The Unraveling Tapestries of Fox News: Propagators of American Christo-fascism and Theocratic Illusions
A few years back, I would have found myself nodding in agreement to the brazenly tilted, far-right narrative peddled by Fox News. I would have taken their fear-driven headlines as Gospel, hook, line, and sinker. But the eye-opening transformation that came to me, one I fondly refer to as my "Road to Damascus" moment, made me realize the falsehood embedded in such slanted narratives.
In recent times, as I scrolled through Fox News, stunned by their propagandistic performance, I realized that this outlet is a prime instigator in the dreadful surge of Christian-nationalism that's threatening to swallow our free, democratic Republic. Headlines such as, "Major voice in key swing state calls on Biden to drop out of race as post-debate backlash mounts", cloaked in a veneer of impartial reporting, are part of their concerted efforts to manipulate public sentiment towards their favored candidates. The implied message? A call for the rise of a demagogue like Trump, who panders to their Christian-nationalist vision, rather than a call for true, representative leadership.
Take another headline which reads, "China and Russia react to Biden-Trump debate amid concern from American allies." This seemingly innocuous statement is replete with subtexts implying doom under the Biden administration. But look closely and you'll see a glaring omission: Trump's questionable foreign policy decisions and disdain for allies have already rocked our international standing.
Furthermore, personal assaults like, "Jill Biden’s ex-husband calls her out for ‘keeping’ president in the race after debate debacle," are simply digressive tactics to shift the focus from real issues. This isn't responsible journalism; it's a malicious agenda, keen to paint a certain narrative.
There's a grave danger in this biased reporting: it carries the potential to foster a society where bigotry is normalized; where the minority feels threatened, and the rich reign supreme under a veil of false righteousness. A society where my daughter Roxanne, and millions like her in the LGBTQ community, could find themselves diminished, their rights stripped away under the guise of religious sanctity.
Where celebrities like LeBron James are used to frame false narratives of liberal failure by associating him with sports decisions, their true aim is a masterstroke of misrepresentation: to plant the seed of discord and to slowly dismantle the democratic norms.
Dear readers, this is not mere exaggeration. By salting our psyche with fear-driven narratives and divisive rhetoric, Fox News and other such outlets are slowly but surely turning our democracy into an echo-chamber of far-right ideologies, paving the way for a theocracy controlled by the super-rich - a doorway to disaster.
It is crucial that we remain vigilant and critical of the information we consume, and continue our fierce advocacy for empathy, compassion, and religious pluralism. For it is these values that define the foundation of our democracy, values that Fox News and their ilk seem quite keen on subverting.