Rita Panahi: Hypocrisy in media’s coverage of domestic terrorists

When any assailant clearly holds so-called “progressive” values, even when there is a long history of online activism, the media are uninterested in the motives behind the crime.

In the eyes of the media some domestic terrorists are more equal than others.

If the offender can be linked to anything on the Right of the political spectrum, however tenuously, then the case is guaranteed to receive saturation coverage.

The ideology is held as responsible as the offender.

There’s a deep dive into what ‘radicalised’ the assailant as well as an all out effort to smear prominent people from the Right.

There is much talk about irresponsible rhetoric inflaming tensions and inciting violence.

The mental health of the offender becomes less important than what YouTube videos they may have watched.

But when the assailant quite clearly holds so-called “progressive” values, even when there is a long history of online activism, the media are uninterested in the motives behind the crime.

Witness the coverage the Kyle Rittenhouse shooting received compared to the car-ramming of Darrell Brooks.

The former had extensive coverage with the 17-year-old endlessly defamed as a racist murderer despite video of the shootings showing he acted in self-defence.

Kyle Rittenhouse endlessly defamed as a racist murderer despite video of the shootings showing he acted in self-defence. Picture: AFP.

Darrell Brooks allegedly used his SUV to plough into a Christmas Parade in Wisconsin killing six people. Picture: Supplied

He should’ve never been charged and a jury ultimately found him not guilty late last year.

Just a couple of days after that verdict, Brooks the BLM loving career criminal who spouted black nationalist rhetoric, allegedly used his SUV to plough into a Christmas Parade in Wisconsin killing six people, including an eight-year-old, and seriously injuring more than 60 others.

The crime received scant coverage. No examination of his race obsession or hatred of whites, no deep dive into what may have influenced his worldview.

This week the Brooklyn subway shooter story was quickly dropped as the lead item in news services when the alleged offender, Frank James, was found to be yet another racist, identity politics-obsessed miscreant with an online history of mouthing off about racial politics, slavery and climate change.

If he’d posted a pro-Trump meme in the past five years his face would be plastered on front pages around the world and leading the nightly news.

In recent years there’s been a spate of attacks by assailants with anti-white and/or antisemitic views including Nation of Islam devotee Noah Green who killed Capitol Police officer William Evans in 2021 and Black Hebrew Israelite supporter David Anderson who killed five people in 2019.

There are many others: Micah Johnson, Gavin Long and Kori Muhammad.

If none of those names ring a bell but you’ve heard of Rittenhouse then ask yourself why.