Journalist Owen Jones stormed out of a live television interview about the mass killing in Orlando in protest at his interviewer’s refusal to name the shooting an attack on LGBT people.
“At the end of the day this was a homophobic hate crime, as well as terrorism and it has to be called out, as I have to say, on Sky News and lots of news channels, there’s not been many LGBT voices that I’ve heard myself," he said.
"[...] it is one of the worst atrocities committed against LGBT people in the western world for generations and it has to be called out as such,” he added.
Host Mark Longhurst interjected and said the crime had been carried out against “human beings” who were “ trying to enjoy themselves, whatever their sexuality."
[...]
Mr Jones fired back that Mr Longhurst "could not understand" as he was not gay. He also said the presenters were trying to "deflect" the homophobic element of the attack.
“I’m sorry, I just find this the most astonishing thing I’ve ever been involved in on television,” he said. “If he’d [Mateen had] walked into a synagogue and massacred dozens of Jewish people, you wouldn’t be saying what you’re saying now."
"You would be talking about it as an anti-semitic attack. This was a deliberate attack on LGBT people.”
As the co-panelists moved on to mention a commentator from gay rights group Stonewall, Mr Jones said: “I’ve had enough of this,” took off his microphone and left the set, admitting he was "upset".
I was watching Fox News and all they were referencing was the "possible" ISIS connection, he "may" have been in contact with ISIS, and fear mongering about radical Islam. I don't think they mentioned it was a gay club or the possible homophobic motivation once.
I was watching Fox News and all they were referencing was the "possible" ISIS connection, he "may" have been in contact with ISIS, and fear mongering about radical Islam. I don't think they mentioned it was a gay club or the possible homophobic motivation once.
Someone on twitter said it best. People will be forced to admit to themselves that they share a trait with someone who murdered 49 other people.
The fact a lot of western media is just using this to reinforce their islamophobia rather than condemn homophobia highlights that we still have a long way to go with our own tolerance.
Someone on twitter said it best. People will be forced to admit to themselves that they share a trait with someone who murdered 49 other people.
They do this everytime.
When the Charleston Massacre happened people tried to paint him as a lone lunatic who hated black people and refused to acknowledge the everyday racism that helped breed it. The same thing is happening here except the shooter is Muslim which is much easier to place the blame on him on a personal level than to look at society as a whole.
I think Owen pulled the "you're not gay, so you won't understand"-card a bit too early in the discussion? And his storming off set was a bit extra, but those other two clearly weren't getting the main point he was trying to make and were trying to push the motives somewhere else. I see why he was frustrated.
Why is there only one young person on the panel with those two fossils? I'm sick of hearing the ignorant, deflecting perspectives of dinosaurs to be very frank. People who are clearly out of touch with the horrible institutional structures set in place by privileged males or simply choose to ignore these structures really have no credibility in my eyes.
She did make a good point though. If the US watched a white man massacre 6 and 7 year olds at Sandy Hook and still refused to change gun laws, they never will.
good ****ing BYE ugh 
he did amazing.
