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Lowenna Waters
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The white nationalist behind last year's Charlottesville protests, Jason Kessler, has been given air time on NPR, much to listeners' disgust.
White nationalist and member of the alt-right, Kessler was invited onto NPR's morning programme to discuss the second white nationalist rally, 'Unite the right 2', which will be held in Washington DC on Sunday.
It was reported that Kessler was granted his permit to hold the rally in Washington DC on Thursday, which was approved by the National Park Service.
Last year's Charlottesville protest was organised by Kessler to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a confederate general. As a result of the protests, a 32-year-old woman Heather Heyer was killed, and more than a dozen people were injured.
We have chosen not to disclose the contents of the interview, because of its racist and abhorrent content.
Needless to say, the internet is disgusted by the fact that he was invited onto the programme.
Taking to Twitter, many people expressed their disgust.
Hey @NPR I really wish that you hadn’t given Jason Kessler a platform to spew his nonsense.— Nolan McLean (@Nolan McLean) 1533910445
@NPR I am LIVID that you gave Jason Kessler a platform today. Prefacing it with "this is racist" is not enough. What is wrong with you?!!!— enforce public health orders!!! (@enforce public health orders!!!) 1533910298
@NoelKing I'm sorry to say I found your interview with Jason Kessler deeply appalling. What possible good do you t… https://t.co/zkJ2dxkuaF— larspeter (@larspeter) 1533909591
Some defended the right of the station to platform Kessler, however said the interviewer should have been harder on him.
Putting Jason Kessler on the air is legitimate as part of a news story, and NPR is funded in part by tax dollars. P… https://t.co/DMgVaCmPqU— Harold Itzkowitz (@Harold Itzkowitz) 1533909387
While others thought the interview took him to task.
Critical solidarity with NPR reporters making Jason Kessler look like a complete idiot on national radio #A12— Demand Utopia 🌻☀️💚 (@Demand Utopia 🌻☀️💚) 1533910325
Most were disgusted that his view was presented as a counterpoint to 'Black Lives Matter'.
Up this morning and aghast to hear @NPR giving white supremecist jason kessler a platform to spew hate and bullshit… https://t.co/Db5rKE49sM— Erica Sackin (@Erica Sackin) 1533903588
.@NPR is also telling on itself by presenting #BlackLivesMatter as the ideological “Other side” to white nationalis… https://t.co/CGaAoHX5bp— Karen Attiah (@Karen Attiah) 1533905757
While others said that the very fact he had been given a platform was a symptom of white privilege in the media.
In a statement, NPR defended its decision to platform Kessler. A spokesperson told Indy100:
Interviewing the people in the news is part of NPR’s mission to inform the American public, it does not mean NPR is endorsing one view over another.
Our job is to present the facts and the voices that provide context on the day’s events, not to protect our audience from views that might offend them.
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