Last week Tucker Carlson came under fire for going too far — or even farther than he has on too many occasions to count. He used his top-rated Fox News show to float a theory that’s a favorite of white supremacists. It’s called “white replacement,” and the gist is that immigrants, or even just non-whites, are increasing in such numbers that white people will be outnumbered. It’s blatantly racist, and when the idea found its way onto Fox News’ biggest show, people, including the Anti-Defamation League, called for him to finally be shown the door.
According to CNN, that ain’t happening. Fox Coporation CEO Lachlan Murdoch responded to the ADL’s request with a firm no, claiming they did a “full review” of the Carlson episode in question and declared that he’d “decried and rejected” the racist theory. Murdoch also praised the organization, saying he “shares” their values and “abhors anti-semitism, white supremacy and racism of any kind.”
But the ADL wasn’t accepting Murdoch’s take. They responded with a statement, pointing out that while Carlson appeared to reject the idea, he then, “in the very next breath,” repeated the theory, but under a new name, dubbing it a “voting rights question.”
“In fact,” Greenblatt wrote, “it’s worse, because he’s using a straw man — voting rights — to give an underhanded endorsement of white supremacist beliefs while ironically suggesting it’s not really white supremacism. While your response references a ‘full review’ of the interview, it seems the reviewers missed the essential point here.”
Murdoch had also pointed out that the ADL had previously given an award to his father, Rupert Murdoch, for his services. “As you noted in your letter, ADL honored your father over a decade ago,” Greenblatt noted, “but let me be clear that we would not do so today, and it does not absolve you, him, the network, or its board from the moral failure of not taking action against Mr. Carlson.”
Mere hours later Carlson himself responded…by doubling down.
I know we throw around the phrase “tucker Carlson is a white supremacist” but tucker Carlson is a White supremacist.
pic.twitter.com/yxeqsp0JnJ— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) April 13, 2021
“Demographic change is the key to the Democratic party’s political ambitions,” Carlson said, careful not to once again use the term “white replacement.” “In order to win and maintain power, Democrats plan to change the population of the country. They’re no longer trying to win you over with their program. They’re obviously not trying to improve your life. They don’t really care about your vote anymore. Their goal is to make you irrelevant.”
Though he said all this immigrant fearmongering was “provably true,” others were quick to call bull.
Tucker is back at it again tonight. Everyone who has cable is forced to pay for this. https://t.co/eOffyhEce9
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) April 13, 2021
With the full backing of Fox News brass, Tucker Carlson now has zero holding him back from advancing white supremacist rhetoric to millions.
Which corporations are still willing to stand with this network? Which advertisers see nothing wrong with Replacement theory? https://t.co/KBGNR0HEn4
— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) April 13, 2021
Tucker Carlson doubles down on his belief in replacement theory: “Demographic change is the key to the Democratic party’s political ambitions. In order to win and maintain power, Democrats plan to change the population of the country.” pic.twitter.com/sOhbjRISxH
— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) April 13, 2021
But at least Fox News has Tucker’s back.
(Via CNN)