The New York Times released a statement regarding Editorial Board member Mara Gay stating during an MSNBC interview on Tuesday that it was "disturbing" to see dozens of American and pro-Trump flags while she was visiting Long Island.
"I was on Long Island this weekend, visiting a really dear friend and I was really disturbed. I saw, you know, dozens and dozens of pickup trucks with expletives against Joe Biden on the back of them, Trump flags, and some cases, just dozens of American flags, which is also just disturbing, because essentially the message was clear, 'This is my country. This is not your country. I own this.'"
Gay's comment sparked widespread online mockery and criticism, with the Times saying her comments "have been irresponsibly taken out of context. Her argument was that Trump and many of his supporters have politicized the American flag. The attacks on her today are ill-informed and grounded in bad-faith."
New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay's comments on MSNBC have been irresponsibly taken out of context. Her argument was that Trump and many of his supporters have politicized the American flag. The attacks on her today are ill-informed and grounded in bad-faith.
— NYTimes Communications (@NYTimesPR) June 8, 2021
The Times' statement then got massive pushback from Twitter users as well because the video of Gay's comments can be seen by anyone.
You can watch what she said here. Draw your own conclusion. https://t.co/aBGVhZQnBg
— Byron York (@ByronYork) June 9, 2021
She's disturbed by seeing American flags. What exactly was taken out of context? The word "American"? Or the word "flags"? Air ball. https://t.co/ZQ3gu7EKbm
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) June 9, 2021
Interesting, considering that's not what she said. https://t.co/DvXr8R70Mc
— tsar becket adams (@BecketAdams) June 8, 2021
That's literally not what she said. We all saw the video. https://t.co/Fmc2d0A9Ke
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 8, 2021
Spin away - we heard her loud and clear.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) June 8, 2021