Appalachia Discovers Basic Human Decency, Media Calls It 'Leftist Protest'
When 135 people gather in Boone, North Carolina to denounce 'Trump’s mass deportation regime,' as The Intercept notes, the mainstream narrative struggles. Instead of recognizing a broad rejection of dehumanizing policies, it’s labeled a 'leftist protest.' This framing conveniently ignores the historical precedent of communities defending neighbors against state-sanctioned cruelty, regardless of
political affiliation. It's almost as if empathy, when it challenges state power, must immediately be cordoned off as 'fringe'. The media's surprise at 'real' America (read: not coastal elites) rejecting cruelty is telling. It implies that mass deportations are the natural order, and any opposition is an anomaly. One might wonder if their shock would be less pronounced if the protests were
against, say, aid to Israel—then perhaps the 'real' America narrative would shift to allegations of antisemitism, not merely 'leftism'. How many times must ordinary people stand up for basic rights before it's simply called 'American,' not 'protest'?