The New York Times issued a statement Thursday to placate its critics, explaining that a “rushed editorial process” led to the publication of an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton calling for the U.S. military to restore order in the wake of riots and looting after George Floyd’s death.
“One thing above all else will restore order to our streets: an overwhelming show of force to disperse, detain and ultimately deter lawbreakers,” Cotton wrote reasonably.
The op-ed drew a massive backlash from the Times‘ progressive readers, prompting the paper to back down: “We’ve examined the piece and the process leading up to its publication. This review made clear that a rushed editorial process led to the publication of an Op-Ed that did not meet our standards. As a result, we’re planning to examine both short term and long term changes, including expanding our fact checking operation and reducing the number of Op-Eds we publish.”
The country is on fire with riots and looting. The fact that progressives find upholding the rule of law so outrageously unacceptable speaks volumes about their desire to let the nation burn.