The idea that a single news outlet is a threat to national security is absurd, especially in a free nation where voters have literally dozens of mainstream and alternative news channels and websites to get news from.
However, common sense isn’t stopping far-left CNN contributor and Wired magazine contributing editor Garrett Graff from telling anyone who will listen that Fox News is just as bad as communist China’s Ministry of State Security. Yes, this is the same shady organization that has worked with hackers to steal commercial secrets from Western nations, detained foreigners and Chinese nationals on “national security” grounds, targeted dissidents and human rights activists, and more.
Graff shares several reasons why he thinks Fox News a dastardly threat to the United States, on part with China’s version of the CIA. First of all, he accuses the conservative news network of sharing only its version of events, leaving out opposing views and statements in favor of pushing a particular narrative. The accusation is simply laughable; if this charge alone makes a news organization a “national security threat,” every single agency in the United States today would be guilty of the crime.
Next, Graff asserts that the network’s “bombastic and overheated” rhetoric is backing accusations made by America’s foreign adversaries. Russia isn’t specifically named, but it’s sure to be at the forefront of Graff’s mind.
The third charge is perhaps the most serious: Fox News is misinforming voters so that these poor, unwitting individuals won’t be able to make informed choices when election time rolls around. This third statement should infuriate every single person in the United States, conservative and liberal alike. Graff obviously thinks voters, especially conservative ones, are too stupid to figure out truth from falsehood. In short, no-one should have the right to choose which news outlet to listen to, as selecting the wrong one would leave a person “unable to fulfill their most basic responsibilities as citizens.”
Garrett Graff goes on to claim that “Fox News is prepared to destroy America’s democratic traditions.” The statement itself makes it clear that Graff has no earthly idea what “America’s democratic traditions” are.
Top of the list is the First Amendment, which gives those living and working in the United States freedom of speech, belief, press, and assembly. Put in simple terms, America’s democratic traditions center on free speech. That means that one news network can focus on one story while ignoring another, share views that run contrary to politically correct viewpoints. Voters are then free to choose if they want to listen or ignore the station entirely. This freedom does not put America in danger — it keeps everyone safe, allowing them to live their lives as they choose.
When President Trump criticizes the media, journalists clamor about the importance of their career, noting that a free press is the cornerstone of a free nation. They’re absolutely right; the media is a necessary part of any nation that embraces basic human rights. However, this only holds true if all media outlets are treated as equal.
Labeling a news outlet as a “threat to national security” is absurd; the only type of news outlet that could ever be seen as such is a government mouthpiece operating in a nation without any other source of news. Such a situation does not describe the United States today. Contrary to far-left beliefs, Fox News is not putting America in danger just because it supports a President the Democrats hate.
