Occasionally, a Fox News media personality actually acts on his/her conscience and displays ethical journalism. We love it when that happens, for two reasons:
- It restores our faith in humanity when even our staunch opponents show some common sense and intelligence.
- It validates our opinion (based on facts) that the right wing media is bogus and unethical.
Well and there is also the third reason: we do enjoy saying “told you so” to our conservative friends.
With the recent Ebola hysteria, Fox News’ Shepard Smith has stepped up to the plate for ethical journalism. In a recent segment, he absolutely BLASTED media outlets and personalities — and politicians — who are stirring up the fear and paranoia that we’re seeing surround the Ebola “outbreak.”
“You should have no concerns about Ebola at all. None. I promise.?Do not listen to the hysterical voices on the radio and the television or read the fear-provoking words online. The people who say and write hysterical things are being very irresponsible.”
He explained:
“We do not have an outbreak of Ebola in the United States. Nowhere. We do have two healthcare workers who contracted the disease from a dying man. They are isolated. There is no information to suggest that the virus has spread to anyone in the general population in America. Not one person in the general population in the United States.”
He straight up said that there are politics involved here.
“You have to remember that in the middle of all of this, there is politics in the mix. With midterm elections coming, the party in charge needs to appear to be effectively leading. The party out of power needs to show that there is a lack of leadership.”
“For the purpose of this fact dissemination exercise, those matters are immaterial. Again, these are the facts. We do not have an outbreak of Ebola in the United States, nowhere.”
He clarifies that we have two healthcare workers who contracted the disease from a dying man and they are isolated.
“There is no information to suggest that the virus has spread to anyone in the general population in America.”
Smith stressed, “I report to you with certainty this afternoon that being afraid at all is the wrong thing to do.”
He said that much of the media coverage of Ebola is?”counterproductive” and?”lacks basis in fact or reason.”
Shepard Smith?notes that while Ebola is definitely a serious problem in West Africa, and very concerning for the victims and their families here in the U.S.,?he pleads?with media outlets to put a stop to?fear-mongering about Ebola in the U.S.
“Someday there may be a real panic. Someday, something may start spreading that they can’t control. And then, do you know what we’re gonna have to do? We’re gonna have to relax and listen to leaders. We’re not gonna panic when we’re supposed to and we’re certainly not gonna panic now. We have to stop it.”
Note that Smith misspoke at the 4:10 mark when he said “Two healthcare workers have died in Texas.” This is not correct information, as most of us know. Smith made it clear earlier in the segment?that, “We do have two healthcare workers who contracted the disease from a dying man. They are isolated.”
This is powerful. It’s good to see that when things get real, there are people who will step up and say ‘ENOUGH!”
Watch the video below.
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Tiffany Willis is a fifth-generation Texan and the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?like her?Facebook page,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has?a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.
