Barack Obama is visiting Kenya, his father's birth nation, and the question on everyone's mind — if by everyone, you mean CNN — is whether he'll make it out alive.
You see, according to the self-proclaimed "most trusted name in news," Kenya is a "hotbed of terror."
President @BarackObama isn't just heading to his father's homeland, but to a hotbed of terror: http://t.co/OkTE671wfe pic.twitter.com/ZnrhE8yFzy
— CNN (@CNN) July 23, 2015
It's true that Kenya faces ongoing security threats from Somalia-based terrorist group Al Shabaab. Al Shabaab has been waging a campaign of reprisal violence, including two high-casualty attacks at Nairobi's Westgate Mall and Garissa University, ever since Kenya launched a cross-border military offensive against the group in 2011.
Still, a "hotbed of terror?" That's an awfully reductive and stigmatizing way to talk about an entire nation, especially when that nation is located on a continent that's often talked about in reductive and stigmatizing ways.
CNN could just have easily called the supposed "hotbed of terror" a "nation that faces ongoing security concerns."
Or, it could have taken a different tack completely. The network could have said, for example, that Obama wasn't just heading to his father's homeland, but to "a growing economy with a positive outlook for the future." That would have made sense, considering he's there to speak at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.
CNN's word choice has gone over poorly. The hashtag #SomeoneTellCNN has been trending on Twitter, and Kenya's interior minister has now demanded apology, which, as he said during a news conference, CNN would make "if it was civilized enough."
While we wait for one, we have the internet to entertain us.
Here are some of the greatest reactions to CNN so far. So many glorious burns.
Dear CNN, You are accountable to a wide global audience & sensentional/irresponsible headlines will be called out. #KOT #SomeoneTellCNN
— Julie Gichuru (@JulieGichuru) July 23, 2015
Do you remember when they couldn't locate Nigeria on the map?? Now they are on us Kenyans! #SomeonetellCNN pic.twitter.com/QND4k1Yd36
— Crimson Jamhuri (@CrimsonCrimo) July 23, 2015
#SomeoneTellCNN Even the #Lioness had to check if #Kenya is "Hotbed" of terror&she dint see any #ShowKenyaToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/2XrRdT6ufZ
— Bonfire Adventures (@Holidayinkenya) July 23, 2015
#SomeoneTellCNN Donald Trump is to US as CNN is to Kenyans #ObamaInKenya #potus pic.twitter.com/84A8lIuCGh
— Life Reporter (@MovingOnSwiftly) July 23, 2015
#KOT, @xtiandela, @C_NyaKundiH,…could #SomeoneTellCNN sorry now that they've been vindicated pic.twitter.com/uJnZEyF2dx
— Wilhelm (@ItsWabz) July 23, 2015
CNN was right. When behaviour like this goes unpunished, a place should be called a hotbed of terror #SomeoneTellCNN pic.twitter.com/KFIwuMxDSW
— Elnathan John (@elnathan) July 23, 2015
#SomeonetellCNN is now trending worldwide as Kenyans have a go at CNN for calling Kenya "a hotbed of terror" pic.twitter.com/hj1G8TM7ug
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) July 23, 2015
Nairobi. Capital of @CNN's 'hotbed of terror'! #SomeoneTellCNN pic.twitter.com/gvFVifyy6G
— KENYA PICS (@KENYAPICS) July 23, 2015
"Bruh,can you feel it?" "Nope!You?" "Nope!Still cold!" "I don't know what Hot Bed they're on about" #SomeoneTellCNN pic.twitter.com/ne57qDXTZo
— Wateba 2.0 (@iWateba) July 23, 2015
#SomeoneTellCNN the only thing that will be 'terrorising' @POTUS is the sweet taste of nyama choma in his mouth! pic.twitter.com/A19jEPPBgd
— EatOut (@EatOutKenya) July 23, 2015
Horrifying images from the #HotbedOfTerror #SomeoneTellCNN @Cosi_GM @theOGstud @xtiandela pic.twitter.com/ukvjSui5eJ
— Kamakil (@Kamakil) July 23, 2015
Hehe "@masaku_: The Real Nairobi vs how CNN sees Nairobi #SomeoneTellCNN pic.twitter.com/3oNrgxNJZh"
— The last Viking (@Nerd_Stockmann) July 23, 2015
THIS>>"@j_kyama: #SomeonetellCNN This is what is called real terrorbed pic.twitter.com/I8A4JrsQYD"
— Liya Gabriel-Jacobs (@liyaJ81) July 23, 2015