The full quote — “There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics” — has been attributed to Mark Twain, who himself attributed it to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, who might never have said it in the first place. In 2020's America, this phrase takes on even more meaning with the misinformation circulating in "conservative" information bubbles. False information is being spread by certain "Newscasters" in order to keep pliable masses supporting people who don't give a damn about their welfare.
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Recently, I watched a YouTube video by Steve Shives featuring a political candidate who spoke the GOP's "quiet parts out loud." Sadly, this fictional candidate's speech is too close to the truth for comfort. For example, I was once "defriended" by a transgender woman who stated that New York's abortion law protected abortions up to and including the 9th month of pregnancy. There is a certain ignorance and suspension of reality in such a belief. If a woman carries a fetus into the 9th month of pregnancy, she likely wants the baby to be born. If there is an abortion, it is likely to be to save the life of the mother. The same type of misinformation was said when the GOP bashed Obamacare - most people kept doing to their doctors of choice, and it reduced costs for the states that expanded Medicaid. Worst of all was our 45th president claiming that "secret evidence" proved that he won the election. People died in the January 6th 2021 assault on the Capitol building because of this man's lies, and yet, he still walks free.
The "Religious Right" has lost many of the cultural battles it has fought recently, and they are now focusing on Transgender people as convenient targets. How does it hurt people to amend birth certificates when Gender Corrective Surgery is performed? Yet, in some states, this change is banned, leaving many transgender people in a state of legal limbo. What about transgender medical care, preventing TG youth from having an incorrect puberty? Does this hurt the larger society? Even going to the restroom can be a problem, as many states have passed "Bathroom Bills" which restrict people to use only those restrooms associated with the gender people were associated with at birth. Being transgender, I can't risk seeing friends in Texas because of laws like this.
We must be on the alert when false information is being spread about us. Even if we are in stealth mode, we must always speak out against the lies spread by our enemies. Although it is a small segment of America which is out to attack us, it holds disproportionate influence over one of our two major political parties. We can't let that one party win while radicals hold control of that party, as it is an existential threat to us.
Truth doesn't always win out. People who believe in the truth must fight lies whenever their seed reaches fertile ground. Take on the fight, and fight hard - our lives depend on it!
1 comment:
Well said, and thanks for the link to that quality video. I am beginning to doubt the Republican Party in its present state has much more traction but it's still a scary beast and needs reigning in. Good luck. Sue x
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