Random Letters: 8-20-20

Boycott Fox

I call it the Fox-Trump Conspiracy Cycle. It’s vicious, it summarizes the last four years really well, and it goes a little something like this …

Fox News recites right-wing conspiracy theories, often pulled off the internet.

Trump repeats Fox News talking points to the press.

Fox News invites Trump on air to repeat talking points.

Right-wing groups post Trump-Fox clips on Facebook and Twitter.

Facebook and Twitter’s mysterious algorithms serve this content to people who are most susceptible to racism and misinformation.

Right-wing conspiracy theories spread like wildfire on the internet.

Lather, rinse, repeat. Fox, Trump, Fox, social media — it’s viral conspiracy-theory gold.

Just last week, Trump called into Fox News with a dangerous lie that trivialized the very real threats the pandemic poses to children. This time, Facebook and Twitter took steps to block the Trump-Fox clip (after millions of people had already seen the video),1 but nothing could stop it from spreading across the internet and our media system. Some may try to dismiss Fox News as a fringe network, but let’s be clear: Fox’s ratings are consistently high and its audience is only growing.

The network’s audience is primarily made up of the 80+ demographic, a group at extremely high risk from COVID-19, which the network has downplayed all year. But last week, Fox announced that since the pandemic hit, it’s seen a surge in younger viewers — helping it lure new advertisers to back its toxic brand of racism and disinformation.

MyPillow, a top advertiser on Tucker Carlson Tonight, has made it clear that the notoriously racist Fox News host can say whatever he wants, but what about Google, Dell, TalkSpace and Samsung?

Fox’s toxicity could cost lives — any company whose advertising dollars are propping up the network should know that they are enabling the spread of hatred and disinformation.

Candace Clement, Freepress.net

Setting the Record Straight

This past week, as my staff and I were delivering city services, providing food to those in need, and working on solutions to homelessness, a local TV personality ignited “The Lie Heard Round the World” and it likely made it to your computer or television screen.

 I am writing to let you know it is absolutely and demonstrably false.

Last week, an on-air personality at Fox 11 tweeted what he claimed was proof that I have repeatedly called LAPD to respond to my home, often to protect me from protesters. That is absolutely false. His so-called evidence showed nothing of the sort. LAPD has confirmed I have not asked for patrols or special protection, and have never called 911. And I have written documentation specifically asking LAPD not to send units to my home, noting that officers have far better things to do.

It is a lie, and it has had remarkable legs, making its way to local media, British tabloids, and the Fox News Channel. You can read the truth and see all the details discrediting this false report at this link. You can also see the LAPD letter debunking the report there, too.

This false report coincides with recent attacks on me by the local police union, which has been upset with me since I challenged them for advocating slashing vital city services and even reducing neighborhood patrols by 200,000 hours, in order to pay for their raises. And when George Floyd was murdered, and hundreds of thousands of Angelenos took to the streets calling for reimagining how we provide for public safety and keep our neighborhoods safe, I supported that call. The attacks from the police union, including a mailer that many of you received in your homes recently, is meant to send a message to all elected officials: Question the police union at your own peril.

I refuse to be bullied or intimidated. I promised you when I first ran in 2013 that I would always do what I felt was right and that together we would move Los Angeles forward, do good, and get things done. No police union, no shoddy journalist, no false and malicious rumor will get me to break that promise to you.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, Venice, 11th District

Rep. Gohmert Pyle (R-Tx)

Lunatic fringe fascist fool Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is without a doubt the dumbest, most worthless member of Congress, and considering the laughably low intelligence level of the average lazy Republican racist officeholder these days, that’s really saying something!  Rep. Gohmert is an imbecile and a sick scumbag, not to mention corrupt.

Lamebrain Louie Gohmert needs to resign from office immediately and begin preparing his legal defense against the multiple lawsuits headed his way for Gohmert maliciously forcing his staff members (by forbidding them from wearing masks or from working at home) and his colleagues (by Gohmert refusing to wear a mask while at work) to become infected with Gohmert’s COVID-19 disease, all because whiny little clueless conservative crybaby Gohmert the goofball has apparently been taking his medical advice from traitor Trump’s White House witch doctor named Dr. Demon Seed.

Resign, Louie Gohmert — you’re an idiot!  And if dishonorable dimwit Louie the loser isn’t man enough to resign, just vote the Moscow-loving moron out of office on November 3rd right along with Gohmert’s god Donald Trump otherwise better known as Vladimir Putin’s puppet.  Send sick psycho Louie Gohmert and his partner in crime demonic Donald Trump to Russia where those anti-American bigots belong.

Jake Pickering, Arcata, Calif.