It’s an instructive adage: Your opinion of me is none of my business.
This works well for the tempest triggered by Geo News’s intended demeaning of incoming U.S. President Trump’s Special Envoy-designate Richard Grenell.
Here’s the backstory to what went down Monday night. During the opposition march on Islamabad, Grenell issued an indictment of the Pakistani establishment and endorsement of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. “Watch Pakistan,” he posted Nov. 26 on X. “Their Trump-like leader is in prison on phony charges and the people have been inspired by the U.S. Red Wave. Stop the political prosecutions around the world!”
After Grenell was named as part of the next U.S. government, the Geo News Urdu handle on X sensationally wrote, “Worshipper-of-the-same-sex Richard Grenell appointed Trump’s special envoy.” It deleted the post, but not before Grenell had responded: “I’ll say it again,” he coolly posted, tagging Geo News, “Free Imran Khan.”
But the Pakistani news platform would not let it go. It responded to Grenell in the same mean-spirited tone as its earlier post. “The first openly declared worshipper-of-the-same-sex cabinet member in U.S. history, Richard Grenell appointed Trump’s envoy.”
Let’s tackle the hasty inaccuracies first. Trump takes office on Jan. 20, so there’s no cabinet and no appointments yet. Second, the history-making that Geo News is gaping over was actually made by Pete Buttigieg, President Biden’s Secretary of Transportation.
So what gives?
The cable news channel remains unapologetic in its disdain for Khan, who called it “fake news.” Geo has also been victimized by the Pakistani establishment and has been attempting to build bridges to Rawalpindi ever since. Its self-righteous tantrum over Grenell is not just about ratings or dehumanizing out of moral umbrage; it is also a bid to gain Rawalpindi’s favor by targeting anyone influential who supports Khan.
The Grenell-Geo controversy was an online spectacle. Ruling-party supporters made unsavory suggestions about Khan and his closeness with some of his prominent, younger party stalwarts. This forced Khan’s army to post about every person’s inherent right to dignity. That is noble, but it is an ironic U-turn. While in power, Khan loudly and sneeringly questioned the sexuality of a top, young opposition figure—a schtick that appalled many Pakistanis.
The politics of identity is the lowest form of criticism and comeback. The politics of dignity must begin with how we treat others, no matter where they come from—or who they love.