Fox News host Brian Kilmeade has been facing backlash after suggesting mentally ill homeless people should simply be killed if they don't comply with government programs last week.
What did Brian Kilmeade say about people experiencing homelessness?
Kilmeade was having a heated discussion with "Fox & Friends" co-hosts Lawrence Jones and Ainsely Earhardt on Wednesday morning about Iryna Zarutska's murder. Per video footage, the Ukrainian refugee was stabbed by a mentally ill homeless man, Decarlos Brown Jr., on a train in North Carolina in late August.
"Billions of dollars to mental health in the homeless population. A lot of them don't want to take the programs. A lot of them don't want to get the help that is necessary," Jones said. "You can't give them a choice. Either you take the resources that we're going to give you, or you decide that you're going to be locked up in jail. That's the way that it has to be now."
"Or involuntary lethal injection, or something," Kilmeade added. "Just kill 'em."
The backlash—and an obligatory apology
It's been a busy week, so Kilmeade's remarks largely flew under the radar for a few days. Eventually, there was some level of backlash and outrage as the clip circulated online, and the host was forced to make an apology.
After explaining the context of what he said, Kilmeade added, "During that discussion, I wrongly said they should get lethal injections. I apologize for that extremely callous remark. I'm obviously aware that not all mentally ill homeless people act as the perpetrator did in North Carolina, and that so many homeless people deserve our empathy and compassion."
A double standard in free speech
Kilmeade's appalling remark comes at a particularly interesting time. Conservatives have been thirsting for the blood of anyone who dares to suggest the recently assassinated Charlie Kirk was anything less than a saint, creating lists and databases of anyone who has spoken about him in a less-than-positive light (or sometimes even just shared his own quotes) and calling employers to try to get people fired.
And it worked in the case of former MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd, whose comments on-air shortly after Kirk was shot led to his firing.
"I always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions. I think that’s the environment we’re in," he said. "You can’t stop with these awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place."
There was already a clear double standard at play, but Kilmeade's ability to effectively call for the execution of homeless people on Fox the same day with zero repercussions served as a particularly timely method of highlighting what's currently considered acceptable and what's written off as inexcusable and intolerable.
The negative reactions keep coming
Kilmeade's initial comments were repulsive, and the frustration over the likelihood that he will face zero real consequences for using his platform to make them has been on display as both the original clip and his half-hearted apology continue to circulate.
Will Fox News take action? Don't bet on it.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.
