MSNBC Becomes A Laughing Stock After Exercise Claim
Elon Musk and Joe Rogan have joined the wave of criticism against an MSNBC opinion columnist's suggestion that physical fitness is part of a white supremacist movement.
The opinion column, which MSNBC retweeted in March, written by Cynthia Miller-Idriss implied that the “far right has taken advantage of pandemic at-home fitness trends to expand its decade-plus radicalization of physical mixed martial arts (MMA) and combat sports spaces.”
Tesla boss Elon Musk, and podcast phenomenon Joe Rogan wasted no time in calling out what they saw as an absurd claim.
"MSNBC thinks you're a n*** if you work out lmaooo," tweeted Musk.
"Being healthy is 'far right.' Holy f***," Rogan tweeted in response.
Miller-Idriss went on to allege that recruits to the far-right movement were drawn in by "lured with health tips and strategies for positive physical changes," which she says may leave them vulnerable to recruitment into closed chat groups.
This suggestion brought back a historical reference to Adolf Hitler, from Miller-Idriss, as she alluded to the fact Hitler believed physical fitness could make an army of "fanatical" and "impeccably-trained" bodies stronger than any tactical weapons training. According to Miller-Idriss, the intersection of extremism and fitness suggests a shared “obsession” with masculinity and strength.
The professor's latest article shares a similar sentiment to her March opinion piece, which claimed some homeschooling strategies were linked to white supremacy; asserting that the German government bans homeschooling to prevent the indoctrination of antisemitic and extremist ideologies.
The suggestion from Miller-Idriss has been met with widespread mockery from the public and professionals alike.
"MSNBC fears fitness, home schooling, parental rights, and religious liberty," said one Twitter user in response to the controversy.
"Seems like an insane conspiracy theory to me, but I'm probably just 'far-right' too," wrote another, in agreement.
The case offers a unique look into the far-right extremist problem, a topic that has plagued the United States and other countries for years. It is unclear if physical fitness has become a common tool used by far-right extremists, as The intellectual professor has tried to suggest. However, many have been swift to express their disbelief in the allegation.