(LibertyInsider.org) – One of the cornerstones of journalism is to make sure you have all of the facts before reporting on an issue, lest you make a fool of yourself and the publication you’re writing for. Carron Phillips, a writer for Deadspin, recently broached the subject of a Kansas City Chiefs fan wearing “blackface” and a Native American headdress at a game and dragged a news outlet and the NFL into his tirade. But when the facts came out, they completely contradicted Phillips’ article.
The Deadspin piece, titled: “The NFL needs to speak out against the Kansas City Chiefs fan in Black face, Native headdress,” accused the fan, who is a 9-year-old child, of perpetrating bigotry, posting a photo of his face painted black while donning a headdress. Yet, the picture used of Holden Armenta in the article — and to promote it on social media — doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s deceptive at best and race-baiting at worst.
While Holden was wearing a headdress, his face was actually painted black and red to showcase the team colors — not to appear in blackface. Further, it came out that the boy is Native American. The fan’s mother, Shannon Armenta, spoke out, as well, accusing the publication of trying to “create division” and clarifying his nationality.
This isn’t the first time Phillips has been under fire, either. End Wokeness, an account on X, formerly Twitter, pointed out that the writer has a history of racial reporting with screenshots to back up the claim.
This is Deadspin senior editor and writer Carron J. Phillips.
Yesterday, he wrote a defamatory hit on a white boy for wearing face paint (his team colors). He even used a deceptive camera angle to make it look like blackface.
A glance at his past writings show that his entire… pic.twitter.com/2qabPBFzLW
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 28, 2023
When he was called out and presented with the facts, Phillips tried — in a since-deleted tweet — to connect the red side of Holden’s face with Mexicans and the wearing of Sombreros on Cinco de Mayo. He also updated the original article he wrote with a statement from the Chumash Indians, the tribe Armenta is affiliated with, citing that they don’t “endorse wearing regalia as part of a costume or participating in any other type of cultural appropriation.”
What was missing from Phillips’ update? An apology to the fan for getting it completely wrong.
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