What an amazing story the last year has been for this young man.
Nick Sandmann found himself on the wrong side of media coverage last year at the March for Life near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.
After being antogonized by a Native American activist, Sandmann maintained an unexpected amount of composure for a then 16-year-old, standing his ground without flinching or reacting in any way.
Somehow, the fake news media managed to manufacture a false story based on a short video clip that showed very little context.
The full video was released soon after, showing what had really happened, but the damage was already done.
Sandmann had his name unjustly drug through the mud by the liars in the media.
What a difference a year makes, as Nick Sandmann just got to tell his story at the Republican National Convention, and in the process send out a powerful message denouncing cancel culture.
Our friends at Fox News have more details on this young man's triumphant moment at the RNC:
Nick Sandmann, an 18-year-old graduate from Covington Catholic High School who was at the center of a nationwide viral video controversy, lambasted "cancel culture" in his speech to the Republican National Convention, calling on the country to join President Trump in calling the media out.
"I wouldn’t be canceled. I fought back hard to expose the media for what they did to me and won a personal victory. While much more must be done, I look forward to the day that the media returns to providing balanced, responsible and accountable news coverage," he said. "I know President Trump hopes for that too."
He continued: "In November, I believe this country must unite around a president who calls the media out and refuses to allow them to create a narrative instead of reporting the facts. I believe we must join with a president who will challenge the media to return to objective journalism."
In 2019, a video of Sandmann, wearing a red Make America Great Again Hat, went viral, showing the teenager standing directly in front of Native American elder Nathan Phillips on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Sandmann had been on a trip from his Kentucky school to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life on Jan. 18, 2019.
When the video was initially released, many perceived Sandmann to have been mocking Phillips by smirking inches from his face, while the Omaha tribe leader sang and played a drum. But full footage showed a more complicated image where the Covington students were not the instigators: Phillips had actually walked up to the Covington school kids after another group began taunting the teenagers.
Here's more on Sandmann's speach from the New York Post:
“Looking back now, how could I possibly imagine that the simple act of putting on that red hat would unleash hate from the left, and make myself the target of network in cable news networks nationwide?” Sandmann said.
“I found myself face to face with Nathan Phillips, and other professional protesters looking to turn me into the latest poster child showing why Trump is bad. While the media portrayed me as an aggressor with a relentless smirk on my face, in reality the video confirms I was standing with my hands behind my back with an awkward smile on my face.”
Earlier this year, he settled a $250 million lawsuit with the Washington Post and a separate $275 million claim with CNN.During his RNC speech, Sandmann called on voters to reelect Trump, hailing him as a president who would keep media coverage honest.
“My life changed forever in that one moment. The full war machine of the mainstream media revved up into attack mode,” he said of the infamous video.
“They did so without ever researching the full video of the incident; without ever investigating Mr. Philips’ motives; or without ever asking me for my side of the story. And do you know why? Because the truth wasn’t important.”
Sandmann has launched a whopping $800 million defamation battle against a number of news outlets including the Washington Post, CNN, ABC, CBS, The Guardian, The Hill and NBC.
Since the attack, he has become an outspoken conservative on Twitter where he has a large following and on Tuesday, gave a full-throated endorsement of the president.
It's safe to expect big things from this young man in the future.
If a 16-year-old can show that much composure and maturity in the face of overwhelming odds like the fake news media, and then turn around and have a huge personal victory against said media by the time he's 18, imagine what Mr. Sandmann will accomplish in his adult life.
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