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MSNBC host Chris Hayes claimed on Wednesday night that the skyrocketing, out-of-control smash and grab thefts across the nation weren’t really that bad and that Fox News and conservative media were only reporting on it because they basically hate black people.
Hayes disingenuously accused Fox News of enthusiastically showing viewers footage of black people stealing merchandise from stores. He attempted to paint the network as being racist for simply reporting on crime.
“There is nothing that Fox loves more than surveillance footage of particularly black people stealing a thing. And they will run that 24/7 if they can,” he charged.
Hayes called the coverage of retail theft propaganda and totally dismissed that it has spiked in recent months in progressively controlled big cities in America where thieves are allowed to steal and released if and when they are arrested.
(Video Credit: MSNBC)
“One of the big themes of right-wing media and indeed a lot of media — local news as well this year — has been the narrative that America is awash in crime. Now It’s not totally detached from some real statistics that are quite unnerving. Murders jumped by nearly 30 percent, the largest single-year increase in 2020, that’s last year. The evidence we have so far points to homicides continuing to rise in 2021. So that’s real. And really bad. (…) right-wing media is constantly peddling what is, I think a completely propagandistic story, specifically about out-of-control retail theft,” he asserted.
So, on the one hand, Hayes did acknowledge that crime is way up. On the other, he seemed to be in complete denial that shoplifting and organized smash and grabs are also skyrocketing. The MSNBC host went on to play a montage of various Fox News hosts addressing the shoplifting epidemic in an effort to somehow excuse it. Then he trotted out three guests. One of them, Amanda Mull, is a writer for The Atlantic whom Hayes praised for an article she wrote on downplaying the shoplifting incidents.
Mull claims in her piece that comparing shoplifting rates to this time last year isn’t a fair comparison because of the lockdowns due to the pandemic. She then asserts that compared to two years ago, shoplifting incidents are actually down which stretches her credibility extremely thin.
As a retired loss prevention Director of a Fortune 500 company denial about organized retail theft (ORC) shows how far both parties have their heads buried in the sand. Go in any store in the US and talk to the manager. It is out of control.
— Jason (@Jason72983684) December 30, 2021
The liberal talking head’s other two guests were Tim Miller, who is a writer at large for The Bulwark, and former Democratic Congresswoman Donna Edwards.
Oddly enough, Miller appeared to sound almost sane when contributing on the panel by admitting “there are boarded-up buildings. And there has been an increase of crime.” Having said that, he did take a dig at Fox News, claiming they were blowing the elevated crime rate in California “out of proportion.” He commented, “Fox has used that as an excuse to kind of extrapolate this into a nationwide problem…”
Edwards posited that Republicans were pretty much lying about crime rates.
“Republicans are actually really good at constructing a narrative that really draws people in,” she said accusingly.
People are calling Hayes out on his BS:
The last Seattle attorney wouldn't charge any shoplifters. People here were so mad and tired of the crime we elected a Republican to replace him.
— 🇸🇪JM🇳🇴🏴☠️ (@IsConfefe) December 30, 2021
Your own network, NBC, covered this exact story like 2 weeks ago dude
— Ian Messmore (@IanMessmore) December 30, 2021
Wow. Surprised Psaki or the Anchors at CNN who talked about this topic and were quite alarmed, weren’t mentioned in your piece. Glad to know it’s no big deal to you.
— judy (@judy060709) December 30, 2021
The Gap and Banana Republic in our local mall are both closing because of excessive theft. My daughter works at PacSun in the same mall and she says theft is out of control. 🤷🏻♀️
— daughterofaveteran1 (@Fixthismess10) December 30, 2021
It’s true. Collateral damage from well-intended but overwrought criminal justice reforms. When CA reduced all but the most heinous crimes to misdemeanors, this is the outcome. Add in that the LA & SF D.A.s who won’t prosecute many crimes and it’s a recipe for disaster.
— NittanyLion (@Provolone123) December 30, 2021
Apples & oranges. The frightening videos are REAL, & retail stores have closed b/c of the violent “smash & grabs.” It’s wrong of you to compare the decrease in theft “in general” to this.
— Annie Capone 🟨⬜️🟪 (@anniebannany69) December 30, 2021
Considering video footage keeps appearing of insane levels of looting without repercussions they’re probably right
— Karl Robinson (@KarlRobinson02) December 30, 2021
No, it’s true. Retail stores were hit hard in my area (OC). Even the home Depot near my place was hit.
Nothing like this has ever happened before. Police had to stand by the door at most large retailers.— CopticUnorthodoxx (@CUnorthodoxx) December 30, 2021
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