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> What Kimmel Said, and the affiliates broadcasted, was a claim that Charlie Kirk’s assassin was a “maga” supporter.

This is the actual quote:

"We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,"

Note that he doesn't say that the shooter was MAGA, only that those within the right wing influencer sphere were desperately trying to characterize the shooter as anything other than one of them. This is unambiguously and factually true.

I swear, media literacy in the united states is in the fucking toilet.





Really, literacy in generally is tanking in the US. In 2024 over half the adults in the country couldn't even read at a sixth grade level! 21% are outright illiterate.

> MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them

> Note that he doesn't say that the shooter was MAGA

then who does the "them" refer to?


"My wife wants to go for dinner but I'd like to eat anything other than fish."

Strongly implies the wife in the sentence wants to eat fish.

Anyone with a moderate grasp of English understands what Kimmel was implying.

"Trying to characterize him as anything other than one of them". <- The implication is definitely that he's "one of them".


That isn't the same and you know it. Kimmel made no direct comment about what the shooter was aligned with, only about what the right wing sphere was attempting to frame them as being. Anyone with a moderate grasp of English should be able to tell the difference.

>That isn't the same and you know it. Kimmel made no direct comment about what the shooter was aligned with, only about what the right wing sphere was attempting to frame them as being. Anyone with a moderate grasp of English should be able to tell the difference.

You're falling into the "trap." Which is that even though you're correct, the way it's being framed is having you defend Kimmel WRT what he did say rather than his right to say all kinds of stuff -- including the stuff they claim he said, but didn't.

Even if Kimmel had said that Robinson was absolutely a MAGAt with ties to literal neo-nazis (the groypers), that's still protected speech.

He didn't go that far (and it may or may not be true), but his right to free expression is what needs to be protected.

While you don't see it that way, the folks with whom you're arguing can come back later and say, "well, scheeseman486 agreed that if Kimmel had called Robinson a MAGA and/or a Nazi, that was a bridge too far. So now that Fallon/whoever said something similar, off to prison for him, because even those baby molesting/eating librul freaks agree!"

Don't fall into that trap. The Federal (and through the 14th Amendment, state and local) government is forbidden from taking action against legal speech, full stop.

Fight against that -- don't let yourself be hemmed in to a corner by those who don't want or care about freedom of expression unless it's theirs.


I was focused on that one specific argument. I agree that he shouldn't have been taken off the air by the FCC regardless of what he said (unless he explicitly encourages violent action against an individual or group of people be taken, ie illegal speech).

>I was focused on that one specific argument. I agree that he shouldn't have been taken off the air by the FCC regardless of what he said (unless he explicitly encourages violent action against an individual or group of people be taken, ie illegal speech).

I get that. I wasn't attacking you even a little. Yours was a reasonable and cogent argument.

I'm just pointing out that care should be taken with those who aren't operating in good faith. Because such folks will throw your words back in your face without regard for context or nuance.

Because they care nothing for the truth, just for their own feeling of rightness and will to power whether that be political power or just "pwning the libs."


> he doesn't say that the shooter was MAGA, only that those within the right wing influencer sphere were desperately trying to characterize the shooter as anything other than one of them. This is unambiguously and factually true.

I'll put it in the technically true but ambiguously misinformation category. (Which is on every metric better than what goes on at Fox.)


> technically true but ambiguous

which has been the backbone of satirical and scathing social and political commentary in the western world for 50 years at least.

The Daily Show, The -s30e102- 2025-09-18 Maria Ressa episode with Jon Stewart's monologue and interview went another way, "rolling over" completely into total Trump submission followed by drawing direct comparisons to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte popularist seizing of control of government.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Ressa

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodrigo_Duterte


Yup.

The number of people defending this makes me seriously wonder if we need a two-speed democracy. One class that is given safety. The other who is exposed to dangerous elements like Jimmy Kimmel…




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