Harris-Perry Blames Low Minimum Wage for N.J. Woman’s Death

Melissa Harris-Perry Thinks TheMinimum Wage Murders People In Cars (Truth Revolt)

Melissa Harris-Perry's MSNBC show on Sunday, the gaffe-prone host ran a brief segment about Labor Day and the minimum wage that amounted to little more than a maudlin and exploitative appeal to emotion in ignorance of or opposition to the facts. 

New Jersey resident Maria Fernandes died in her car last week while napping between shifts at Dunkin’ Donuts. While she was asleep, she died from breathing gasoline fumes and carbon monoxide. Fernandes was a low-wage worker who worked as many as four different jobs, according to co-workers. The Huffington Post ran a story last weekblaming her death on the injustice to women of low American wages. Harris-Perry ratcheted up the melodrama about a hundred notches for her own segment:

"Maria Fernandes tried to take a nap between multiple jobs that she worked just to make ends meet. She died in that car. In a parking lot. In Elizabeth, New Jersey. Just minutes from the Statue of Liberty. In 2014. In America."