A Harley rider is passing the National Zoo in Washington, DC when he sees a little girl leaning into the lion’s cage.

Suddenly, a huge, hungry lion reaches out and grabs her by the jacket and tries to pull her inside his cage.

The biker jumps off his Harley, sprints past the little girl’s screaming parents to the cage and punches the lion square on the nose.

The stunned lion releases the little girl and staggers backward, whimpering in pain. The biker snatches the little girl back to safety and returns her to her terrified parents who thank him endlessly.

A reporter for the Washington Post witnessed the whole event. “Sir,” he says to the Harley rider, “that was the bravest, most gallant thing I’ve seen a man do in my entire life.’

“Why, it was nothing, really,” says the Harley rider modestly. “The lion was behind bars. I saw this little girl in danger and I just reacted instinctively.”

“Well, I’ll make sure your heroism won’t go unnoticed,” the reporter responds. “I’m a reporter for the Washington Post and I’ll make sure this story is on the front page of tomorrow’s paper. Tell me what do you do for a living and what political affiliation is.”

“I’m a U.S. Marine,” the biker says proudly, “and a Republican.”

The journalist leaves.

The following morning the biker buys the Washington Post to see news of his actions and sees this headline on the front page:

US MARINE ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH

Unfortunately this is the expectation of the modern day media.