We have heard nothing specific from Fox News on our email campaign soliciting an apology for Dr. Ablow’s statement on the Feb. 15 Fox & Friends that David Brock, the founder of Media Matters, was paranoid and obsessed with power because he was adopted. Dr. Ablow did publish the following statement.
David Brock, the founder of Media Matters for America, is not one of my patients. I have not interviewed him, and I would never hazard a diagnosis of him. He is, however, a public and influential person whose [behavior] may be best seen through a psychological lens.
Ablow then goes through a lengthy recital of things in Brock’s past that he thinks indicate paranoia and a need for power, and concludes by acknowledging that he has “no idea what may have led David Brock to such apparently fundamental self-doubt and possible self-hatred.”
I suppose it is a victory of sorts that he pointedly omits the one thing he said in his on air statement as the cause for what he sees as Brock’s dysfunction—the fact that he was adopted. It seems clear that his written explanation was in direct response to our campaign and the statement of others; however, it is far from enough. It seems to me much more a a defense of his on-air psychoanalysis of people he has not met journalism style, than an acknowledgement that he was wrong to perpetuate stereotypes and prejudices. Allowing misinformation publicly aired to remain publicly uncorrected is a grave injustice. Fox and Ablow should seize this opportunity to educate the public (and themselves) about this stereotype and prejudice against adopted persons.
Image credit: Texas Governor Rick Perry
Ugh, this just makes me so bad!!
ICLW #6
I never cease to be amazed at how many misinformed, stupid and dangerous loudmouths are out there making inaccurate, harmful, and prejudicial statements about everything and anything. And now here seems to be another. And did you say he was on Fox “News”? Seems to be a magnet for these folks.
He’s an assclown – plain and simple.
Kind of a “I’m sorry that YOU felt offended” more than “I’m sorry for my unethical behavior” kind of thing…. kinda. Not sure that would pass in this house. Puts the burden on the one “offended” which is really no apology at all. I’m just sayin’…..
Gang’s Momma, you said it better than I.
No it is not enough. Until he publicly in the same time slot retracts the statement he made.
How many emailed Fox?
I seem to remember that AP’s came out in droves to sign the petition on some Glee storyline about adoption…yet is real life…
Amanda, suggested last week that we do a petition so we could keep track of numbers, but after we talked about it here we felt like we might be a bit too late with that. I suspect she was right, however, that it would have been a better idea than just doing the email campaign. Oh well, you live and learn as you go. We have heard from LOTs of folks who said they emailed.
As a regular viewer of Fox News, I assure you, I am not misinformed, stupid, or dangerous. I am a bit of a loudmouth, which is why I felt to respond to the range of comments here regarding the network.
I also regularly view all sorts of other news outlets and I assure you, they all have “a$$clowns” spouting nonsense, on all ends of the political spectrum. No news media is above this sensationalism of the phenomenon of “the expert witness.”
As for Ablow, in particular? He appears on many other networks and shows, not just Fox. He’s spoken out just as ignorantly on many, many other topics (recently torqued me when he spoke on a school parties issue) and on those other outlets, too. Let’s keep the outcry where it belongs: on him and his statements.
Gang’s Momma, thank you for keeping us focused on the real point here-what was said, not what network it was on! And you are right, no network is immune from nonsense.
No it’s not enough, but based on the fact that this man appeared on Fox News, it may be all we’ll be able to get from him. If this episode will prevent him from saying something like this again in the future, then something has been accomplished.
Given the timing of his editorial and our campaign and other public outcry, I’m assuming he was “asked” to write his statement. It sure doesn’t feel like enough though.