The Right-Wing Ran Absolutely Wild on the US-Canada Border Car Crash

[ck4829]

Last edited Thu Sep 12, 2024, 07:45 AM - Edit history (1)

On Wednesday, a well-to-do middle-aged couple died when their speeding Bentley crashed and exploded in a speculator fireball at a United States-Canada border crossing. But as is so often the case, this tragedy quickly dovetailed in real-time with right-wing misinformation about terror attacks and anti-immigrant bigotry.

It’s a playbook that’s unfortunately become extremely commonplace in the window that’s experienced following a major event.

As journalists and researchers waited for more information to become available, fringe-right users jumped at the chance to use the event to push agendas. X, Elon Musk’s platform formerly known as Twitter, used to have several guardrails including verification and strict moderation and was actually seen as useful in times of breaking news. Today it’s become practically unusable for verification and is a key vector for pushing misinformation.

Laura Loomer, a far-right personality, quickly declared the attack terrorism and went to work spreading the idea as far as she could. In long posts proliferated with all-caps, she called it “a terrorist attack today at the US-Canada border” and demanded the government do something about it. Robert Spencer, an anti-Muslim activist, pushed the notion that an Iranian passport was found at the scene ( the driver was from New York state.) Spencer did eventually correct the record, Loomer, however, did not.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkavmm/us-border-car-crash-ring-wing-misinformaiton

And presidential candidates joined in the fray too. Crazy.

[Mike Nelson]

1. I saw...

... at least one FOX "News" reader ask why Pete Buttigieg was not able to prevent the accident.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Even after their retraction, Fox was blaming the government for their own hysteria

Earlier in the day, Fox News reported that the crash was the result of an “attempted terror attack” that used a “car full of explosives.” The network later retracted the story.

Guest-hosting Wednesday’s edition of The Ingraham Angle, Chaffetz nonetheless used the wreck as a launching pad to attack the Biden administration’s border policies.

“Today’s explosion at the border – regardless of the motive behind it – is a chilling reminder that we’re all on high alert and living in a post-9/11 mindset, which means that our borders need to be secure,” he said. “We shouldn’t be living in fear. But that’s what the cluelessness in D.C. is forcing us to do. It’s having dire consequences on the safety of our nation and the psyche of the average American.”

As he spoke, the chyron read, “Rainbow Bridge Explosion A Warning Sign To America.”
...
“But at the bare minimum, wouldn’t we need to know who’s crossing into our country?” he went on. “Why are they here? Where are they going? What are they doing? These are not difficult questions if you have the political will to actually ask them? But, unfortunately, the leaders of today, including [Homeland Security] Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas, they aren’t willing to do it because they don’t have the political will to actually shut down the border. So, we don’t know exactly what happened at the explosion by Niagara Falls, and we need to know sooner rather than later.”

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-news-uses-border-car-crash-to-slam-white-house-even-after-network-retracted-report-saying-it-was-an-attempted-terror-attack/

That didn't stop a candidate for president of the United States from appearing on Fox News to promote an aspect of his platform: Building a border wall with Canada.

"I have been sounding the alarm bell about the northern border for a long time," said Vivek Ramaswamy during a lengthy interview about an incident he did not witness, was not a subject-matter expert on, and had no insight into.

"This is a mounting crisis. We're ignoring it."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/border-incident-erroneous-reporting-1.7036978

[doc03]

3. When I go to a public place I always look for an

Last edited Fri Nov 24, 2023, 06:21 PM - Edit history (1)

escape route. It is not because of terrorist, it is because of home grown nuts with guns.

[shrike3]

9. Amen. n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

10. Chaffetz Called It An Explosion

The video which was almost immediately available does not show an explosion. It shows a fire.
They didn't even bother with the most basic fact in the incident.
There was no "explosion".

[Mountainguy]

19. This

Plus lots of media were (and still are) calling it an explosion.

Cars' don't explode, even in severe crashes. They can go up in flames rapidly, but that's a very different thing as you pointed out.

[yardwork]

4. This is how they plan to win back the White House.

Fox News promotes the idea that the U.S. is living in a race war zone, and millions of white Americans are eating it up.

The message is simple - "our way of life is under attack, our cities are burning, Black people and immigrants are looting and destroying our businesses, and the useless Democrats - especially senile Joe Biden - aren't doing anything about it."

Watch them overcome their concerns about Trump and run to the polls to vote for him.

[ck4829]

5. Yep

[KS Toronado]

6. That's why we need to give them MORE "concerns about tRump"

[pwb]

7. Did they suggest more money for Northern border security?

No. They want all that money going South. Nothing to see at the Northern and coastline borders right pukes?

[Kennah]

8. Some here at DU were speculating terrorism, even though Gov. Hochul had announced it was not

[ck4829]

11. Yep, saw it too

[Kennah]

12. Although, I should draw a distinction

Much of what I read on DU said words to the effect of "This looks like terrorism" or "This is likely terrorism."

I think that is normal and natural, and Gov. Hochul herself said that the video looks like something created by AI.

The GOOP and their allies, Q and others, will continue with terrorist theories that involve Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, George Soros, and that everpresent bastard Hugo Chávez.

[niyad]

15. I really would like to talk with chavez, see if he will give tips

on how to have such an active and involved life on this plane after crossing over. I mean, even marley only hung around for a few minutes.

[ck4829]

13. Laura "Iranian Passports" Loomer

That’s her nickname now, because of this.

[niyad]

14. About passports found at scenes: Could somebody explain

to me the physics of pieces of paper remaining intact while vehicles and bodies and buildings and planes burn? And how said pieces of paper just happen to have fluttered out and away from conflagrations? I am reminded of the passports on 9/11.

[ck4829]

16. I can explain it

Has something to do with the solid waste of bovines.

[niyad]

17. ah, thank you. I knew I was missing something.

[ck4829]

18. The scary thing is I think the people who believed it then still believe it now

This is why we need to rally around the idea of discrediting Loomer and her ilk.