Fox News headline of Obama’s kids book draws criticism

[DearAbby]

President Obama's children's book, "Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters," hit shelves this week to a bit of unexpected controversy.

At first glance, the 31-page book—which features short profiles and illustrations of American heroes like George Washington and Jackie Robinson—doesn't seem like it could stir up much debate.

But Obama's decision to include Native American leader Sitting Bull didn't go over well with the headline writers at Fox Nation, a Fox News website. Their initial take: "Obama Praises Indian Chief Who Killed U.S. General." (At the time of this writing, the headline has been changed to read: "Obama Praises Indian Chief Who Defeated U.S. General.")

<snip>

The Fox Nation headline comes from this snippet pulled from a USA Today article on the book:

His most controversial choice may be Sitting Bull, who defeated Custer at Little Bighorn: ("A Sioux medicine man who healed broken hearts and broken promises.")

Robert Utley, author of a biography on Sitting Bull, told AOL News that the Fox Nation headline—and presumably the USA Today article that Fox was featuring on the site—is a "vast oversimplification." He said that the Lakota Sioux chief was too old to fight at the June 1876 battle and that Crazy Horse led the group of tribes, including Sitting Bull's, that defeated Custer's army.

Full Article
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thecutline/20101117/ts_yblog_thecutline/fox-news-headline-of-obamas-kids-book-draws-criticism

[wtmusic]

1. Never mind that SB was defending his land from the white devils.

Nowadays, he would be known as an insurgent.

[walldude]

2. No shit... nice moral compass these folks have...

He killed a man who was helping steal his lands, ruin his country and destroy his way of life. What an asshole! :eyes:

[rurallib]

5. nevermind that Custer had to have the worst battle plan ever.

[malaise]

8. Ding ding

Amazing isn't it.

[PDittie]

10. It wasn't even Sitting Bull who slew Custer

As the OP states (and the facts hold), it was Crazy Horse.

[craigmatic]

3. I'm glad they actually criticized the book for what's in it rather than say that Obama is so wrapped

up in making money selling a book that he's ignoring the country's problems.

[Pirate Smile]

4. Somebody already said that on DU.

[Guilded Lilly]

6. Contrary to me loving Errol Flynn as Custer in the classic movie...

it is my opinion that Custer was a total scuzz.

[DirkGently]

7. Fox has become a cartoon of a caricature of a joke.

[theophilus]

9. Well, I hope no one in the book fought for or supported the Confederacy!

They would have loved to have killed a U.S. general....Custer, Grant, Sheridan, etc. I hope FOX never speaks favorably of anyone who supported the Confederacy! What a bunch of evil morons