Verify what you read
Recently I read a letter written by a gentleman declaring himself to be a Christian (not a “Bible-thumper”), believing that all humans are equal despite our God-given color, and a political moderate. He points out that he heard one party left out the phrase “under God” of the pledge of allegiance during its convention. He takes great exception, so much so that he will likely vote for the other party. Philosophically, I agree with most of what he said except for believing anything that starts with “I heard.”
It seems that honesty, especially in politics, is rarer than hens’ teeth. I’ve learned to fact check almost every story I read. Unfortunately, too many people take things they’ve “heard” as factual, or read items from sources that are known to have a political leaning (they all do) without bothering to investigate a bit further. I’d be lost without Google, Snopes, or FactCheck.
In this case, a two-minute Google search led me to videos and additional articles debunking the myth that the Democrats removed the phrase “under God” from the pledge during their convention. This story was perpetuated by President Trump himself. He tells lies repeatedly and then when he’s caught, labels reports as “fake news.” And far too often, he gets away with his lies.
But the other party isn’t necessarily honest; I’ve proven a few of their stories to be exaggerated or completely false. And as if partisan politics couldn’t be ugly enough in 2020, now U.S. Intelligence is telling us that Russians are actively manipulating the flow of information, stories, etc., on Facebook and other social media, apparently trying to influence our vote.
So I’m asking everyone to please take each story you hear of or read with a bit of skepticism, even if you feel like you got it from a good source. Take just a moment to validate the truthfulness. Personally, I feel like it’s my duty as a citizen to be as informed as I possibly can be. This is always important, but especially so when your vote is on the line.
ELIZABETH BARGER
Little Rock