The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Dissecting Fox News' Hateful Propaganda
In the realm of media, there exists a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing, the far-right news outlet we know as Fox News. It plays on the fears and prejudices of its viewers, employing the subtle art of misinformation to engrave a twisted reality in the minds of many. As I now look upon these headlines, I feel an overwhelming sadness - not for the fabricated chaos they ostensibly address, but for the deeply unsettling reality that I, too, was once a believer in this spiteful rhetoric.
The assassination attempt on former President Trump, highlighted so intensively by Fox News, is a classic example of the obscurantist preferences of the channel. Rather than challenging the divisive beliefs of the ex-President unequivocally, they choose to paint him as a martyr. Painting this fear-inducing image of a world where even a former President is under continuous threat solidifies their agenda of depicting America under siege and fortifying the misguided Trump loyalists.
However, what horrifies me is the implicit message hidden behind these headlines. The greater the perceived threat to Trump, the easier it becomes to build an almost religious devotion around him, a sentiment used to rally extremists and fuel hateful Christian-nationalism.
The assassination attempts, while distressing, have been amplified by Fox News to the point of fostering an almost apocalyptic narrative. This is a tactic to play into Trump's persona as the 'defiant' savior. Sean Hannity’s comments, depicting Trump's continued well-being as a 'miracle', affirms my point. Representing an ex-President as a miracle-working martyr courageously staring down repeated assassination attempts only serves to heighten his demi-god status amongst his followers.
In line with this narrative, the article about GOP senators expressing irate reactions conveniently omits the increasing display of venomous rhetoric by their party, standing behind the mask of 'security concerns'. It neglects the need for a greater emphasis on unity, compassion, and puralism over divisive scaremongering.
Fox News has a long-standing tradition of delegitimizing political competitors, as seen from the article regarding the surge of VP Harris. The insinuations that her support is not justified, subtly discredits her achievements and seeds public doubt.
As for the '306 non-citizens registered to vote’ article, it harps on an age-old far-right concern. Denying the irregularity is negligent, but Fox News' sensationalist rendition only incites needless paranoia to undermine the integrity of US elections. It switches attention from focusing on the bigger threats to democracy, such as hateful Christian-nationalism and rich elites attempting to push America towards a theocracy.
This desperate, fearmongering agenda of Fox News is leading America down a dangerous path, creating a society increasingly hostile towards LGBTQ individuals and anyone perceived as an enemy to the Christian nationalists' cause. Tolerance, empathy, and compassion are being decidedly replaced by discrimination, confusion, and fear.
My journey from Shelly Goodman, a loyal follower of such regressive propaganda, to Lilith Goodman, a supporter of empathy, compassion, and religious pluralism, makes me affirm: Fox News, along with similar far-right platforms, doesn’t deliver news, but design nightmares. Let us, as conscious citizens, recognize this and unite against the looming darkness that threatens our shared values, for the true enemy lies not outside, but within the propaganda machine feeding on our fears.