The Media Bias No One Is Talking About

The Media Bias No One is Talking About

The mainstream media has historically tried to balance left and right in its political coverage, and present what it views as a reasonable center.

That may sound good in theory. But the old politics no longer exists and the former labels “left” versus “right” are outdated. 

Today it’s democracy versus authoritarianism, voting rights versus white supremacy. There’s no reasonable center between these positions, no justifiable compromise. Equating them is misleading and dangerous.

You hear the mainstream media say, for example, that certain “Republican and Democratic lawmakers are emerging as troublemakers within their parties.” These reports equate Republican lawmakers who are actively promoting Trump’s big lie that the 2020 election was stolen, with Democratic lawmakers who are fighting to extend health care and other programs to help people. 

These are not equivalent. Trump’s big lie is a direct challenge to American democracy. Even if you disagree with providing Americans better access to health care, it won’t destroy our system of government. 

You also hear that both sides are gripped by equally dangerous extremism. Labeling them “radical left” and “radical right” suggests that the responsible position is somehow between these so-called extremes. 

Can we get real? One side is trying to protect and preserve voting rights. The other side is trying to suppress votes under the guise of “election integrity.”  

But there isn’t and never was a problem of “election integrity.” The whole issue of “election integrity” in the 2020 election was manufactured by Donald Trump and his big lie about voter fraud, and was bought and propagated by the Republican Party. 

Today’s Republican Party is behind what historians regard as the biggest attack on voting rights since Jim Crow, but the media frames this as a right-versus-left battle that’s just politics as usual. Equating the two sides is false and dangerous.

Or compare the coverage of Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, on one hand, with the coverage of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar on the other. You’d think they were all equally out of the mainstream, some on the extreme right, some on the extreme left. That’s bunk. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, in addition to spreading dangerous conspiracy theories, harassing colleagues, and promoting bigotry, don’t actually legislate or do anything for their constituents. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar both organize to help everyday people, deliver for their constituents, and have pushed legislation to provide universal school meals, expand affordable housing, and combat the climate crisis.

Equating all these lawmakers suggests that the responsible position is halfway between hateful, delusional conspiracy theories on the one hand, and efforts to fight white supremacy, save the planet, and empower working people on the other. 

It’s similar to what the media did following Donald Trump’s infamous condemnation of “both sides” after the deadly violence sparked by neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. In the ensuing weeks, America’s six top mainstream newspapers used just as much space condemning anti-Nazi counter-protesters as they did actual neo-Nazis.

But research shows white supremacists pose a significantly graver threat than those trying to stop them. White supremacists are animated by racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, and other forms of bigotry, violence and hate. 

Battling white supremacy is not the same as advocating it. Passing laws to prevent voter suppression is not the same as passing laws to suppress votes. Fighting for our democracy is not the same as seeking to destroy it. 

The media equating both sides, one “left” and one “right,” suggests there’s a moderate middle between hate and inclusion, between democracy and proto-fascism. 

This is misleading, dangerous, and morally wrong. Don’t fall for it.

Contact Your Senator — Freedom & Opportunity For All Coalition

Right now, Congress has the power to pass landmark legislation that would win key anti-discrimination protections for millions of Americans. What can you do to join the fight?

1️⃣ Click the link 2️⃣ Contact your senator 3️⃣ Tell them to #PassTheEqualityAct  

this next cup of coffee will fix me

ASAN Statement on Updated Autism Diagnosis Numbers

Today, the Centers for Disease Control released the Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Monitoring (ADDM) Network report. This report estimates how many autistic 8 year olds there are in certain areas of the country. The report shows that better recognition of autism and continued efforts to redu

Today, the Centers for Disease Control released the Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Monitoring (ADDM) Network report. This report estimates how many autistic 8-year-olds there are in certain areas of the country. The report shows that better recognition of autism and continued efforts to reduce racial and gender disparities have caused rates of diagnosis to continue to rise. There is still more work to do to address the remaining disparities in diagnosis, and more work to do to ensure autistic people in all communities receive the support we need.

The report released today uses data gathered in 2018. This research reviewed records of 8-year-old children in 11 communities across the United States. The report released today shows that the rate of autism diagnosis has increased to 1 in 44 children, or 2.3 percent of the children surveyed. This is an increase from earlier reports, which estimated that 1 in 54 children were diagnosed with autism.

ASAN is not surprised to see the diagnosis rate increase. We believe this increase reflects better recognition and diagnosis of autism across the U.S. We know that many disparities in diagnosis have become smaller, and we know that children were evaluated earlier in some places and later in others. We expect that diagnosis rates will continue to rise as we work to address diagnostic disparities and improve access to diagnosis and support. 

Unfortunately, the report shows that while some improvements have been made, diagnostic disparities continue to be a major issue for autistic people of marginalized races, ethnicities, and genders. The report showed that Hispanic children were less likely to be diagnosed than white children. Black children were more likely to also be diagnosed with an intellectual disability compared to white or Hispanic children, reflecting a longstanding history of racism in how Black children with disabilities are labelled. Children assigned female at birth were less likely to be diagnosed than children assigned male at birth. Researchers, clinicians, and policymakers must work to end these disparities and remove bias from the diagnostic process.

The results of this report also make clear the need for improved study of rates of autism diagnosis in adults. While improvements in early diagnosis are important, substantial disparities remain. Autistics of color and those who are assigned female at birth are less likely to receive early diagnoses, meaning that a survey of 8-year-olds gives an incomplete picture of the autistic community. Surveying adults can provide a clearer picture of how frequently early diagnoses are missed, demonstrate the need for adult services, and help to correct misconceptions by demonstrating that autism is just as common among adults as children.

Autism is not a bad thing, and autistic people, of all races, genders, and ages have always been here. The ADDM report represents an encouraging sign that our diagnosis practices are catching up to that reality. This is good news for the many autistic people who have been overlooked in the past, and can now get the recognition and support they need.

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network seeks to advance the principles of the disability rights movement with regard to autism. ASAN believes that the goal of autism advocacy should be a world in which autistic people enjoy equal access, rights, and opportunities. We work to empower autistic people across the world to take control of our own lives and the future of our common community, and seek to organize the autistic community to ensure our voices are heard in the national conversation about us. Nothing About Us, Without Us!

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Storer House, from Wallworks (1988)