As has been reported at multiple sites, CNN has settled the defamation lawsuit filed by Nicholas Sandmann.
About a year ago, Sandmann was a young man on a school trip to the nation’s capital to support the right to life for unborn children. Sandmann was photographed smiling at a Native American who was taunting him while pounding a drum in his face. With no regard for the actual truth of the situation, CNN created a story out of whole cloth that Sandmann, wearing his MAGA cap, was evil incarnate. The story was designed to fit CNN’s agenda that anyone who supports PDJT is, by definition, bad.
The story went viral boosted by other purveyors of fake news like MSNBC. Users on Twitter suggested Sandmann be punched in the face. Threats involving wood chippers and other lurid ways of dismembering people followed. Sandmann’s family was temporarily run out of their home. Sandmann himself was unable to safely attend school for a period of time. All because he smiled at the Native American taunting him.
Sandmann fought back by filing defamation lawsuits against CNN and other media outlets. CNN tried to hide behind the rather broad legal umbrella covering the reporting of news. Apparently their lawyers convinced them that pursuing this defense of their actions was the wrong tact. Clearly this was not protected journalism. Rather it was exploitive narrative creation for the purpose demonizing those who have different political views as well as serving as click bait for revenue.
The price tag for such narrative creation CNN practices is reportedly $25 million. Sandmann has other suits pending. Other Covington students have files suits as well. This probably will not change too much yet. However, a few more multi-million dollar settlements could catch the eyes of those who run these fake news warehouses and bring about some return to the idea of real journalism. One can hope.
Anyway, It is a start.