Fox News host Tucker Carlson (screen grab)
On Monday, Fox News' Tucker Carlson took anti-mask rhetoric to a new extreme, suggesting not only that people wearing masks in public actively be shunned, but that kids wearing masks outdoors should be taken from their parents by police and child services.
"Your response when you see children wearing masks when they play should be no different from your response to seeing someone beating a kid at Walmart. Call the police immediately. Contact Child Protective Services ... What you're looking at is abuse, it's child abuse, and you are morally obligated to attempt to prevent it."
Carlson's remarks triggered a wave of outrage from commenters on social media.
This is really, really dangerous. Listen to his tone of voice, and what he’s instructing. He’s moving from his view… https://t.co/Tv0CB36cy7— Asha Rangappa (@Asha Rangappa) 1619486342.0
This incitement of deranged partisan violence cannot stand. It's time for a national campaign to cut off Fox's so… https://t.co/rHQfyNVuhu— Unfox your cable box! (@Unfox your cable box!) 1619486123.0
This motherfucker is going to get people killed. @FoxNews and @rupertmurdoch and his spawns need to be held to acco… https://t.co/4yC4cwTrTt— Idrees Ahmad (@Idrees Ahmad) 1619485968.0
Just so we’re clear, this is absolutely normalizing QAnon and other Right Wing conspiracy theories and reinforcing… https://t.co/kmAIII3SYU— Jared Yates Sexton (@Jared Yates Sexton) 1619485955.0
Beyond morally repugnant views, something is objectively wrong with Tucker Carlson. https://t.co/iLO6aiiusW— Aisha Sultan (@Aisha Sultan) 1619485935.0
"911, what's your emergency" I'D LIKE TO REPORT A CHILD IN A MASK "... and I'd like a 24-inch waistline, now what… https://t.co/IdYzntLtCm— shauna (@shauna) 1619485920.0
So now “Freedom!” = calling the cops. https://t.co/iL2aGCyfP0— Charlie Sykes (@Charlie Sykes) 1619485760.0
In 2020 there were at least 371 unintentional shootings by children, resulting in 143 deaths and 243 injuries natio… https://t.co/a9VyagJNjr— Schooley (@Schooley) 1619485659.0
as the recipient of threats to call cps because our kids were suspected of not wearing masks, please do not call cp… https://t.co/CKY4Ytyg8u— Seth Mandel (@Seth Mandel) 1619486441.0
This is assault. FYI, you try to take a mask off one of my kids, I'll put your head through the fucking sidewalk. I… https://t.co/60kyGcaYhy— Dr. Pete Meyers (@Dr. Pete Meyers) 1619486363.0
Hey @fbi, Tucker Carlson is going to get people killed, if he hasn't already. Do something about this. https://t.co/vx8Oub7vF0— Karl Von Baldwin (@Karl Von Baldwin) 1619485823.0
His radio commentaries in 1943 about the tyranny of price controls, ration cards, blackout curtains and the militar… https://t.co/eItXwNugMy— Joshua Zeitz (@Joshua Zeitz) 1619485701.0
Guarantee you the fucknozzle I flipped off last week when he gave me shit about my mask was a Tucker Carlson viewer https://t.co/oBIOSyLgiv— John Scalzi (@John Scalzi) 1619485755.0
I wore a mask to play soccer this weekend and while it was mildly annoying I'm fairly certain it's not equivalent t… https://t.co/YHn4fla7rH— Jacob Grier (@Jacob Grier) 1619485696.0
Either Fox takes him off the air or Fox endorses its talent telling viewers to harass people on the street. https://t.co/40PhmfKFpt— Christian Vanderbrouk (@Christian Vanderbrouk) 1619485643.0
Every single cable and streaming network that carries this network is willfully killing Americans. Call your cable… https://t.co/HWLcLmVjaK— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch.com) 1619485560.0
This is really dangerous, Tucker should be fired https://t.co/8OrutuKj7E— Jonathan Webers (@Jonathan Webers) 1619485670.0
@justinbaragona Go ahead Tucker Carlson viewer. Make my day. Let’s see what happens when you harass my kids.— pistilstamen (@pistilstamen) 1619483745.0
