phoenixwrites:

Trump’s Press Conference is terrifying.

• He told CNN reporter Jim Acosta that CNN was “fake news” and refused to allow him to ask a question.  
• He stated that Buzzfeed would “suffer the consequences” for the dossier release claiming that Russia had blackmail material on Trump.
• He did not answer about the conflicts of interest regarding Rex Tillerson and his son-in-law. 
• He did not answer a reporter who asked if his campaign had had any contact with Russia.

The threat to Buzzfeed sent a chill down my spine.  I recognize that Buzzfeed hasn’t always been a particularly “hard news” organization, but it’s expanded and they do a fair amount of research for their news.  

The question is, what exactly will be the consequences to news organizations that report things Trump don’t like?  What exactly are the consequences of labeling major news organizations, like CNN, “fake news”?  

The press have their faults and they have screwed up quite a bit over the last year–but we need them to question and scrutinize Trump.  This is why the First Amendment was created, to protect journalists and writers who voice opposition to tyrants.  

Your daily reminder.  This is not normal.  This is not okay.  This is the textbook form of a dictator.  Do not normalize this.