CNN’s #AskACop Backfires Horribly

On Tuesday night, CNN Tonight asked viewers to follow along with their special #CopsUnderFire episode by sending questions on Twitter using #AskACop, so viewers could ask a police officer direct questions about issues raised by the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases and subsequent protests.

It went over just as horribly as you would expect:

Our special Town Hall, #CopsUnderFire, starts now. Join @donlemon and the conversation online via #AskACop. pic.twitter.com/OnnIdqZSMg

— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) December 17, 2014

@CNNTonight @CNN @donlemon the hell told yall this would be a decent idea? #AskACop

— Jack Freeman (@_jackfreeman) December 17, 2014

Here’s just a sampling of the backlash:

@CNNTonight @CNN @donlemon Is there anything Black men in this country can do to not be viewed as a lethal threat to you? Besides dying.

— SapiosexualChocolate (@HighYellowThght) December 17, 2014

#Askacop I have a math question: if 1 Black man has zero guns, zero knives and 2 hands, how many bullets does it take to disarm him?

— Jamilah Lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) December 17, 2014

@cnn got both hands on the keyboard…cool if i reach for the remote? #askacop

— Bomani Jones (@bomani_jones) December 17, 2014

What type of BulletProof Clothing should i purchase in case of a "accidental" discharge of weapon? #AskACop

— Marcus Netters (@Spiral_Infinity) December 17, 2014

Doesn't it bother you, even a little, that so many of your colleagues keep getting away with murdering unarmed black people? #AskACop

— Simon V-L (@simonwilliam) December 17, 2014

Pop quiz: are these guns? #AskACop pic.twitter.com/WherY2PbHx

— Jane Belfry (@janemagnitude) December 17, 2014

Pop quiz: Your gun is pointed at an unarmed man. What do you do? Bzzz. Wrong answer! #AskACop

— Cole Haddon (@colehaddon) December 17, 2014

Actually how dangerous is selling individual cigarettes in the middle of the day? #AskACop

— JaeW (@jaewiki) December 17, 2014

#AskACop Do you think they'll ever stop making wallets, cell phones, Wii remotes, and black people's hands look so much like guns?

— Popehat (@Popehat) December 17, 2014

#AskACop Did you play with toy guns when you were a child? Did a cop shoot you to death for it? Why not?

— Jeff Tiedrich (@jefftiedrich) December 17, 2014

Others criticized the way the hashtag was being used by praising police:

Stop using #AskACop negatively. How about you #AskACop what they sacrifice daily to keep you and your community safe. Show some respect.

— Wine Queen (@TattedWifeToBe_) December 17, 2014

What's it like to have such a thankless job, where the people you protect and serve want you dead? #AskACop

— AdolfJoeBiden™ (@Bidenshairplugs) December 17, 2014

@OutFrontCNN @CNN #AskACop I would like to thankyou for risking your life daily to protect me!! Much Respect!!!

— HUSKER-LOBO (@huskerwolfe) December 17, 2014

#AskACop How do you keep serving the public when you face daily threats like this from hateful citizens? http://t.co/gJ8AmTGWhF

— Ryan Visconti (@ryanvisconti) December 17, 2014

And on top of all that, the show touted the fact that #AskACop was trending nationally:

#AskACop is trending nationally. Thanks for joining the convo. & catch @donlemon w #CopsUnderFire at 10p on @CNN pic.twitter.com/6VPZehb2R4

— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) December 17, 2014

[h/t Mashable]
[Featured image via screengrab]

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