CBS's decision to feature Marjorie Taylor Greene on the long-running show "60 Minutes" has sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning why the network chose to amplify her views and ignore her extreme comments.
Last week, Greene's Twitter account was temporarily suspended by Elon Musk-headed platform over a tweet that referred to a "Trans Day of Vengeance," as she denounced a planned transgender rights rally. However, just days later, Greene announced plans to protest in New York City when former President Donald Trump is expected to be arraigned on an indictment of more than 30 counts, calling the proceedings against him an "unconstitutional WITCH HUNT!"
Despite her extreme views and history of making inflammatory comments, including denouncing Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg as a "coward" and claiming that the Parkland shooting was staged, Greene's appearance on "60 Minutes" has been hailed as a chance for her to share her opinions with a wider audience.
However, critics argue that CBS is spending its "currency" - attention and influence - on Greene, who has repeatedly downplayed and defended the January 6, 2021 attack and called for the GOP to become the party of "Christian nationalism." Journalist Molly Jong-Fast slammed "60 Minutes" with a tweet saying the network was spending its currency on Greene's views, likening her to a figure peddling "Jewish space lasers."
In an interview that aired Sunday night, Lesley Stahl failed to mention Greene's extreme anti-Muslim views and defense of January 6 rioters. However, she did praise Greene for being honest about some of her views, stating that the congressman was "sharp-tongued" and had "some pretty radical views." When asked by Greene what issues they disagreed on, Stahl said she didn't want to "get into specifics," sparking outrage from critics who felt CBS was coddling Greene's extreme views.
Despite the criticism, some argue that "60 Minutes" has a history of featuring controversial guests, including Timothy McVeigh and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. However, this doesn't excuse the network's decision to amplify Greene's views at a time when her rhetoric is likely to be deeply hurtful and damaging to marginalized communities.
The fact that CBS CEO Les Moonves once referred to Trump's candidacy as "damn good for CBS" may also suggest that the network's priorities are skewed towards profit over principle. As such, the decision to feature Greene on "60 Minutes" appears to reflect a broader cultural shift in which extremism is increasingly seen as acceptable - and profitable.
Last week, Greene's Twitter account was temporarily suspended by Elon Musk-headed platform over a tweet that referred to a "Trans Day of Vengeance," as she denounced a planned transgender rights rally. However, just days later, Greene announced plans to protest in New York City when former President Donald Trump is expected to be arraigned on an indictment of more than 30 counts, calling the proceedings against him an "unconstitutional WITCH HUNT!"
Despite her extreme views and history of making inflammatory comments, including denouncing Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg as a "coward" and claiming that the Parkland shooting was staged, Greene's appearance on "60 Minutes" has been hailed as a chance for her to share her opinions with a wider audience.
However, critics argue that CBS is spending its "currency" - attention and influence - on Greene, who has repeatedly downplayed and defended the January 6, 2021 attack and called for the GOP to become the party of "Christian nationalism." Journalist Molly Jong-Fast slammed "60 Minutes" with a tweet saying the network was spending its currency on Greene's views, likening her to a figure peddling "Jewish space lasers."
In an interview that aired Sunday night, Lesley Stahl failed to mention Greene's extreme anti-Muslim views and defense of January 6 rioters. However, she did praise Greene for being honest about some of her views, stating that the congressman was "sharp-tongued" and had "some pretty radical views." When asked by Greene what issues they disagreed on, Stahl said she didn't want to "get into specifics," sparking outrage from critics who felt CBS was coddling Greene's extreme views.
Despite the criticism, some argue that "60 Minutes" has a history of featuring controversial guests, including Timothy McVeigh and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. However, this doesn't excuse the network's decision to amplify Greene's views at a time when her rhetoric is likely to be deeply hurtful and damaging to marginalized communities.
The fact that CBS CEO Les Moonves once referred to Trump's candidacy as "damn good for CBS" may also suggest that the network's priorities are skewed towards profit over principle. As such, the decision to feature Greene on "60 Minutes" appears to reflect a broader cultural shift in which extremism is increasingly seen as acceptable - and profitable.