Joe Rogan apologises for saying lefties were arrested for lighting the bushfires in Portland, Oregon
In a recent chat with controversial political commentator Douglas Murray, Rogan casually stated:
“They’ve arrested left-wing people for lighting these forest fires. You know, air-quote, ‘activists.’ This is also something that’s not widely being reported.”
Indeed, Rogan’s claim has not been “widely reported,” because it is false, according to the FBI and local law enforcement. The terrifying wildfires, which, in some areas, changed the color of the sky into a tone resembling dystopian sci-fi film Blade Runner 2049, has sparked numerous conspiracy theories, as most disasters do.
Quickly, Rogan was chastised by CNN, and faced an internet backlash for spreading dangerous misinformation. After all, it’s not as though he lacks the resources to look into these things – fact checking might disrupt the flow of conversation, but it’s better than spreading baseless conspiracies.
Thankfully, Rogan actually addressed the mistake and apologized profusely, an uncharacteristic action that might just mark the beginning of a new era of social responsibility.
forbes.com |
