The saga about the New York Times profile on Dana Loesch continues. Earlier, the Washington Free Beacon’s Stephen Gutowski spoke out about the writer’s assumptions about pro-gun women. Now, RedState’s Ben Howe has come forward saying the NYT took his comments out of context.
So checkout this quote from me in the @nytimes concerning @dloesch. pic.twitter.com/Z9pnldWc65
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
I find the placement of this quote (the only one among an hours worth of conversation) to be very telling.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
One might read it and easily draw the conclusion that I was also talking about the videos from the preceding paragraph.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
It would then be easy to read what I said and think I was saying Dana laughs when she finds out that people are upset over them. And then on top of that figure out “who gets killed” because of them later
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
Of course, the liberal media would love a quote that backed up THAT narrative, now wouldn’t they?
This quote is actually from early in the phone call. She had asked when I first became aware of Dana and I’d mentioned seeing her on MSNBC cleaning @mtaibbi’s clock in 2010.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
I then mentioned that it had amused me then (and still does) that when she upsets some and they start yelling at her in those tv interviews “she laughs.”
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
It IS quite funny, especially when the person she’s talking to gets bent out of shape.
And went on to say something about how part of her appeal is that she jumps headfirst into those types of sparring matches and used a common phrase that indicates you will sort out the fallout of the tv argument later.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
The way she used this quote didn’t seem to bother Dana but it bothers the shit out of me. This was designed to appear a way that is not reflective of its intent.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
The interviewer was real nice to me on the phone. But I noticed a few times when she focused on certain things I said and I felt like she was trying to lead me somewhere but I didn’t let her.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
They call that “baiting” so that they get the answers they’re looking for.
But as is predictable, she purposefully chose to use my words in a way that suited the narrative she’d already chosen.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
Well, duh. She clearly went into the article with a point of view in mind…and it’s one that’s NOT favorable to gun rights advocates.
I know I’ll get all the Dana haters now, talking about what she “deserves.” Please expect to be ignored.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
Haters gonna hate.
I don’t appreciate purposefully being taken out of context to feed a narrative.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
Sadly, that’s what the New York Times and other liberal media outlets have been known to do.
That’s all.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
Oh, one more thing. If that WASN’T the writer’s intent then they’re just a really shitty writer with no understanding of segues. One or the other.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
Now those are some REAL fighting words, Ben.
Reaction is falling on typical partisan lines. People who regularly call @dloesch a murderer are suddenly saying my quote doesn’t indicate anything of the sort. https://t.co/Wr34gzFnWI
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
We all know who falls on what side of the line.
I’ll let my record on calling out bullshit from all sides speak for itself. I’m betting my take on bias is more credible than yours.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 24, 2018
Ben HAS made enemies on both sides of the aisle.
Interestingly enough, John Podhoretz, the New York Times’ Editor of Commentary, encouraged his followers to check out Howe’s thread.
Read this thread from @BenHowe https://t.co/cxnDxO3GIW
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) January 24, 2018
Makes you wonder…is he endorsing what Howe says?
Ben did receive some praise from people.
I read the thread. Thanks for sharing. I didn't like Dana's NRA video AND I don't want to see her or you misrepresented.
— Holding Together (@Mother_Oya) January 24, 2018
Even people who disagree with you can want you to be quoted fairly. Amazing, ain’t it?
Reading the quote as it is here makes me love Dana even more. Fearless.
— Denise McAllister (@McAllisterDen) January 24, 2018
She IS a fearless patriot.
Dude! High five bro, Dana loesch is cool I’ve seen her on the news a few times she’s not afraid to speak her mind.
— Bill-n-Ema Davis (@BillnEmaDavis) January 24, 2018
It’d be amazing if more people spoke what was on their mind instead of being afraid of receiving backlash. We could all stand to learn a thing or two from Dana.
There was some contention amongst Howe’s followers about whether or not he should have commented on this situation.
https://twitter.com/LarryWilson/status/956006355529330688
He said it. If you can’t comment on your own quote, then no one can.
— Atthe Beach (@atthebeach9) January 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/LarryWilson/status/956009792035852294
He didn’t write the article, he made a comment. His context may be different than authors. You don’t have to be a journalist to give a quote and you don’t have to be President to scream #FakeNews
— Atthe Beach (@atthebeach9) January 24, 2018
And then there were those idiots who automatically hate anyone even remotely in favor of gun rights.
https://twitter.com/DavidWooderson7/status/956008603353264131
Dana’s video isn’t “fear-mongering.” The video has ACTUAL footage from violence on the streets of America. Instead of being enraged that they used real footage, be enraged at the dumbasses who rioted and destroyed their own cities.
No civilized/decent person can defend the NRA and lack of reasonable gun control. (I own guns). The NRA is nothing more than a lobbyist group for gun manufacturers, they & the GOP have a LOT of blood on their hands.
This isn't right or normal: https://t.co/XQXCTdVrry— General Kanye_Trump. (Space Force)? (@Barack_McBush) January 24, 2018
Hey, “Kanye,” you might want to do a bit of research about the NRA and its members. The organization is 5 MILLION members strong. Are you seriously going to try and tell us that all of those 5 million people work for a gun manufacturer?
Yeah. Try again.
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