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Why the Claim That "Britain Is Reeling" Is Just Wrong, According to an Actual Brit

Jun 6 2017 - 8:00am

In the aftermath of the terror attack that took place in London on June 3, various outlets fumbled in the way they referred to the UK's reaction to the violence. After The New York Times ran a headline that framed the nation as "still reeling," many outlets and anchors began to use the same phrase — which many Brits took issue with. On Twitter, a defiant hashtag emerged [1]: #ThingsThatLeaveBritainReeling. On the latest episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver also weighed in on the American media's clumsy coverage.

At the top of the segment, Oliver took a few minutes to address the terror attack and say a few words to those affected. "As a British person living in America, I feel compelled to address a certain theme that emerged through American coverage of this tragedy," he said. The show then played a few clips that exemplified the doomsday mentality many major outlets perpetuated.

Oliver wasn't having it. "In no way is Britain under siege," he insisted. "Is it upset? Yes. Is it pissed off? Oh, you f*cking bet it's pissed off. But to say it's under siege and that its people are reeling is to imply that it's somehow weak enough to be brought to its knees by three monumental assh*les. That, as an idea, is insulting."

Watch the sharp takedown in its entirety above.


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https://www.popsugar.com/news/John-Oliver-Response-London-Attack-Media-Coverage-43606100