On March 16, 2021, tragedy struck Atlanta, Georgia, when a young white man named Robert Aaron Long shot and killed eight people at three different massage parlors. Six of the victims were Asian women. Before investigators could conclude their initial interviews, prominent progressive media outlets—MSNBC, NPR, The New York Times, and CNN among them—declared the incident a racially motivated hate crime. The implication was clear: white supremacy had struck again.
But the facts didn’t align with that narrative.
According to law enforcement and even the shooter himself, the motive was not racial but sexual. Long claimed to be a sex addict struggling with religious guilt who sought to eliminate “temptation.” Subsequent FBI and police investigations confirmed that race was not a motivating factor. Despite this, the media refused to correct their earlier reporting.
This blog post explores how the Atlanta Spa Shootings were politicized and distorted to fit a preexisting ideological narrative, and why truth—not ideology—must always prevail.
Key Details of the Event
- Shooter: Robert Aaron Long, a 21-year-old white male.
- Victims: 8 killed, 6 of whom were Asian women.
- Motive (per Long): Elimination of sexual temptation stemming from addiction and religious guilt.
- Law Enforcement Findings: No racial animus discovered.
- Progressive Media Narrative: Anti-Asian hate crime driven by white supremacy.
- FBI Conclusion: No evidence of racial motivation.
The Ideological Hijacking of a Tragedy
The Progressive Spin
From the outset, progressive outlets framed the crime as a symbol of rising anti-Asian sentiment in America, supposedly fueled by conservative rhetoric about COVID-19. MSNBC, for instance, tied the shootings to “Trump’s use of the term ‘China virus.’” NPR ran features on the “epidemic of anti-Asian hate,” pinning the shootings as Exhibit A.
This approach aligned with the broader aims of critical race theory and intersectionality—ideologies that seek to interpret all events through the lenses of race, power, and oppression. The shooter’s own words, his religious background, and the actual facts of the investigation were treated as either irrelevant or suspect.
The Conservative Response
Conservative media outlets like Fox News and The Daily Wire took a different approach. They waited for verified evidence before assigning motive. They reported Long’s statements about sexual addiction and noted the absence of any racial slurs, manifestos, or online hate content. These outlets emphasized the importance of due process and objective truth over politically charged assumptions.
Truth vs. Narrative: A Christian Analysis
From a biblical worldview, the problem with the progressive narrative is not just political—it’s moral. The Bible forbids bearing false witness (Exodus 20:16) and warns against jumping to conclusions before hearing both sides (Proverbs 18:13). Christians are called to be lovers of truth (Ephesians 4:25), not activists for ideology.
Robert Aaron Long committed a heinous crime driven by sin—specifically lust and perhaps even misguided religiosity. It seems like he blamed the women for his sin and killed them, rather than mortifying his sin as Scripture teaches. Humans have blamed others for their personal sins since the Fall.
To falsely claim it was an act of racial hatred is to twist reality to serve an agenda. Scripture teaches that human hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), and that truth must guide our pursuit of justice, not ideology.
What the Media Got Wrong
- They Assumed the Motive: Despite Long’s confession and cooperating statements, the media dismissed his sex addiction as a cover for racism.
- They Ignored Non-Asian Victims: At least one white woman and other non-Asian staff were killed or injured, undermining the idea of racial targeting.
- They Vilified Law Enforcement: When Captain Jay Baker relayed the suspect’s stated motive, he was smeared as insensitive and potentially racist himself.
- They Never Retracted: Even after the FBI confirmed no evidence of racial bias, the initial racial narrative remained uncorrected in many mainstream outlets.
Political Consequences and Cultural Fallout
- Federal Hearings were convened to address anti-Asian hate, even though this case wasn’t based on race.
- Social Media Activism exploded with hashtags like #StopAsianHate, with no regard for the actual motive.
- Educational and Government Programs began tying conservative speech about COVID-19 to racial violence.
- Public Mistrust in the media deepened, especially among conservatives and independents.
This event helped advance the progressive notion that America is structurally and irredeemably racist, despite the lack of supporting facts in this case.
Why This Matters: The Long March Through the Institutions
The Atlanta Spa Shootings illustrate how Neo-Marxist ideology operates through mainstream media to reshape culture. In true Gramscian fashion, the goal is not just to report events but to reframe them to serve a broader narrative—one where America is systemically racist, the “majority” is always the oppressor, and every tragedy is an opportunity for revolution.
This method of reframing events is part of what the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci called the “long march through the institutions.” By capturing cultural pillars like media, education, and religion, progressives and critical theorists advance their worldview without firing a shot. The Atlanta Spa case became one more brick in this ideological edifice.
A Better Way Forward
Christians—and all truth-loving Americans—must learn to discern the difference between tragedy and propaganda. We must resist the temptation to use real human suffering for ideological ends. That means:
- Waiting for verified evidence before assigning motive.
- Condemning all forms of violence—whether motivated by lust, race, or ideology.
- Rejecting media sensationalism that obscures truth.
- Insisting on justice based on facts, not fashionable narratives.
Final Thoughts
The media’s manipulation of the Atlanta Spa Shootings served to inflame racial tensions rather than clarify truth. In doing so, they not only slandered the victims and misrepresented the facts—they also harmed the very communities they claimed to protect. Christians must speak into this cultural fog with clarity, conviction, and compassion.
We don’t need more ideological crusades masquerading as journalism.
We need truth. Even when it’s inconvenient.
S.D.G.,
Robert Sparkman
rob@christiannewsjunkie.com
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I recommend these Youtube channels and commentators for good content on politics and news from a Christian and/or conservative worldview: Albert Mohler, Allie Beth Stuckey, Bill O’Reilly, CBN News, Hugh Hewitt, John Anderson Media (Australia), Nick Freitas, Ruthless Podcast (language warning), Scott Jennings, The Hot Zone with Chuck Holton, Vince Dao, and Verdict with Ted Cruz.
For livestreaming of political protests and riots by conservative commentators, check out Nate Friedman, Cam Higby, James Klug, and Nick Shirley. I don’t agree with the perspectives of all these commentators and the language of protesters is often obscene. Most news outlets will not cover these illegal assemblies, though, because it doesn’t promote their narrative.
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