“Why don’t you just say you hate the guy?” NPR has been criticized for a “tasteless” tweet that called ex-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a “divisive archconservative” while out walking just hours after he was killed
- NPR has received backlash after calling the ex-Japan prime minister a “splittist arch-conservative”.
- Shinzo Abe, 76, was shot dead Friday morning while delivering a campaign speech in the city of Nara, Japan
- He was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead
- Abe was loved for his values by many conservatives in the US and was quick to slam NPR for her comments
- The once-vaunted network has faced accusations of a wobbly takeover, with a fixation on reporting on social issues with an apparent progressive agenda
Taxpayer-funded radio network NPR has been criticized for dismissing former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a “splittist archconservative” just hours after the ex-leader’s assassination.
“Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a split arch-conservative and one of his country’s most powerful and influential figures, has died after being shot dead in western Japan while delivering his campaign speech on Friday,” NPR tweeted in a Friday report that was later deleted.
The once-respected network — now famous for its obsession with hot topics that turned off many listeners — was immediately condemned for its choice of words.
“Divisive Arch-Conservative” also appeared in a copy supplied by the Associated Press, which itself has faced allegations of a recently aroused takeover.
“Why don’t you just say you hate the guy?” Washington Times columnist Tim Young told NPR.
Others called for the news release to be defunded.
“It’s ANGRY that taxpayer funded @npr would say such TERRIBLE things about Shinzo Abe,” said US Rep. Ronny Jackson. “He was one of America’s STRONGEST defenders so it’s not surprising that liberal NPR is posting this. NPR is government-sponsored anti-American propaganda. Time to end this junk and DEFUND NPR!
Former Trump campaign adviser Steve Cortes added: “We taxpayers are funding this propaganda. Time to debase NPR.’
Meanwhile, a lawyer who shares her conservative views on Twitter was quick to blast NPR, calling the organization “pathetic.”
“NPR refers to Japan’s most popular prime minister, who won his election by a wide margin, as ‘divisive’ indicates the media’s inability to continue reporting seriously,” Erielle Davidson said. “Everything is a mural for their projection. So pathetic and so sad.’
NPR has grabbed the headlines in recent years for its fixation on stories about race, policing, and transgenderism, which are usually told by an overtly progressive and biased bent.
His use of the divisive phrase “pregnant people” is after the end of Roe v. Wade has mushroomed, though the term enrages many women — both liberal and conservative — who feel it’s wiping them out to appease a small minority.
In May it was revealed that it encouraged employees at its Washington DC headquarters to berate each other for refusing to properly wear face masks.
She continues to push for a mask requirement for office workers, though the country’s capital does not impose such a rule and most workplaces have since abolished them.
Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, serving a total of nine years in two terms.
Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, and a Navy veteran, was arrested shortly after the trigger was pulled on suspicion of attempted murder. He has since confessed to the crime and said he did it because he was “unhappy” with Abe, police said.
Abe was about to start his speech when Yamagami came up behind him and shot him twice.
Yamagami was immediately attacked by officers while others performed life-saving operations on Abe.
Shinzo Abe was about to give a campaign speech when he was shot twice in the back by Tetsuya Yamagami
Abe’s bodyguards immediately attacked Yamagami. He later confessed to the shooting of Abe, blaming his “dissatisfaction” with the ex-Prime Minister for his actions
Vital measures were taken on Abe before he was taken to the hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries
Prime Minister Kishida called the shooting an attack on “the foundation of democracy”.
“I want to condemn this act in the most extreme words available,” he said.
The shooting shook Japan as the country prides itself on its low violent crime rate.