Headline RoundupMay 16th, 2022

Buffalo Shooting Renews Scrutiny of Right-Wing Backers of 'Replacement Theory'

Summary from the AllSides News Team

A shooting in Buffalo, New York on Saturday prompted concerns that some prominent figures on the right have promoted “replacement theory,” the ideology that allegedly motivated the shooter. 

Replacement theory — also known as the “great replacement” — comes in many forms, but generally argues that elites, sometimes implied to be Jews, are intentionally replacing white populations in the U.S. and elsewhere with people of color through increased immigration and low white birth rates. Replacement theory also inspired the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, the 2019 El Paso Walmart shooting and the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting

Commentary in left-rated outlets tended to criticize prominent right-wing figures like Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for elevating replacement theory. This criticism also came from conservative voices like Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). The New York Times (Lean Left bias) also singled out Carlson in an analysis published before the shooting.

Voices from the right tended to object to these criticisms. Multiple articles specifically defended Carlson’s “very real concerns of an open immigration policy,” arguing that the shooter never mentioned the Fox News (Right bias) host in his 180-page manifesto. These voices also argued that the media wanted an “excuse” to censor conservatives and pointed to a left-wing shooter who targeted Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) in 2017. 

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