Fox News is one of the most well-known news programs in the United States and it is known as a conservative, right-wing network. One of its most loyal viewers is President Donald Trump who often constructs tweets based on news stories the program covers that day. This is quite disturbing given the President's influence and the Fox New's tendency to utter many false, ridiculous statements on air. Here are five of the most ridiculous ones.
1. “Santa is white”
During a broadcast, former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly said, “For all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white. But this person is maybe just arguing that we should also have a black Santa. But, you know, Santa is what he is, and just so you know, we’re just debating this because someone wrote about it, kids.”
There are obviously many glaring problems with this statement given that Santa is, you know, not real and can be any race children want him to be. Since when did Fox News become the authority on Santa? Reindeer can pull him in a flying sleigh and the most unbelievable thing is that a black person can be Santa.
2. Bob Beckel denies that rape occurs on college campuses
Former analyst and Fox contributor Bob Beckel made headlines when in an appearance on the show “The Five”, he claimed that, “...rape doesn’t really happen on college campuses.” While there are many studies, such as this one from RAINN that directly contradict this, Beckel has held fast to this claim. The network has done little to adjust its stance on the issue with Brit Hume later claiming that liberals have created an “almost entirely false narrative” around the issue of campus rape. Being a college-aged woman with two working eyes and many female friends, I can tell you there is no false narrative
3. Erik Erickson claims women being the sole breadwinner is “anti-science”
On “Lou Dobbs Tonight”, conservative commentator Erik Erickson said, “When you look at biology, look at the natural world, the roles of a male and female in society, and the other animals, the male typically is the dominant role. The female, it's not antithesis, or it's not competing, it's a complementary role. We as people in a smart society have lost the ability to have complimentary relationships in nuclear families, and it's tearing us apart.”
Sorry, Erickson but this isn’t the 1950s. Women can work and have children and those children will grow up to be fine. In 2015, it was reported that 42% of working women were the primary or sole breadwinners of their household. If you relegate these women back to the position of the housewife, the economy will tank.
4. A host thinks people should profit from natural disasters
ox Analyst John Stossel wrote, “ Prices should rise during emergencies. Price changes save lives. That’s because prices aren’t just money — they are information.” As someone who had to evacuate for hurricane Irma, I can’t even begin to describe how insulting this is. No one should have to shell out thousands of dollars to escape a disaster that threatens their lives.
Natural disasters are also hardest on the poor and marginalized populations as seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. No one's life should be sacrificed at the expense of a company trying to make money.
5. Democrats made up sexual harassment
Here we are again with Fox and sexual harassment. In 2006, popular Fox News host Tucker Carlson said, “[Democrats] made up the concept of sexual harassment. ‘You look great today.’ Boom, I’m charging you with a crime. Do you know what I mean? It’s not a group I associate with fun. You want a sex scandal, the Republican party, baby, that’s where you go.” Sexual harassment is definitely not made up with one American being sexually assaulted every 98 seconds. I guess it's easier to blame an entire political party than the perpetrators themselves.