Women’s Group Says Attack on Pelosi “Did Not Come Out of Nowhere,” Blames Violent & Misogynist Rhetoric from GOP & Fox News, Amplified by Social Platforms
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 28, 2022
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
Women’s Group Says Attack on Pelosi “Did Not Come Out of Nowhere,” Blames Violent & Misogynist Rhetoric from GOP & Fox News, Amplified by Social Platforms
Women’s Disinformation Defense Project Responds to Attack Against Paul Pelosi, Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Husband
Earlier today, reports broke that Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was violently attacked after an assailant forcibly entered their home in San Francisco, California, looking for the Speaker.
The following statement from Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet, was released on behalf of the Women's Disinformation Defense Project:
“The home invasion and brutal attack against Paul Pelosi, the husband of Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, did not come out of nowhere.
“For years, Republicans have fed lies through right wing media outlets like Fox News demonizing Speaker Pelosi, lying about her political record, and positioning her as a threat to Republican voters and supporters.
“This isn’t just about policy disagreements on Capitol Hill. Republicans paint anyone who opposes their agenda as enemies of America, with an increased reliance on violent and misogynistic rhetoric to galvanize their base. What’s worse is that social media platforms have allowed these attacks to metastasize online and create an echo chamber that both radicalizes its consumers and desensitizes them to violence.
“We are grateful that Speaker Pelosi is safe, and that her husband Paul Pelosi is expected to make a full recovery, but let's be clear: This wasn't a random or isolated act of violence.
“The attack on Paul Pelosi should be a wakeup call — the people and institutions responsible must take responsibility and stop this violence.”
According to CNN, the man who attacked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s husband early Friday posted memes and conspiracy theories on Facebook about Covid-19 vaccines, the 2020 election, the killing of George Floyd, and the Jan. 6 attack.
The Women’s Disinformation Defense Project (WDDP) is a coalition of gender and racial justice groups led by UltraViolet, in partnership with A—B, EMILY’s List Action, Higher Heights for America, Kairos, The League, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Votes, and Women’s March, designed combat disinformation and fend off racist or sexist attacks against women running for office in the 2022 midterm elections. The initiative entails at least $5 million for programs such as media tracking, ad campaigns, platform accountability, disinformation training, and resources for local advocacy groups through election day on November 8th.
# # #
Comments
Post a Comment