There are quite a few folks on Facebook, Twitter, and in the real world who take the bait on fake news hook, line, and sinker. There is no arguing with people who believe what they choose to believe and who reject professionals out of hand, and latch on to information which validates their fears or preconceived notions. This is happening in spades in Trumpist circles. Last weekend we had the insanity of our Vice President-Elect defending The President-Elect’s inane and unfounded assertion that he would have won the popular vote except for the “three million illegal votes.” And we have seen the great vacuum-minded assert the same BS, over and over. This is a lie. One of many, many lies, and the whole GOP is in on the con. As a long time member of the Grand Old Party (and now former member), this disgusts me.
It is easy to create BS and spread it around.
It is hard to do the work to dig and find the facts, and report them.
While this fake news epidemic is spreading, we are also in a world of change in traditional news media. Newspapers are closing, newsrooms are closing, and reporters are being laid off. Why? Because it is hard to monetize news online. And real news and journalism is hard work.
Despite the cuts, NPR, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other “main stream” media have been doing a yeoman’s effort trying to sift the BS from the facts. And, the very folks who hate the “lame stream” media elected a man who has stated he will “tighten up” the libel laws and who is famously at war with the media, and who praises insane quacks like Alex Jones – the same Alex Jones who with crocodile tears lamented the poor (and imaginary) kids supposedly caught in the so-called “Pizzagate” thing while simultaneously claiming that the real, red-blooded kids and teachers at Sandy Hook was part of a “false flag” operation and didn’t really die.
Cussing imagine that.
So – over 2.5 Million more of us voted against the Toxic Orange than voted for this Sludge in a Suit. I suggest that since the next election is four years away, with the midterm two years away, we can do something now to help minimize the damage the Tiny-Handed Moron can do:
Support the Media.
Support the folks that take the First Amendment seriously. And responsibly. They have a lot of work to do to counteract the so-called “post-fact” world that Trumpiots have created out of the strands of the orange mop that sits on the Thin-Skinned Wonder’s pate.
Subscribe to the news sources that you read. Support NPR. Support the Times. Support the Washington Post. Support your local newspaper. Support whatever publication you want, but support them. The Media has and will call out this Bumbling Blob and will continue to do so.
And they deserve support.
Indelible Mark 