'Defund NPR' Trends on Twitter After Outlet Adds Gross Comments to Declaration of Independence
National Public Radio dragged the Declaration of Independence through the mud in a Twitter thread on the Fourth of July. But if they wanted to discredit the founding document among ordinary Americans, they failed miserably.
NPR has an annual tradition of tweeting the Declaration in its entirety on Independence Day. This year they decided to add their own comments beforehand.
“245 years ago today, leaders representing 13 British colonies signed a document to declare independence,” the thread began. “It says ‘that all men are created equal’ — but women, enslaved people, Indigenous people and many others were not held as equal at the time.”
? 245 years ago today, leaders representing 13 British colonies signed a document to declare independence.
It says “that all men are created equal” — but women, enslaved people, Indigenous people and many others were not held as equal at the time. https://t.co/dtE0z2Uabc
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2021
In this thread of the Declaration of Independence, you can see a document with flaws and deeply ingrained hypocrisies.
It also laid the foundation for this country’s collective aspirations — the hopes for what America could be. pic.twitter.com/znLSGKWLaj
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2021
“The document also includes a racist slur against Indigenous Americans. Author David Treuer, who is Ojibwe, says there is a lot of diversity of opinion and thought among Native Americans — a community of more than 5 million people — about the document’s words,” the thread continued.
“In this thread of the Declaration of Independence, you can see a document with flaws and deeply ingrained hypocrisies. It also laid the foundation for this country’s collective aspirations — the hopes for what America could be.”
The commentary went over like a lead balloon on Twitter.
“Taxpayer-funded national self-loathing,” The Federalist contributor Benjamin Weingarten tweeted.
Taxpayer-funded national self-loathing https://t.co/HhVPB8ymQs
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) July 7, 2021
Many users took a similar tone, calling for the federal government to stop funding NPR.
“The Declaration of Independence requires what is essentially a trigger warning at the start to let people know that they’re about to read something offensive. At least according to NPR,” Inez Stepman wrote. “Defund NPR.”
The Declaration of Independence requires what is essentially a trigger warning at the start to let people know that they’re about to read something offensive. At least according to NPR. Maybe we should add a similar rider to our tax dollars. Defund NPR. https://t.co/uT6mrWBh2C
— Inez Stepman ⚪️?⚪️ (@InezFeltscher) July 5, 2021
Defund NPR – an Anti American outlet funded by American taxes.
— Blair Brandt (@BlairBrandt) July 4, 2021
Defund NPR https://t.co/POqAmzQLYy
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) July 4, 2021
According to Blaze Media, so many users chimed in that “defund NPR” started trending on Twitter.
NPR is part of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private non-profit founded by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967 that receives federal funding.
The outlet has been a frequent target of criticism in recent years for its left-leaning slant, and the desire to cut it off from taxpayer dollars is nothing new.
Sentiment toward the Fourth of July — and American history in general — has grown increasingly negative, as leftists push to focus on the darkest parts of our country’s past.
America obviously has a fraught history, but there is a line to be drawn between recognizing past faults and harboring full-blown animosity for one’s own country.
NPR and other establishment media outlets are not-so-subtly trying to breed disdain for America altogether. It’s encouraging to see that some Americans aren’t having any of it.
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