Why did Matthew Dowd actually got fired? I guess for rehashing an idea that some people would call "wise".

A couple of days ago, this guy just got fired from MSNBC, for repeating something a lot of people would perceive as general wisdom.

[media=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dUrbBrrRlQc]

“Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions,” Dowd said, adding: “You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place.”

But according to the network:

The network issued an apology and announced Dowd’s dismissal, which came shortly after Kirk was shot dead during a question-and-answer session at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, where he was kicking off a nationwide campus debate tour. MSNBC’s president, Rebecca Kutler, described Dowd’s comments as “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable” in a statement posted to social media.

“We apologize for his statements, as has he,” Kutler wrote. “There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”

It's almost as if the statement Dowd made excludes the idea that he isn't against violence or doesn't condemn this action. Which it doesn't.

The guy even clarified himself later:

Writing on Bluesky, he said: “My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk. On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind.”

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/11/msnbc-fires-matthew-dowd-charlie-kirk-shooting

How different is his original statement with something that has been on top of my "about me" page for years?

Watch your thoughts, they become words;
Watch your words, they become actions;
Watch your actions, they become habits;
Watch your habits, they become character;
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

(The source of the quote is unkown, but someone did some digging, and you can find his quest to find he source of this right here:
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/01/10/watch-your-thoughts/ )

You don't really need a left winger to figure out that hatred breeds more hatred. It was René Girards' entire thesis when he was writing about violence. According to him, and so far I see no reason to disagree, it's all mimetic. For him, the only way to get out of the cycle is to find a common scapegoat that both parties are willing to burn on the stake (an innocent person or group)... or to do what Jesus did and turn the other cheek.

Ah well... I guess saying the obvious can get you fired, when everyone is trying to be friendly about the dead.

"De mortuis nil nisi bonum"

... What a joke.

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FreddieUK · 70-79, M

The US networks are certainly 'on the run', terrified of the Government's disapproval.

Kwek00 · 41-45, M

@FreddieUK Might be... but I can tell you that my perception is, that when someone dies the truth needs to take a backseat while people all come together and talk about what a good guy he was and how we are going to miss him.

When "Karel Dillen" died in Flanders, almost every political party and TV station were talking about what he realised, how he talked and what a great collegue he was. Dillen, is one of the founders of the Flemish far-right nationalist party. As a job, he dehumanized black and brown people so that the public could start hating them too, in the hope to eventually eradicate them from society. He was also really proud for being one of the inheritors of the Flemish collaboration during the 2nd world war. But once he was in his coffin, all of that seems to be forgotten.

That's why I posted the short skit from not the "9 O'Clock News" (a satiric program in Great Britain), where they are reading the articles from 3 of the biggest newspapers to see what they said about Owald Mosley when he died. Mosley was a NAZI sympathizer and he founded the "British Union of Fascists" in 1932. But once the guy died, all the issues surrounding this figure, just seem to melt away.

FreddieUK · 70-79, M

@Kwek00 Oswald Mosely is certainly not fondly remembered these days. Unlike Not the 9 O'Clock News which was one of the best programmes of its time and anyone with a sense of humour loved.