Fox News' coverage of the Trayvon Martin shooting has generated quite a bit of criticism, but matters took a turn for the worse this morning on "Fox & Friends." TPM posted this clip.
Media Matters has a full transcript, but the quote from Geraldo Rivera is almost hard to believe:
"I believe that George Zimmerman, the overzealous neighborhood watch captain should be investigated to the fullest extent of the law and if he is criminally liable, he should be prosecuted. But I am urging the parents of black and Latino youngsters particularly to not let their children go out wearing hoodies. I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was."
I'm trying to wrap my head around this, and I'll admit I'm having trouble. A young man in central Florida was walking home in the rain, so he put the hood up on his sweater. This led an armed man to follow the teenager, and ultimately, kill him.
The hoodie is "as much responsible" for the slaying as the shooter? Seriously?
The consensus on "Fox & Friends" was that people -- including, presumably, my boss -- should simply stop wearing hoodies. There were no concerns raised about Florida's controversial "stand your ground" law, or the availability of firearms, or even Zimmerman's actions.
The problem, viewers were told, was a teenager wearing a hood while walking in the rain.
Oh my.
Update: Rivera tweets, "My own son just wrote to say he's ashamed of my position re hoodies - still I feel parents must do whatever they can to keep their kids safe."