Fearmongering at its finest. It is true that crime, violence and gang activity are issues that need to be tackled. However, Fox News uses these problems to push an anti-immigration agenda, painting all migrants with the same brush. It's a scare tactic, stoking the fire of xenophobia under the guise of public safety.

Next, we come across "Social media erupts over VP Harris’ latest ‘word salad’ during interview". Much like the fracking headline, this is an attempt to undermine the integrity of an individual, a woman, in a position of power. One has to wonder if a man would be treated the same, or if their "word salad" would be interpreted as complex thought processes.

The headline "Legendary American car company announces it's scrapping 'woke' policies...Lowe's drops some DEI policies, latest American company to do so" is applause-worthy for Fox News viewers. It heralds the regression of progress, the denial of systemic racism, gender inequality, and LGBTQ+ marginalization. Fox News uses 'woke' pejoratively, distorting it into a contested term meaning political correctness run amok.

In "Trump pledges universal coverage for IVF treatment — and tax break for new parents", Fox portrays Trump as a friend of the family, conveniently glossing over his expressed intent to roll back reproductive rights, a move that would disproportionately affect lower-income women. Fox News selectively emphasizes Trump's supportive acts, while conveniently eclipsing his more damaging ones.

What we are witnessing is the subtle crafting of a narrative designed to instill fear, disparage empathy, and continue to venerate a leader who promotes a vision where conservative Christianity holds power, threatening every other belief system and excluding marginalized communities.

Indeed, the propagation of biased and fear-charged news has the potential to nudge America frighteningly closer to a theocracy driven by old-world views, maintained by the wealthy, and dangerous for those not fitting into a specific demographic. I'm glad I've woken from that dream—or should I call it a nightmare? It's time we all do. Knowledge, compassion, and empathy are our true weapons against the deceit of ill-intentioned media.