The conservative Fox News network remains in mourning after an arsonist set the 50 foot Christmas tree outside of its headquarters ablaze. There's no indication at this time that the man's motives were political, and he was arrested shortly after the incident, in which there were no injuries.
Fox hosts have delivered nearly 'round the clock coverage of the crime, painting the picture of an attack on the network that they assured would be met with resilience. Hosts have said the tree symbolizes everything from "freedom" to "Jesus" to "Hanukkah," with one even calling it "America's tree."
On Thursday night, Fox held a relighting ceremony featuring first responders and words from Fox News contributor Rev. Jacques DeGraff, who delivered potentially the most bizarre exaltation of the tree yet.
Watch below.
At the lighting of the new Christmas tree, Fox News contributor Rev. Jacques DeGraff declares: "I’m here because these colors do not run. 80 years ago this week, they tried to extinguish the darkness in a place called Pearl Harbor. We didn’t fold then, and we won't fold now!" pic.twitter.com/J9Sp94Unto
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) December 9, 2021
DeGraff told spectators:
“Somebody asked me why are you here. I’m here because these colors do not run! Eighty years ago this week, they tried to extinguish the darkness in a place called Pearl Harbor. We didn’t fold then, and we will not fold now because we have come this far by faith!”
Pearl Harbor became immortalized in history in 1941, when Japanese pilots launched an assault on the Hawaii naval base, killing more than two thousand people and thrusting the United States into World War II. The President at the time—Franklin Delano Roosevelt—rightly said it was "a date which will live in infamy."
Social media users didn't think DeGraff's characterization was comparable.
All the years I've been watching this stuff, and I still find myself saying "This has to be a bit." https://t.co/XXcakI3eEI
— Gary Legum (@GaryLegum) December 9, 2021
As a Jew, I had never heard the saying “A homeless man burning one of our Christmas trees is equal to a foreign power slaughtering thousands of our troops.” https://t.co/dXMzOtzLxP
— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) December 10, 2021
They’re such ridiculous drama queens. https://t.co/qF20ptwy6N
— Joshua Holland (@JoshuaHol) December 10, 2021
He's comparing a fake christmas tree set on fire by a homeless man....... to Pearl Harbor? https://t.co/5hJkGOqUnu
— Hold My PomPoms Bitches (@Scattered211) December 9, 2021
Oh my God Fox News lost their plastic Christmas tree and they think this is their Pearl Harbor. https://t.co/KzKm3N1ghY
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) December 9, 2021
It's ridiculous how badly conservatives want people to see them as the victims in the culture war they perpetuate. https://t.co/A9rSCe9dvU
— Trevor Miller (@swooper74) December 10, 2021
Some used the moment to highlight Fox's repeated downplaying of the deadly January 6 insurrection, when a mob of pro-Trump extremists stormed the United States Capitol.
Who knew this fake tree was a bigger hero than the Capitol police officers https://t.co/AepCMWntlW
— Jessica Shortall🧂🥴 (@jessicashortall) December 9, 2021
Apparently, people that stormed the Capitol building were “tourists”, but the random dude who burned down a fake Fox Christmas tree was just like the pilots who bombed Pearl Harbor. https://t.co/c6Zhe4P8VA
— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) December 10, 2021
Fox News, where they describe the January 6th insurrection as a few rogue tourists getting a little rowdy, is treating the burning of their Christmas tree like Pearl Harbor. https://t.co/Di9Wc1n1ZY
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) December 10, 2021
Not a good look.
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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images