CNN has suspended a reporter for having the nerve to point out on Twitter that the House vote to put up more barriers keeping Syrian refugees out of this country is shameful. CNN global correspondent Elise Labott’s tweet didn’t single out a political party. It simply said, “House passes bill that could limit Syrian refugees. Statue of Liberty bows head in anguish.”
This is a bill, remember, that got the votes of 47 Democrats. While it was clearly pushed and passed by Republicans, it wasn’t a straightforward partisan vote. Labott was commenting on the policy itself, on the sight of the United States House of Representatives passing a bill saying that refugees from a vicious war are so frightening that 18 to 24 months of screening isn’t enough. And a reporter criticizing it off-air earns a two-week suspension, while this is happening on the air. Interviewing a member of the French organization Collective Against Islamophobia:
CNN co-host John Vause responded, “If your camp is the French camp, then why is it that no one with the Muslim community knew what these guys were up to?”
“Sir, the Muslim community has nothing to do with these guys. Nothing. We cannot justify ourselves for the actions of someone who claims to be Muslim,” Louati answered.
“Why not?” Vause cut in. “What is the responsibility within the Muslim community to identify what is happening within their own ranks when it comes to people who are obviously training and preparing to carry out mass murder.”
Yes, why didn’t you turn in people you didn’t know were planning a terrorist attack? I guess if Muslims can’t keep each other under close enough surveillance to make CNN hosts happy, the government will just have to do it. And by CNN standards, that’s fine and dandy—but expressing pain over the United States surrendering to fear and keeping out victims of war is worth suspension.
Labott has apologized, which she should never have faced pressure to do. CNN should be apologizing here.