Cross didn’t see the irony. Tiffany Cross lashed out at Donald Trump during the MSNBC’s opening minutes on Saturday. He was called “the Mangled Mussolini”. [whatever that’s supposed to mean]; “the VelveetaVoldemort” and “a wounded, cornered animal.”
The segment ends a little later. Cross invited Naureen Chowdhury Finnk to talk about the dangers of political polarization, incitement and violence. Though she pointed out right-wing extremism as her focus, her comments were actually universally applicable.
In particular, Chowdhury Fink said:
“One of the major concerns about all of this has been the kind of narratives that have been being published and incitement towards violence. As we have seen, this has happened around the globe, many times. We see one of the first steps towards violence as dehumanizing or otherwise otherizing.Group of people. It is important to understand and absorb all opinions. . . We need to be able have respectful, pluralist discussion.”
Naureen, you are right! Here’s the link: nothing says “dehumanizing” like literally describing your political opponent as an “animal!”
Also when it comes to “respectful debate,” it’s hard to top comparing an opponent to a leader of the genocidal WWII Axis powers, or to Voldemort, whom Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling described as “the most evil wizard for hundreds and hundreds of years.”
Naturally, Cross and Chowdhury Fink emphasized only the danger of violence coming from the left. It didn’t occur to them that Chowdhury Fink’s warnings as to what could provoke violenceAlso applicable to the left.
Imagine that Cross is telling an audience member who was young and impressionable, Donald Trump is the fascist dictator responsible to the deaths of millions of people and “most evil wizard” for many hundreds or hundreds of years. What should you do to such an evil, genocidal, person? He’s actually an animal, not a human being.
Tiffany, please allow your guests to provoke violence when they speak!
Note: Ever eager to demonstrate her hipness, Cross—who makes a point of dropping pop-culture phrases—opened the show by saying that “45 [i.e., Trump]”Has 99 Problems,” is a Jay Z song.
After insulting Donald Trump on MSNBC, Tiffany Cross is unaware that a guest warned her about the dangers of “dehumanizing and otherizing” people. This was in part sponsored by Colonial Penn, Abbott and DirecTV.
The transcript is here.
MSNBC’s Cross Connection
8/20/22
10:00 am EDTTIFFANY Cross: Hello everyone. Tiffany Cross welcomes you to Cross Connection. Well, 45 has 99 ProblemsThe truth is that it’s true.
Mussolini’s Mangled Mussolini According to Trump, he claimed to have a “standing order” to declassify documents which were taken out of the Oval Office. CNN hears from 18 former Trump aides and chiefs of staff that this is nonsense.
This is not good news. Velveeta Voldemort.
(…)
Maya, let me start by saying that Trump was convicted of multiple criminal and civil cases. You wonder if he will be held accountable for his actions, and what accountability looks like for someone in that position.
(…)
MAYA WILEY: If you consider how tightening the net in each of these different cases it is very hard to envision a situation in which at least one does not complete the deal.
(…)
CROSS: He is effectively a wounded animal that has to be cornered. Let’s see how he acts out.
(…)
How can we prepare as a nation? Particularly, what should law enforcement agencies be doing to prepare for the domestic, the number one domestic threat to this country, which is white supremacy? These people are part of groups that perpetuate such evils.
NAUREEN CHOWDHURY FINK (Thanks, Tiffany). One of the major concerns about all of this has been the kind of narratives that have been being published and incitement towards violence. We’ve witnessed this happening around the globe many times. One of the first signs of violence we observe is dehumanizing and otherizing people., right? That is part of the story of political polarization here in America.
(…)
Law enforcement can be a part of the solution, I believe. But politicians have an obligation to create a story that reflects what it was like to be a pluralist nation. It is important that we are able to accept different opinions.
Therefore, I believe politicians have a responsibility to remind citizens and their communities that It is important to allow for pluralistic, respectful debate.