Commentary

BRENDA LOOPER: A new normal

Yes, we can (call out lies)

Oh, how I wanted to move on from fake news, hyperpartisanship and dubious sources. Alas, apparently that's not to be.

Nuts.

A letter from Jerome Tidmore recently published on this page stirred up a little unrest among a few who don't believe any of Donald Trump's supporters have made death threats, just as a column I did a few weeks back, which mentioned hijabs being torn off Muslim women's heads, had a few claiming it was a hoax. To be clear, both of these things have happened, and have been reported by national media. There have also been reported death threats from supporters of Hillary Clinton, so hate and stupidity have no partisan lines.

True, there are hoaxes in some of the reports out there, but those are generally the exception rather than the rule, despite what many partisans would like you to believe.

Brooke Binkowski, the managing editor of Snopes, told the New Statesman that hoaxes tend to fall apart as soon as they're scrutinized. "They usually make it easy because they can't handle the pressure and feel guilty so come out and recant."

Binkowski (great name, by the way) also recommended the same thing I do: "Everyone should read from a variety of sources, even ones you don't agree with. A lot of people yell at us because they think we are trying to be the be-all and end-all, but we just want to be the starting point."

So, yeah, if you're getting the bulk of your news from right-wing sources, you might think that most of the stories about death threats and attacks by Trump supporters are bull, just as if you stick to left-wing sources, you might believe some of the more outlandish stories about Trump (again, he didn't tell People he'd run as a Republican because they're more easily fooled). Feeding confirmation bias is no way to stay informed. Seek out news from across the spectrum.

And no, unfortunately, we at the paper can't get in every bit of news that happens every single day, so scattered reports might not make it in; that's when you check national-circulation newspapers, news magazines and the like. Don't like the New York Times or Washington Post (or only go there to hate-read and troll the comment boards) because you think they're too danged liberal? Check publications like The Hill or Fortune, both of which are right-leaning and have covered reports of death threats from Trump supporters before and after the election (some to Republican officials) and death threats from Hillary's backers.

It doesn't help matters when you have a president-elect who can't let any perceived slight go and feels no compunctions about attacking private citizens on Twitter, then disavowing or simply ignoring resulting threats to those citizens because, clearly, they're just partisan fantasies. Tell that to people like teenager Lauren Batchelder, who reported death and rape threats after Trump attacked her on Twitter.

Traditional media made a lot of mistakes this past election season, especially by not taking Trump seriously (literally, yes, which we should have, but seriously, no). However, many of us as news consumers also failed by seeking out only that with which we agreed and dismissing anything we didn't, and passing along things before we checked their veracity.

As Jan. 20 and a new presidential era approaches, a few reminders are needed.

• Dissent is a fact of life in free nations, regardless of who the president is. It's sorta what that First Amendment thing is about. While some may not agree with a point of view, it doesn't mean they're traitorous and hate their country. Just as Bob is free to trumpet his love for all things Trump, Sue is free to not hold Trump in such esteem, or to speculate on what things might happen under his reign, as long as she doesn't libel someone, or physically hurt or threaten anyone.

• The media covers news, and a president-elect who communicates primarily through Twitter, often to attack those he feels slighted him, is news, believe it or not. On Jan. 20, Trump's voice will be seen as that of the nation, so that little Twitter tiff he had with such-and-such world leader might just turn into something that could affect all of us. Pointing that out is not disloyal to the nation and, again, is protected speech.

• "Fake news" is just that--made from whole cloth; it doesn't mean just anything you loathe. When something is reported without evidence, it should be questioned. Like in a criminal court, the burden of proof lies with the people presenting the charges. It's the media's job to present the case that something happened, not the readers' to prove that it didn't. If you don't like a story, it doesn't mean it's a lie, but if it's fake, it is a lie.

You're free to believe what you want, and free to read what you want. Others, though, are just as free to call you on it when what you believe is false--and I have a feeling that's going to be happening a lot more now.

Grown-ups can take it ... or at least they should be able to. Tantrums are not attractive, especially when you're an adult.

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Assistant Editor Brenda Looper is editor of the Voices page. Read her blog at blooper0223.wordpress.com. Email her at blooper@arkansasonline.com.

Editorial on 12/14/2016

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