More in the cross-post on the MRC's NewsBusters blog.
Before the hostage standoff with an Islamic gunman in Sydney had even ended on Monday, the media had already seized on a social media campaign that offered protection to Australian Muslims against imagined bigotry that had not occurred. On Good Morning America, co-host George Stephanopoulos touted: "The #IllRideWithYou trending worldwide on Twitter. It's a message of tolerance from Sydney residents offering solidarity with Muslims in the cities. Locals concerned people in religious attire could be harassed."
In the same 7 a.m. ET hour on CNN's New Day, journalist Bobby Ghosh praised the effort as "a wonderful thing" and declared: "Australians are stepping up and saying, 'If you're a Muslim, if you want to wear religious clothing and you're worried about going on public transport, I'll ride with you'....It rejects the idea that Muslims cannot live in Australia or that Muslims should feel oppressed in Australia..."