There was never serious doubt as to which side of the culture wars NBC News fell on, but if there was, that has been dispelled. Last week’s drag march in Manhattan’s East Village featured LGBT participants chanting, “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children.”
As evidence goes, that’s rather clear. But to NBC News, it was all in good fun.
And even though the audio accompanying the disturbing video clearly featured that chant, NBC claimed that it was only one person who was louder than the rest drowning out the hundreds of marchers.
In fact, what the LGBT crowd actually proclaimed at the top of their lungs, according to the outlet, was far more tame. “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re not going shopping.”
Shades of “Let’s Go Brandon!”
As more of an excuse, the network cited organizer Brian Griffin’s explanation that the chants were the oppressed marchers’ way of “owning” the slurs.
Imagine being so “oppressed” that when you literally chant “we’re coming for your children” the biggest media companies in the world protect youhttps://t.co/4aSByNmnOE
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) June 28, 2023
So, which was it? Did they announce they were not going shopping or were they coming after Americans’ children? That’s a rather important distinction to make.
The network referenced reports that the “not going shopping” phrase was used in years past to demand more funding for AIDS research.
Griffin told NBC News that “it’s all just words. It’s all presented to fulfill their worst stereotypes of us.” The outlet cited LGBT activists who claimed the phrase “we’re coming for your children” has been used at parades and rallies for years.
A Twitter community note took NBC to task for “irresponsible reporting.” Not only did the network fail to name sources, but it cited no specific evidence that the chant had indeed been said “for years” but was just now noticed.
A sign displayed in the New York City drag queen march said “Groom Cisies,” according to NBC News. Gothamist reported attendees in 2022 chanting “groom, groom, groom.” Again, Griffin offered an explanation to the network.
He said, “these are the words that they’ve used all our lives to manipulate and control us, and we can now own them and see them for the falsehoods that they are.”
At least one marcher disagreed. Drag performer Fussy Lo Mein called the mantra “scary.” He added, “It doesn’t represent everybody — it represents that individual. I thought it was a dumb idea.”
