Satirical News Site Threatens Legal Action Against Fact Checker
Cory Booker Earns Four Pinocchios Over Voter Suppression Claims
August 4, 2019
Mika Brzezinksi And Dana Loesch Are Fighting On Twitter And You Need To Know About It With Me.
August 4, 2019For proof that we live in a post-truth world, see the headline.
Babylon Bee is a satirical news site with a conservative and Christian bent under the direction of Seth Dillon. It’s a masterpiece, but I suspect that many of you already know that. I’m given to understand that there’s a lot of overlap between Babylon Bee readers and the COTR base. Because y’all are smart.
You know who’s not? Snopes, apparently. They have a long history of fact-checking articles from the Babylon Bee, with pieces by The Onion for good measure, because the concept of satire is apparently lost on them. And, as amusing as it is to imagine someone trying to patiently explain to your tech-illiterate aunt that no, Hillary Clinton isn’t demanding reparations for candidates who lost to Trump, it’s actually a really bad thing. But don’t take my word for it. Take the founder of Babylon Bee, Adam Ford’s:
And here is the Bee article they say they're "fact-checking": https://t.co/btfUocCdi5
/2
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
Just in the subtitle of this "objective fact check" they've veered toward pronouncing a moral judgment, assigning motives, and presuming to dictate — to one of the most popular satire sites on the planet — what does and does not count as satire.
/4
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
Next: The third paragraph … this paragraph! Just look at it!
An "apparent attempt to maximize the online indignation"? What a subjective and malicious statement!
This is a "fact check"?
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
Also, imagine the type of ideological bubble one must live in to think that what Chick-fil-A is "known for" is "its CEO’s opposition to same-sex marriage." It's the most beloved fast-food chain in the country!
This is a "fact check"?
/8
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
Onward:
Now this sentence is quite troubling. Describing the Bee article as a "ruse."
Let me define "ruse" for you: "an action intended to deceive someone."
Now that's an accusation.
/10 pic.twitter.com/LPic2QeN32
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
They fundraise off of fear of misinformation and sell shirts emblazoned with "#facts," "Facts on facts," "Check your sources," and "Only you can prevent fake news." https://t.co/sEsSAbaDCE
/12 pic.twitter.com/Nnoo7Pspsn
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
They've ascribed dark motives to the Bee while laughing off Onion fact-checks like HAHAA GUYS, "of course" it's satire! OF COURSE! Some readers just got confused, y'know!
/14 pic.twitter.com/OJGMPcqGM6
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
The Bee has been "Snoped" plenty of times before (and had to endure Facebook purgatory once because of it). But what they've written this time certainly seems like an attempt to delegitimize and demonize an important satirical outlet, and that is totally unacceptable.
/16
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
So @snopes: I suggest you fix this article, and I suggest you fix your operation.
/End
— Adam Ford (@Adam4d) July 25, 2019
Alright I know that’s a lot of tweets, but it’s important. It’s a crystal clear example and explanation of the blatant bias of “impartial” publications. And comedy– satire in particular– is inherently rooted in power structures, and the upset of those power structures. To stifle it is authoritarian. Which is why the Bee is fighting it:
Snopes is using social media’s purge of fake news to destroy satirical publications they don’t like. pic.twitter.com/EEwiyjABIM
— Tsukkomi (@ljenkins314) July 30, 2019
Godspeed, Babylon Bee.
