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'Nazi' CPAC stage was actually designed by a ‘liberal’ firm that works with MSNBC
March 03, 2021
After speculation turned into a full blown conspiracy theory that claimed the stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was secretly designed to look like an obscure Nazi symbol, the design company that was hired to set up the stage has spoken out, saying the stage's resemblance to the "Odal Rune," which adorned the uniforms of some SS officers during WWII, was purely a coincidence.
Speaking to The Forward, Design Foundry, a stage design firm based in Hyattsville, Maryland, said it "had no idea that the design resembled any symbol, nor was there any intention to create something that did." Despite the company's explanation, the organizers of CPAC said they would not hire the company to do any work in the future due to the "unwelcome distraction."
<p>The stage began to go viral on social media once people saw the resemblance to the Odal or "Othala" Rune, a symbol that goes back to the third century. Immediately, a conspiracy theory began to circulate that assumed the stage's design was intentional and was meant as a secret nod to white supremacists. </p><p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I call bullsh-t on <a href="https://twitter.com/Hyatt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hyatt</a> hotels. The chance to take your stand was while this stage was in use. Hyatt chose to let it go and in doing so has permanently lost my business. <a href="https://t.co/p2prXFAcl0">https://t.co/p2prXFAcl0</a><br/>— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/fred_guttenberg/status/1366409665475674113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">If the rune fits. <a href="https://t.co/rNWLNIkVDu">https://t.co/rNWLNIkVDu</a><br/>— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeTakei/status/1366602959929434114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPAC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPAC</a> stage is designed to be a rune used by the Nazis. Curious if <a href="https://twitter.com/Hyatt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hyatt</a> is okay with Nazi symbols being used on their properties like this? <a href="https://t.co/D0332vKKoN">pic.twitter.com/D0332vKKoN</a><br/>— Morgan J. Freeman (@mjfree) <a href="https://twitter.com/mjfree/status/1365719354378223616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/Hyatt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hyatt</a>: you cool with <a href="https://twitter.com/CPAC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CPAC</a> building a Nazi symbol stage in your hotel?<br/><br/>Because it seems like you're cool with <a href="https://twitter.com/CPAC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CPAC</a> building a Nazi symbol stage in your hotel?<br/><br/>So you know, YOU SHOULD NOT BE COOL WITH <a href="https://twitter.com/CPAC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CPAC</a> BUILDING A NAZI SYMBOL STAGE IN YOUR HOTEL. <a href="https://t.co/n3bmZgPGM0">pic.twitter.com/n3bmZgPGM0</a><br/>— Steve Hofstetter (@SteveHofstetter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveHofstetter/status/1365717268617920519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p>According to journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1366981303598374917" target="_blank">Yashar Ali</a>, Design Foundry worked on many events in D.C. for companies like MSNBC and Target. He also pointed out that the company oversaw the design for the Biden Cancer Summit in 2018. </p><p>"The owner, Annie, is very liberal and was so excited for Biden's victory," Ali tweeted this Tuesday. "Great work conspiracy theorists."</p><p>Design Foundry told The Forward that the American Conservative Union (ACU) approved the design, which was "intended to provide the best use of space, given the constraints of the ballroom and social distancing requirements."</p><p>The terms of the contract signed with Design Foundry said that the ACU had no rights to change the design or dismantle the stage once it was finalized. "The designs, renderings, drawings, specifications, materials and other documents used or created as part of the proposal are owned by Design Foundry."</p><p>Ian Walters, director of communications for the ACU and CPAC, told the Forward that the company "provided several options for us to choose from and what we ended up with was the most workable of the options they submitted."</p><p>In a statement, Design Foundry said it was "saddened and horrified at the accusations that this was a deliberate act. Design Foundry denounces all hate speech and acts of racism, prejudice, or bigotry in all forms."</p>
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Fox & Friends host makes social distancing ‘joke’ about horrific crash that killed 13 people
March 03, 2021
"Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade on Wednesday made what apparently was supposed to be a "joke" about a horrific crash in California involving a semi-tractor trailer and a Ford Expedition in which at least 13 people were killed.
"A 1997 Ford Expedition, with seats removed, had 25 people inside when the big rig slammed into the side of it at the intersection of State Route 115 and Norrish Road near Holtville, California," USA Today reports. "Federal authorities also said late Tuesday they were investigating any possible links to human smuggling. The crash occurred about 10 miles north of the border, and a Mexican government official said at least 10 of the victims were Mexican nationals."
<p>A large portion of Fox News generally includes coverage about illegal immigration, and Kilmeade is no exception. In 2019 he <a href="https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2019/01/fox-friends-host-goes-berserk-over-undocumented-children-attending-our-school-system-to-learn-english/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">railed against migrant children</a> being allowed to enter the country who then "go into our school system," and “suddenly, they're trying to teach kids with other kids who are paying taxes, whose parents are paying taxes, the same subjects, and the other kids don't speak English."</p><p>One year earlier Kilmeade defended the Trump administration's child separation policy that ultimately led to 5500 children being separated from their families. Hundreds remain separated. But to Kilmeade, it didn't matter because, “<a href="https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2018/06/internet-flogs-fox-friends-host-for-saying-migrant-kids-arent-as-important-as-american-kids/">Like it or not, these aren't our kids</a>."</p><p>“Show them compassion, but it's not like [Trump is] doing this to the people of Idaho or Texas. These are people from another country."</p><p>On "Fox & Friends" Wednesday morning the crew continued to try to hew to the current right wing talking points that President Joe Biden is "trying to get as many kids out the door and into America as possible."</p><p>As that segment was coming to a close, Kilmeade dropped his "joke," live, on-air:</p><p>"Hey, were those 25 people in the Expedition, were they social distancing when they were laying on top of each other when they crashed into a semi truck?"</p><p>Kilmeade got that detail wrong: police say the semi truck crashed into the Ford Expedition.</p><p>Watch:</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Brian Kilmeade jokes(?) about an SUV crash in California that killed 13 people: "Hey, were those 25 people in the Expedition, were they social distancing when they were laying on top of each other when they crashed into a semi truck?" (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/tylermonroe7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tylermonroe7</a>) <a href="https://t.co/yYaRB8fxJ7">pic.twitter.com/yYaRB8fxJ7</a><br/>
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) <a href="https://twitter.com/revrrlewis/status/1367085347172196356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2021</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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Mo Brooks defends role in Jan. 6 attack: At least there weren't '20 or 30 Al-Qaeda suicidal types'
March 03, 2021
A Republican congressman who gave a pep talk to Capitol Hill attackers on Jan. 6 now claims that the attack could have been worse if there had been "20 or 30 Al-Qaeda suicidal types."
"Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass," Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) told soon-to-be insurrectionists in his Jan. 6 speech.
<p>
On Wednesday, Brooks appeared on C-SPAN to opine on the "ultimate cause" of the attack.
</p><p>
"Let's not rush to judgement," Brooks said. "To date, it looks like the evidence is pretty strong that there were militant elements from different groups like Proud Boys, perhaps Boogaloo Boys, perhaps Oath Keepers -- go down your list -- that used the Trump rally as a means, a subterfuge for attacking the United States Capitol."
</p><p>
"It looks like it was planned well in advance," he continued. "It's pretty clear that the Ellipse speeches, quite frankly, had nothing to do with the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6th in as much as the kind of planning that was initiated by this attack on the Capitol began many days and even weeks before the Ellipse speeches."
</p><p>
C-SPAN host Pedro Echevarria asked Brooks if he agreed with FBI Director Christopher Wray's testimony that white supremacists were involved in the attack but members of Antifa were not.
</p><p>
"The question was trying to get into this white supremacy kind of thing," Brooks said. "From what I understand, out of a couple of hundred arrests so far, less than 5% have been identified as white supremacists, which means 95% or so were not."
</p><p>
The Alabama lawmaker advised that white supremacy "should be frowned upon."
</p><p>
Brooks agreed that Antifa did not have a "significant presence" but said that there was at least "one individual" who said he was associated with the group.
</p><p>
He said the activist had "participated in Black Lives Matter protests -- whatever you want to call them -- fascist Antifa."
</p><p>
But Brooks also admitted that the individual in question had been "rejected" by Black Lives Matter and Antifa.
</p><p>
"One on that side is heavily outweighed by roughly 200 on the other side," he remarked. "And so I would agree with Wray that the Black Lives Matter and the Antifa presence to date seems to be relatively insignificant, certainly much less significant than I thought."
</p><p>
Brooks also defended his participation in the rally that culminated in the Jan. 6 attack.
</p><p>
"That's a different event from what happened at the United States Capitol," he remarked. "And I'm pleased that the rally at the Ellipse... that it was peaceful in all respects as far as I know."
</p><p>
Brooks went on to downplay the threat from the attackers, noting that none of the people who breached the Capitol were found to have firearms.
</p><p>
"But if you had 20 or 30 al-Qaeda suicidal types in there, it could have been a horrible scene," he added.
</p><p>
Watch the video below from C-SPAN.
</p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kXfq5GQWhww" width="560"></iframe>
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