GOP Rep. Eric Burlison Invokes Holocaust over TV Channel Being Dropped from DirecTV

[Debater Slayer]

Following satellite provider DirecTV's dropping of conservative channel Newsmax, GOP House member Eric Burlison brought up the Holocaust to argue that "they will eventually come for you":

Just a few days after International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) compared the urgency of DirecTV dropping conservative channel Newsmax to the lack of resistance that some Germans showed during the Nazis’ rise to power.

During a speech on the House floor Tuesday, the freshman congressman felt compelled to invoke an often-quoted confession by German pastor Martin Niemöller after complaining about companies who “choose to silence conservative speech.”

“And now they’re going after Newsmax,” Burlison huffed.

“You know, there’s a famous quote about what happened during the Holocaust…when the Nazis first came for some and people said nothing, and then eventually they’ll come for you,” Burlison said clumsily, not even bothering to give an accurate quotation of the piece. “And I say this not as a Republican or a Missourian, but as a concerned citizen for a country who has these rights that were here because of the blood that was shed by thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of patriots from the time of the American Revolution until today.”

GOP Rep. Eric Burlison, Mad Over Dropped Newsmax, Invokes Holocaust

There's a touch of irony in a GOP member's invoking the Holocaust so casually while members of his party continually harp on the "offended snowflake" trope. Apparently, he sees it fit to compare the genocide of millions with a channel's lack of access to one satellite service provider. Shameful behavior, to say the least.

 

[exchemist]

Following satellite provider DirecTV's dropping of conservative channel Newsmax, GOP House member Eric Burlison brought up the Holocaust to argue that "they will eventually come for you":



GOP Rep. Eric Burlison, Mad Over Dropped Newsmax, Invokes Holocaust

There's a touch of irony in a GOP member's invoking the Holocaust so casually while members of his party continually harp on the "offended snowflake" trope. Apparently, he sees it fit to compare the genocide of millions with a channel's lack of access to one satellite service provider. Shameful behavior, to say the least.

Just more mad hysteria from the far Right - and highly offensive, I'd have thought, to trivialise one of the worst atrocities of the c.20th in this way. These people are unbalanced idiots.

But it's really just yet another example of Godwin's Law, isn't it? The cheap reach-me-down analogy of the incompetent orator.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Following satellite provider DirecTV's dropping of conservative channel Newsmax, GOP House member Eric Burlison brought up the Holocaust to argue that "they will eventually come for you":



GOP Rep. Eric Burlison, Mad Over Dropped Newsmax, Invokes Holocaust

There's a touch of irony in a GOP member's invoking the Holocaust so casually while members of his party continually harp on the "offended snowflake" trope. Apparently, he sees it fit to compare the genocide of millions with a channel's lack of access to one satellite service provider. Shameful behavior, to say the least.

Makes me wonder had this happened to a left wing channel , the response would have been similar?

 

[PureX]

You don't understand, it's only absurd hyperbole when the other side does it.

 

[Father Heathen]

Makes me wonder had this happened to a left wing channel , the response would have been similar?

It's called the free market, and it has spoken. I thought conservatives were into that? Their whole platform is about marginalizing and disenfranchising people, so it's ironic and adorable when they let out butthurt cries of "persecution" whenever the public gives them a much deserved slap.

DirecTV dropped them over a fee dispute. Their arrangement was bad for business, so they were replaced by another conservative network. That's capitalism for ya.

 

[Debater Slayer]

It's called the free market, and it has spoken. I thought conservatives were into that? Their whole platform is about marginalizing and disenfranchising people, so it's ironic and adorable when they let out butthurt cries of "persecution" whenever the public gives them a much deserved slap.

The move was reportedly based on business issues, too, not political ones:

DirecTV’s decision this week to drop Newsmax is the latest blow to a handful of conservative media outlets that have sought to carve out a space for themselves in the wake of former President Trump’s election loss in 2020.

While the far-right ecosystem has exploded over the decision, with figures including Trump accusing DirecTV of political bias, media experts say Newsmax is simply seeking to bolster its bargaining power as it struggles with low ratings.

“This is no different than the contract disputes that arise every few years between sports channels and DirecTV, Comcast, etc.,” said Dave Karpf, an associate professor at George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.

“They’re fighting over fee structures. Negotiations broke down. Newsmax is trying to expand the conflict, in the hopes that viewer outrage and a few letters on congressional stationery will strengthen their negotiating position.”

Furthermore:

DirecTV, in a statement to The Hill, said it “made it clear to Newsmax that we wanted to continue to offer the network,” but ultimately the network’s demands for rate increases “would have led to significantly higher costs that we would have to pass on to our broad customer base.”

It added that it would “fill this available channel with new content” and on Thursday announced the addition of conservative opinion and commentary network The First to its lineup.

Newsmax isn’t the only smaller conservative cable network to find itself left out in the cold by cable providers.

DirecTV dropping Newsmax: Just business or political bias?

Hey, this is just the capitalist free market in action, as you pointed out. TV channels live and die by the ratings, don't they?

 

[Kenny]

Following satellite provider DirecTV's dropping of conservative channel Newsmax, GOP House member Eric Burlison brought up the Holocaust to argue that "they will eventually come for you":



GOP Rep. Eric Burlison, Mad Over Dropped Newsmax, Invokes Holocaust

There's a touch of irony in a GOP member's invoking the Holocaust so casually while members of his party continually harp on the "offended snowflake" trope. Apparently, he sees it fit to compare the genocide of millions with a channel's lack of access to one satellite service provider. Shameful behavior, to say the least.

Quite frankly, this was a horrible comparison. Although I don't believe the "public Direct TV" statement, it doesn't change the fact that Rep Eric used a wrong analogy. IMO

 

[Revoltingest]

DirecTV dropping Newsmax: Just business or political bias?

Hey, this is just the capitalist free market in action, as you pointed out. TV channels live and die by the ratings, don't they?

Look at you...invoking the qualities of capitalism.

 

[Father Heathen]

The move was reportedly based on business issues, too, not political ones:





Furthermore:



DirecTV dropping Newsmax: Just business or political bias?

Hey, this is just the capitalist free market in action, as you pointed out. TV channels live and die by the ratings, don't they?

I knew it was entirely business related, but conservatives want to pretend they're being shipped off to Auschwitz rather than admit their offerings are garbage.

 

[Father Heathen]

Quite frankly, this was a horrible comparison. Although I don't believe the "public Direct TV" statement, it doesn't change the fact that Rep Eric used a wrong analogy. IMO

If it was politically motivated, why then did they replace them with another conservative network ("The First")? Newsmax simply overvalued itself, and "wrong analogy" is quite an understatement.

 

[Twilight Hue]

DirecTV dropped them over a fee dispute. Their arrangement was bad for business, so they were replaced by another conservative network. That's capitalism for ya.

Ah. Details. Fee dispute. That explains things, so it's not really a matter of bias or persecution then.

 

[Father Heathen]

Ah. Details. Fee dispute. That explains things, so it's not really a matter of bias or persecution then.

isn't it funny how conservatives claim to champion freedom, democracy, and capitalism...until those things don't go their way?

 

[tytlyf]

Makes me wonder had this happened to a left wing channel , the response would have been similar?

The left wouldn't cry and whine about such things.

 

[Heyo]

Makes me wonder had this happened to a left wing channel , the response would have been similar?

Don't you remember the outrage by the left when RT was cancelled? And that was political, not merely business.

 

[Stevicus]

Following satellite provider DirecTV's dropping of conservative channel Newsmax, GOP House member Eric Burlison brought up the Holocaust to argue that "they will eventually come for you":



GOP Rep. Eric Burlison, Mad Over Dropped Newsmax, Invokes Holocaust

There's a touch of irony in a GOP member's invoking the Holocaust so casually while members of his party continually harp on the "offended snowflake" trope. Apparently, he sees it fit to compare the genocide of millions with a channel's lack of access to one satellite service provider. Shameful behavior, to say the least.

Well, it's no skin off me either way, since I don't have DirectTV, nor do I watch Newsmax. But comparing US authorities to fascism or Nazi Germany is nothing new in our culture. It came up a lot with the "Trump = Hitler" trope, but even prior to that, one would hear comparisons often used. Though I agree that it's offensive, inappropriate, and overused too much in political discourse these days.

 

[Stevicus]

Don't you remember the outrage by the left when RT was cancelled? And that was political, not merely business.

I thought the left was angry with RT because they were blamed for Hillary's defeat in 2016.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Look at you...invoking the qualities of capitalism.

Well, it's just how most of the world functions now, whether one likes it or not. Newsmax seems not to like its results right now.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Following satellite provider DirecTV's dropping of conservative channel Newsmax, GOP House member Eric Burlison brought up the Holocaust to argue that "they will eventually come for you":



GOP Rep. Eric Burlison, Mad Over Dropped Newsmax, Invokes Holocaust

There's a touch of irony in a GOP member's invoking the Holocaust so casually while members of his party continually harp on the "offended snowflake" trope. Apparently, he sees it fit to compare the genocide of millions with a channel's lack of access to one satellite service provider. Shameful behavior, to say the least.

Hyperbole is not attractive.

 

[Twilight Hue]

isn't it funny how conservatives claim to champion freedom, democracy, and capitalism...until those things don't go their way?

Depends on the details and information. I have no problem making a determination if enough information is there that makes for the whole picture.

Givin you provided information it was a fee dispute, it pretty much puts other things like bias and the like in a secondary light.

 

[shunyadragon]

Makes me wonder had this happened to a left wing channel , the response would have been similar?

Hypothetical problem based on an unfortunate agenda. Not likely, because it is the extreme right dominating the Conservative Republican Party and right wing independents that are rift with anti-Semitism and anti-Jewish advocates.