Journalist Daniel McFadin, who recently reported on NASCAR driver Noah Gragson's suspension for liking a controversial meme, is now facing criticism for liking a post that referred to angry fans as "toothless hicks."
Following Gragson's suspension, frustrated NASCAR fans took to Twitter to express their discontent. When one person defended McFadin's reporting by calling NASCAR fans "toothless hicks," McFadin liked the tweet in question.
The original post, shared by user HKD, received only one like, which was from McFadin. The post read, "You did great Daniel! Don't let these toothless hicks with nothing better to do than watch cars drive in circles get to you!" HKD expressed gratitude to McFadin for his integrity and morals.
McFadin faced backlash for reporting Gragson's liking of a meme that depicted George Floyd's face superimposed on the crab from "The Little Mermaid." The caption of the meme read, "under da knee," a play on the song lyric "Under the Sea." Despite receiving advice to stay off Twitter for the day, McFadin chose to remain on the platform, stating, "I'm going to stand up for myself and my job." It was during this time that he liked the post about NASCAR fans.
McFadin's column, titled "Dropping the Hammer: Noah Gragson's Big Mistake," is still pinned to his Twitter profile. In the column, he explains the extensive efforts he made to verify the authenticity of the screenshot showing Gragson liking the controversial meme. McFadin defended his article, stating, "I did my due diligence to make sure it was real," and emphasized that Gragson had made a significant error in judgment.
In his column, McFadin also quoted NASCAR President Steve Phelps, who responded to George Floyd's death by saying, "Our sport must do better. Our country must do better."
The Legacy Motor Club, the team Gragson is affiliated with, released a statement announcing Gragson's immediate suspension, citing actions that do not align with the team's values.
NASCAR confirmed that Gragson violated the league's member code of conduct. As a result, he has been placed under indefinite suspension in accordance with the 2023 NASCAR Rule Book.
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