Vox editor suspended over Tweets
A deputy editor of Vox was suspended on Friday after taking to Twitter on Thursday to encourage people to riot in the event that Trump visits their town. Vox founder Ezra Klein released a statement on the website condemning Emmett Rensin’s words.
In a tweet reading, “Advice: If Trump comes to your town, start a riot,” the deputy editor of Vox’s first person section, Emmett Rensin, apparently violated Vox’s standards. Emmett has been placed on suspension for an unspecified amount of time as a result.
Advice: If Trump comes to your town, start a riot.
— Emmett Rensin (@emmettrensin) June 3, 2016
In a statement condemning the tweet, Ezra Klein wrote that, while Vox encourages debates and discussions, “direct encouragement of riots crosses a line between expressing a contrary opinion and directly encouraging dangerous, illegal activity. We welcome a variety of viewpoints, but we do not condone writing that could put others in danger.”
"hello fbi"
— Emmett Rensin (@emmettrensin) June 3, 2016
"yes hello a man from twitter is trying to incite riots on the internet"
"my. god."
Rensin’s tweet came in the wake of anti-Trump protests that turned violent on Thursday in San Diego, where 35 demonstrators were arrested after clashing with the police.
Rensin began his ill-fated Twitter spiel by saying: “Let’s be clear: It’s never a shame to storm the barricades set up around a fascist.”
He went on to call out anti-Trump protesters that condemned him for hypocrisy and defend the San Diego rioters.
Listen, if Trump is Hitler then you've got no business condemning rioters. If he isn't, you've got no business pretending normal is better.
— Emmett Rensin (@emmettrensin) June 3, 2016
1. Spend half a year calling Trump a xenophobic fascist.
— Emmett Rensin (@emmettrensin) June 3, 2016
2. Likely victims of xenophobic fascism act out.
3. "WHAT HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN"
But again, the point is that you cannot spend a year calling a man a unique threat to democracy then be shocked when people act that way.
— Emmett Rensin (@emmettrensin) June 3, 2016
You spent a year saying Trump was a fascist, and particularly an anti-Hispanic bigot. Hispanics take that seriously, and you're Shocked.
— Emmett Rensin (@emmettrensin) June 3, 2016
The point, as always, isn't "Is violence OK?" It's the folks who want first and foremost to delegitimize the fear and rage of the oppressed.
— Emmett Rensin (@emmettrensin) June 3, 2016
Rensin proceeded to compare the anti-Trump protests to those in Baltimore and Ferguson, which followed the deaths of unarmed African-Americans at the hands of the police.