Is CNN host and SiriusXM personality Michael Smerconish changing his mind to suit today’s popular opinion? Is he a racist at heart while at the same time encouraging news networks to call out all racists?
Last week, Smerconish was called to task for saying the media should out anyone who anonymously promotes hatred, bigotry or racism after a WWE meme was tweeted by President Donald Trump that depicted the president body slamming the CNN logo. The anonymous Reddit user who reportedly created the meme apologized to the network and the network agreed to keep his identity unknown. Smerconish, however, felt he should have been named; his face and character plastered across media for all to see:
Because I thought that the image of — I’m no authority on HanAssholeSolo [the Reddit user’s pseudonym] — but the image that he tweeted of all the CNN personalities with Stars of David on their foreheads I thought was offensive and when they figured out who he was, I would have been comfortable — I would have been comfortable with them saying here’s who this knucklehead is. This is the guy who has posted these bigoted, racist, anti-Semitic posts.
Now for the juicy stuff!
In 2006, Smerconish published an article with the Huffpost which would have many leftists today stuttering and sputtering in outrage. He blatantly condones racial profiling, while saying “Let’s look for terrorists who look like terrorists.” Yes, you read that correctly. Straight out, no bones about it – we should go on a witch hunt for anyone resembling a terrorist. Should we hang first and ask questions later? Is everyone wearing a turban a suspect? According to Smerconish, these terrorists all have something in common:
Those who threaten us have similarities. In virtually every instance, they have race, gender, ethnicity, religion and appearance in common. Those characteristics should be considered as we seek to prevent terrorist strikes against the United States. Everyone needs to be screened, but some more than others. When the terrorists start looking like Thurston Howell, III, we will change accordingly.
Contradiction: Smerconish believes voter ID laws are racist.
In another article from Huffpost, Smerconish boasts about Pat Buchanan’s book, “State of Emergency,” and how the U.S. is basically being invaded by illegal immigrants. He lists a few “facts” from Buchanan, including this: “One in every 12 people breaking into the United States illegally has a criminal record.” Smerconish said that “those coming here are disproportionately poor, uneducated and criminal.”
The argument here is not to disparage Smerconish’s views on immigration, but rather to process at the same time his response to the WWE meme author as posting “bigoted, racist, anti-Semitic posts,” when his own posts and articles could be viewed as being very racist and hate inspiring. Saying we should look for people who look like terrorists seems a bit racist and bigoted, don’t you think? Claiming that immigrants coming to the U.S. are criminals doesn’t exactly inspire warm, fuzzy feelings.
Smerconish does deserve props for not hiding his views. There’s no reason to call him out for being silent or hiding in the wings with his political opinions. He is straight forward and to the point. However, apparently he doesn’t see his own words and posts as being racist, yet he calls out others saying their comments are “offensive.” As he said on his news program for CNN; “If he
Smerconish defends his comments and claims that he did not make the remarks just because the meme was directed at CNN personalities. “It’s that they’re victims of his bigoted spreading of false information,” he said.
Back that train up! Did he, a CNN personality himself, just say he was upset that people (not media, mind you) were spreading false information? That’s a whole other can of worms coming from a representative of the news conglomerate who has been slammed the past few months for doing exactly that.
So, back to the question: Is Smerconish changing his views to conform to current social pressure, or is he a racist? Guess that depends on who’s being asked. To the politically correct, easily offended leftist … absolutely. He may have appeased them slightly by claiming voter ID laws as racist, but it’s doubtful he won any brownie points with his remarks grouping together and judging all people who “look like terrorists.”
When it comes down to it, Smerconish says what he believes and isn’t shy about it. However, he should be careful where he casts his accusatory stones when his own remarks resemble those of the person at whom he points the finger of accusation.
