I have to admit, the very first short video I saw looked like it could have been the Catholic students harassing the Native American man. But I didn't comment about it. I kept doing my regular reading and tweeting, etc., and then more and more videos became available, and more information became available, and then there was a backlash against the backlash.
It turns out, for one thing, that the so-called Native American "Elder," Nathan Phillips, is not a Vietnam veteran. This Aint' Hell, the military blog, put in official requests to get government confirmation of Phillips' military service. See, "Nathan Phillips – “Vietnam Times” Veteran." Now, though, the Washington Post is correcting its initial story on the controversy, saying in fact that Phillips did not serve in Vietnam.
It's a big deal.
On Twitter:
— Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) January 22, 2019
Does this constitute as "Stolen Valor?" https://t.co/c9CuHhxa7Chttps://t.co/5IZwVQGqv5 pic.twitter.com/pBAz8gvKl1— Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) January 22, 2019
According to CNN transcripts, Nathan Phillips stated he was a Vietnam veteran, twice.https://t.co/5r5c1HRRpJ— Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) January 22, 2019
Apparently, according to the video of the interview on CNN's website, one of the instances he actually says he's a "Vietnam times veteran."— Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) January 22, 2019
Don't know about the 2nd instance.
Here's an archived version of the transcripts, in case CNN stealth edits.https://t.co/KCF77b4SHm
The CNN chyron of the video also shows the alleged quote. pic.twitter.com/68hYWjjshX— Alex VanNess (@thealexvanness) January 22, 2019
IT’S ALL FAKE NEWS!!— 'Sources Say' is Greek for 'Fake News' (@NolteNC) January 22, 2019
“Correction: Earlier versions of this story incorrectly said that Native American activist Nathan Phillips fought in the Vietnam War. Phillips served in the U.S. Marines from 1972 to 1976 but was never deployed to Vietnam.” https://t.co/0er03FmZco
LIAR----> It Gets Worse: Far Left Activist Nathan Phillips Told Reporters He Served in Vietnam in 1976 -- US Withdrew in 1973! https://t.co/IW53aHHegt via @gatewaypundit— Jim Hoft (@gatewaypundit) January 22, 2019
Okay, as you also may know, this story has just dominated Twitter for days, and for me it was overwhelming keeping up with all the different reports and hot takes. Your mileage may vary.
In any case, see Robert Stacy McCain, "Lessons From an Online Lynching (Why #StandWithCovington Is Going Viral)."
And at Reason, Robby Soave did his homework, watching hours of video, to post a smackdown debunking over the weekend. See, "The Media Wildly Mischaracterized That Video of Covington Catholic Students Confronting a Native American Veteran." Also, "If You Still Think Nick Sandmann’s Smile Is Proof of Racism, You’re Seeing What You Want to See.
Neo-Neocon has been doing awesome stuff on this, but see in particular, "The Covington chronicles: on hating the face of a teenage boy." And she's linked by Ed Driscoll, at Instapundit, "NEO: Nathan Phillips and the surprise video."
Although these kind of lynch mob stories aren't new, this whole thing for me has been extremely clarifying. Twitter is a radioactive dump of hatred and lies, and as the site's run by leftists, it won't get better. I don't use any other social media, so I begrudgingly continue to use it, even though it sucks.
And of course no amount of factual truth seems to change minds in our extremely ideologically polarized era. And it's interesting, because I keep hearing people say, "talk to each other; listen to the other side." But talking to each other is only helpful if the "other side" is open to what you have to say. I work with radical leftists. They have their narrative and they don't budge. If you get on the wrong side of them, especially in any official capacity, they can be merciless, even using the power of the state to coerce compliance with the leftist agenda (the school hired lawyers to investigate me for disciplining a black student at one point). It's bad.
Check this leftist's thread for the perpetuation of the left's diabolical narrative, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary:
I've been watching videos all day. I have one thing to say (in a bunch of tweets, so hold on): The videos BACK UP/STRENGTHEN Mr. Nathan Phillips' account of what happened toward the conclusion of the #IndigenousPeoplesMarch on Saturday. They also reveal how it all happened. 1/— Lisa Sharon Harper (@lisasharper) January 21, 2019
So again, it's been clarifying. If you're a Trump supporter leftists want to destroy you. They literally want to kill you. (See Uncle Shoes on Twitter, for example, a guy who wants to burn down Covington Catholic High School, with all the kids inside.)
More later. (*Sigh.*)
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