Critics Accuse NYTimes Of Hypocrisy..Again

Critics have accused the New York Times of hypocrisy after the paper ran an article fixating on the supposed racist tones of Jason Aldean’s song "Try That in Small Town," and another article explaining that claims that a South African chant has an alleged anti-white message were being blown out of proportion. 

Annoyed X (formally Twitter) users stated  that on one hand, the liberal paper was trying to gin up controversy to smear a conservative-themed country song, while on the other hand absolving a racist screed sung by a South African political leader at a rally. Even X  owner Elon Musk trashed the people running the Times as "contemptible hypocrites" for running the two seemingly irreconcilable pieces, reports Fox News Digital.

The New York Times published both articles on Wednesday. In the piece covering country star Aldean’s Billboard chart-topping song – an anthem declaring that middle Americans will defend their communities from crime, violence and rioting – the outlet noted that "critics" have described it "as a call to racist vigilantism."

Though the second piece about South African political leader Julius Malema’s political rally chant "Kill the Boer!" from several days ago, downplayed concerns that Malema was calling for racial animosity, even though in the article the author admitted "Kill the Boer!" refers to killing white South African Farmers.

The piece, written by author John Eligon who attended the rally in Johannesburg, South Africa and witnessed the chant, described the scene, stating, "Thousands of supporters joined in, and when he reached the climax, they pointed their fingers in the air like guns. ‘Kill the Boer!’ Julius Malema chanted, referring to white farmers. The crowd in a stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday roared back in approval."

South African EFF leader Julius Malema calls for his supporters to go out and kill white farmers.

“You must never be scared to kill. A revolution demands that at some point there must be killing because the killing is part of a revolutionary act.” pic.twitter.com/Lc7rJOZGIN

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 6, 2023

Despite detailing the chant in this way, Eligon framed the controversy of the chant as being ginned up by outraged "right-wing commentators." In the subheader, the author wrote, "Right-wing commenters claim that an old anti-apartheid chant is a call to anti-white violence, but historians and the left-wing politician who embraces it say it should not be taken literally."

Later in the piece, he added, "Despite the words, the song should not be taken as a literal call to violence, according to Mr. Malema and veterans and historians of the anti-apartheid struggle."