The Factivist Project
Evidence. Proof. Confirmation. Verification. Corroboration.
We Are Misinformation Nation
It all starts with misinformation and propaganda
The right wing are masters at propaganda and misinformation. They have demonized many institutions that were once trusted for the express purpose of dismantling them. The public education system is one such institution. In the wake of COVID-19, the public health system is now in their crosshairs. They are particularly adept on social media and have perfected the art of "rinse and repeat." Their message is heard over and over again. And we indulge in what is called
participatory propaganda by sharing without vetting either the source or the information.
The Meme-ing of America
Memes have their place in the world of politics and in the world of social media. However, they were never meant to replace fact checking and reading. They were never meant to be shared indiscriminately without checking the source. They are often an over-simplification of an issue that is many faceted, or they are outright lies. They are "ideas" rarely based in fact, evidence or truth, and very often white supremacists and others use memes to make their hateful intent seem more palatable.
During the 2016 elections, fake Russian accounts were all over Facebook, and they both created memes and shared others as part of a disinformation campaign started by the right wing. The objective was to discredit Hillary Clinton in favor of Donald Trump. It worked. And many hapless people on social media shared without looking at its source.
We spend a fair amount of time on social media, and I personally have been on Facebook since 2008 under various profiles. At one time, posts generated thoughtful comments about the subject at hand. Today, most people respond with a cartoon, a meme. There is no banter. There is no discussion. Just tropes and memes.
Getting your news from memes is ill-advised unless there's a way to vet the source and the information. Better still, try researching the subject matter and reading. Despite what the right wing tells you, the mainstream media is not the problem. Disinformation nation was begun by FOX News, whose creator, Roger Ailes, openly stated that he didn't care about telling the truth. What he cared about was ratings.
The Worst of the Worst
We cover all manner of right-wing news media sources, from broadcast and Internet media like Fox, to OAN, to Newsmax, and print media like The Epoch Times, in this section. Below we cover the worst of the worst in misinformation spread largely through memes and promoted and supported by these media sources, and by those on social media who choose to share every meme or pundit statement as though it is either absolute truth, or part of the larger "free speech" movement.
Birther Bullshit
Where this all started is truly impossible to pinpoint, but we're absolutely sure that it's rooted in right-wing racism. We're also absolutely sure that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. Someone commented that Hawaii wasn't a state in 1961. Look it up. Hawaii became a state in 1959. We can't blame the origin of this crap on Trump, but he sure made use of it. In fact, he couldn't shut up about it even after Obama released his long-form birth certificate.
There are two parts to this birther thing. Just as annoying and even more infuriating was the allegation that Michelle Obama was born a man and that she's transgender. This one is not only rooted in racism, but also in transphobia. You know, it's like the daily double for the GOP. Alex Jones came up with the corker on this one, saying that a photo of the pleats in one of Michelle Obama's dress proves she has a penis. That's a novel approach to providing "evidence." And, by the way, what if she was transgender? It's not anybody else's business what people do on that level. It is not an issue for government, and it is not for the people to approve or disapprove what people do with their personal lives. The world would be a better place if people could learn to mind their own business.
Fauci As Villain
The attacks on Dr. Anthony Fauci are certainly one of the most disturbing aspects of this pandemic. As this opinion piece in the Washington Post points out, this vilification of the nation's leading infectious disease specialist was a concerted effort by the right wing and led by Trump himself. Although Fauci never played partisan during his entire Trump tenure, he is a Democrat and is a trusted figure on that side of the political spectrum. If the liberals trust him, the right wing has to hate him.
It also gave the right an enemy in their fight for its made-up battle for medical freedom, and the GOP has tried to sully his reputation for political gain. The rhetoric leveled at Fauci, particularly by Fox News, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, and Trump attack dog Rand Paul, has led to numerous death threats against him and his family.
Anthony Fauci has spent his life in public service, turning down other jobs to remain in the one he has, and has served both Republican and Democratic administrations with distinction. His research during the AIDS crisis was instrumental in turning a deadly virus into a treatable illness. He embodies what public health is all about. We discuss this in greater depth later.
Pizzagate
Perhaps there is no better example of what a "conspiracy theory" looks like than the Comet Pizza child sex trafficking shitshow. It started with John Podesta's emails leaked on Reddit, which were "interpreted" to reveal that Hillary Clinton was running a child sex ring under Comet Ping Pong Pizza in Washington, D.C. Pretty soon, right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was all over it broadcasting it on Info-Wars, Brietbart also picked it up. Trump campaigners, foreign agents, activists, and ordinary people began spreading it on social media platforms.
Of course, there was actually no evidence to prove any of this, but that's the beauty of a conspiracy theory. Those who promote it as if it is the truth, never actually have to provide evidence because, of course, all of that is being hidden by the elites. James Alefantis, owner of Comet Pizza, thought it was something that happened due to the emotion surrounding the 2016 election, and that it would die out in a few days. It didn't. Soon, employees' lives were being threatened, and Alefantis was being smeared as a pedophile. It came to a destructive head on December 4, 2016, when a 28-year-old man from North Carolina decided he had to save the children himself.
Edgar Welch went into Comet with an AR-15 and began shooting. Luckily, nobody was hurt, and he was arrested. But it is testament to the fact that those who promote conspiracy theories on social media sites under the guise of "free speech" and "truth" can radicalize others with horrible consequences.
Misinformation and Conspiracy Theories are Out of Control
Misinformation and conspiracy theories are out of control here in America. The rise of the right wing is a key factor in this explosion. From Parler, to Gab, to BitChute, 4chan, Reddit, to Twitter and Facebook, the right wing is intent on spreading false information to achieve its goals. Donald Trump, a man who told 30,573 verified lies during his administration, is actually introducing his own social media site called #TruthSocial. Let that sink in.
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