Sometimes You Just Crave A Chance to Cry Islamophobia

Prince Philip, the dude who’s had the job of being the matronly queen’s wife for the past seventy years, lets loose an occasional ribald zinger, allowing for Royal watchers to clutch their pearls every couple of years. If you’ll note the furor over the Prince Harry, seventh in line to the throne, engagement, you’ll know this family isn’t exactly the Kardashians in terms of providing decent copy. They strive to be boring. Generations of inbreeding assures that outcome.

Philip was attending church near one of the royal castle’s when he spotted a man with an unusually long beard, and turned to ask his bodyguard, “Is that is a terrorist?”. Based on reports from outlets like The Daily Beast, who will dive into any depth of pit to boldly highlight racism, Islamophobia, or cultural appropriation, you’d have thought this was an old white guy labeling a swarthy bearded Arab a jihadist out of turn. Or in turn, since all the British terrorists have been swarthy bearded Arabs. But regardless, a racial stereotype. The Daily Beast noted that Phillip’s comment had “plunged the Royal family into controversy”.

You might believe it unless you read more objective news reports of the very same instance. The 96-year-old jokester was pointing toward a redhead with a pronounced ginger hipster beard. He spoke aloud intentionally so the man could hear him. The bearded dude immediately got the joke and broke into laughter. Philip smiled back. That’s about as exciting as his day gets. The Quran never came up.

There are certainly numerous legitimate reasons to dislike the Royal family. Though most Brits seem to love them and they pay for them so who are outsiders to judge other country’s inane traditions. We have plenty. You shouldn’t have to invent stories you know to be false to tar the Windsors. But media outlets do. Such is the fervor for a headline capturing white guy anti-Muslim rhetoric or racism. Simply omit key facts. That used to get you banished in the world of news reporting. Now it’s completely fair game.

It was all politics in 2017. Expect this ailment to get worse in 2018. Fake news is the ass cancer of modern journalism.

_{Photo credit: Annie Leibovitz / Vanity Fair}