The debate over the students of Covington Catholic school in Kentucky prompted rage among Fox News hosts Monday as the scandal advanced into its third day.
President Donald Trump took a stand in support of his MAGA hat-clad followers being unjustly harassed by members of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement. The Native American veteran, Nathan Phillips, was the man trying to defuse the conflict between the two groups, putting himself in the middle of the crowd to play drums.
"Looking like Nick Sandman & Covington Catholic students were treated unfairly with early judgements proving out to be false - smeared by media. Not good, but making big comeback! 'New footage shows that media was wrong about teen’s encounter with Native American," Trump tweeted, quoting Tucker Carlson.
Drums have cultural significance in some Native ceremonies, and according to the Akta Lakota Museum and Cultural Center, "the drum is used to bring balance and renewal to a person through participation in dancing, singing or listening to the heartbeat." These men were members of the Omaha, and Phillips claimed was attempting to use his drumming to calm the two groups.
Sandmann said he was silently praying and that he thought it best to stand there and do nothing.
Fox News and Trump have now turned to blame the media. In a letter to Heavy, one Covington mother sent a very angry response.
“Shame on you! Were you there? Did you hear the names the people where calling these boys? It was shameful. Did you witness the black Muslims yelling profanities and video taping trying to get something to futher (sic) your narrative of hatred?? Did you know that this “man” came up to this one boy and drummed in his face? Shame on you. Only reporting what you want. More fake news.”
