‘A ragged, growing army of migrants resumes march toward U.S.’
That’s the headline on a story from the Associated Press about the caravan of migrants moving through Mexico Sunday toward the United States.
One definition of “army” is “a large number of people or things, typically formed or organized for a particular purpose.” So, technically, the AP is in the clear.
But with such an emotionally charged topic, this tweet from the AP Politics account really seemed to strike a nerve:
A ragged, growing army of migrants resumes march toward US.
By Mark Stevenson of @AP.https://t.co/0mRiPdmGVq
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) October 21, 2018
Just look at the dreaded ratio. In Twitter speak, that’s when the number of replies to a tweet greatly outnumbers the likes and retweets. And that picture of “an army of babies” certainly got the ratio treatment.
“Yeah, I too look at a photo of sleeping toddlers and exhausted mothers and think, ‘yes, that is absolutely an ‘army,’” wrote Kevin Kruse. “This is a vile and disingenuous headline. You should be ashamed,” tweets Lisa Walker.
A former director of the U.S. office of Government Ethics wasn’t having any of it either, as the replies mounted... and the likes and retweets did not:
What does the AP Style Guide say about using the word "army" to describe desperate families who lack any guarantee of adequate nourishment as they flee destruction and head on foot across a desert toward a heartless regime that steals children and threatens to deploy a real army?
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) October 21, 2018
This “army” the AP was referring to grew to about 5,000 people Sunday, fleeing disasters across several countries in Central America. Many of the migrants reportedly had lived in the United States previously and are trying to return to their children or their old jobs.
The president made clear he’ll do what’s necessary to keep them out:
The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 21, 2018
Full efforts are being made to stop the onslaught of illegal aliens from crossing our Souther Border. People have to apply for asylum in Mexico first, and if they fail to do that, the U.S. will turn them away. The courts are asking the U.S. to do things that are not doable!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 21, 2018
