LA Mayor's Stone-Faced Response When Asked to Apologize to Residents Triggers Outrage

Some incensed Americans on the social media platform X attributed her response to what seemed like a "deer-in-the-headlights"-style panic.

However, the likely reality should strike readers as much more alarming.

In a shocking video shared on X on Wednesday, David Blevins, a correspondent for the U.K.'s Sky News, persistently questioned Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for an apology or statement about her city's dismal response to the wildfires ravaging southern California. Despite his efforts, the mayor didn’t utter a single word.

“Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today?” Blevins pressed.

She remained silent.

“No apology for them? Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home?” he continued moments later. Once again, there was no reply.

The confrontation took place at an airport. Bass avoided making eye contact with the reporter, even as Blevins trailed her until she exited the building.

Robbie Starbuck, a well-known anti-DEI advocate on X, deemed it “the most damning video of a politician being questioned during a disaster that I’ve ever seen” and “truly a work of art.”

Meanwhile, others on X anticipated Bass’s electoral downfall or, better yet, her recall from office.

“What a disgrace. Not one word for the people she represents. She needs to be recalled immediately,” one user commented.

Prominent conservatives on X, including Charlie Kirk, Collin Rugg, and “Libs of TikTok,” characterized Bass’s reaction as freezing under pressure.

Yet, some observant users on X proposed an alternative, and arguably more compelling, interpretation.

“[D]id she freeze or did she exhibit arrogance in not answering questions?” one user inquired.

Indeed, the most thought-provoking and unsettling interpretation of Bass’s behavior came from Dr. Naomi Wolf, a journalist, author, and former liberal feminist who has long warned of sinister forces within modern institutions.

Wolf compared Bass’s demeanor to tactics commonly seen in the World Economic Forum or Communist China.

“She is not freezing. Nonresponsive officials are a WEF/CCP tactic causing demoralization. Like the school boards that file out when questioned,” Wolf explained.

Wolf’s assessment offers a penetrating perspective on Bass’s actions.

At its core, Bass and others like her seem to perceive everyday citizens as beneath them. Thus, refusing to respond becomes a subtle way of reinforcing that perceived inferiority, ultimately exerting control over the public.

For those skeptical, consider this: Have you ever seen President-elect Donald Trump or Vice President-elect J.D. Vance avoid reporters' questions? Could you imagine them, or any leader you respect, fleeing from the press?

And yet, President Joe Biden has spent much of his presidency dodging media inquiries. Vice President Kamala Harris followed a similar pattern during her 2024 campaign.

As Wolf aptly noted, this is a deliberate tactic intended to foster “demoralization.”

Moreover, the individuals employing these strategies rely on repetition over time. By doing so, they ensure that the public gradually internalizes their perceived insignificance.

In essence, Bass’s behavior was not merely about freezing under pressure, nor was it a display of mere incompetence. Instead, her calculated stonewalling reflects a deeper purpose: to instill submission and maintain control.