NBC tested the waters of activist journalism when it urged Twitter users to use the hashtag #RegufeeRiders to describe the young immigrants flooding the U.S.-Mexico border.
After the “Today Show” aired a report on the young immigrants that didn’t once use the word “illegal,” host Matt Lauer weighed in on the situation … even though he said wasn’t going to.
“As so many issues in this country do it’s going to boil down to politics,” Lauer said. “And wherever you stand on the issue, one side or the other, I’m not going to weigh in on that, it’s hard to see those images moms and their kids in that situation.”
Lauer then urged his views to share their thoughts using the #RefugeeRiders hashtag.
Here are a few examples:
#RefugeeRiders coming this fall, new @NBC sitcom, starring @MLauer as the titular head of a dysfunctional undocumented family
— Jonathan Heaphy (@celtichief) July 2, 2014
Hey TODAY SHOW. They are ILLEGAL Immigrants! ! ! ! ! ! Shame on you & your Political Correctness #RefugeeRiders #todayshow.
— DJCross1 (@DamienCross66) July 2, 2014
Drop them off in San Francisco .. @NancyPelosi wanted to take them home wit her #RefugeeRiders
— bigal64 (@bigal64) July 2, 2014